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How to approach an animal sanctuary about their rabbits?

helgalush

Wise Old Thumper
I'd appreciate any advice on this one please.

I went to an animal sanctuary today, all those animals seemed very well cared for and lots of space etc. It was a happy trip out until I saw a lone rabbit in one of the enclosures there. It had a reasonable sized run, not massive but not in a tiny hutch either. But then only a pet carrier as a base/hidey hole. I couldn't see a litter tray so presume that was it.

The rabbit was on bare mud with no water (despite three bowls being out) and no hay. It was in the run in an enclosure which had turkeys, chickens and geese squawking around loudly in it.

I alerted one of the volunteers to the fact the rabbit had no water and no hay. She said she was about to do the rounds, so we waited and she ran the hose in the main yard for the water but said it was "boiling" (it had been sitting in the sun). Still, this was what she gave to the rabbit.

Then she gave a whole carrot and some rabbit muesli in to one of the other bowls....but still no hay.

I asked about the rabbit and she said it had been given up by its family for being aggressive and biting. I asked if the rabbit was neutered but they have no intention of neutering the rabbit, even when I mentioned about uterine cancer. Firstly I was told because rabbits don't tolerate anaesthetic well and they'd had two males castrated and they had really struggled with it, and that she would be going in with the other females anyway. When I said that all ours were neutered and lots of rescues and people and sanctuaries neuter their rabbits these days, she said it was because of a lack of funds.

I am hoping to put a polite and constructive letter together, but am having trouble knowing how to word it right. What approach should I take? I want to get the balance right so that they read it and may take some information from it rather than being angry and dismissive at me like this lady was. (She took the frustration out by slamming the lid of the rabbit run down hard as I was talking to her - even my mother-in-law mentioned that afterwards and she is not really an animal person).

I would like to post them some RWAF leaflets and perhaps send an order of hay. I'd offer to donate something towards neutering costs but I'd imagine it would get spent elsewhere.

Your advice? Thanks.
 
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I guess it quite hard to take critisim, I certainly would be upset initially if someone said something about our animal care, when I feel I try so hard, however I would hope I would research it later and change things if it appeared I was failing.
If it was a volunteer, there isn't much they can do as its up to the committee/ owners to make/ pay for those changes.
I would probably write a letter to the manager/ owner expressing your concerns and give some specific written info, so it's not just you commenting but a recognised attitude to rabbit care. Good luck. :)
 
Yes I wasn't really meaning to come from a place of criticism because I respect and acknowledge all the hard work that anyone with a sanctuary or rescue does, so I was trying to be respectful of that but at the same time was quite concerned about it. All the other animals had brilliant setups and everything seemed great there, so its definitely not a general criticism at all, and I can totally understand why she was defensive - and said as much to my mother-in-law. I also tried to speak to her out of earshot of the other people walking around. But it would have been nice to have a conversation with her about it, I might have considered sponsoring the bunny if it might have made any difference. So I am kind of hoping a letter might be a better route, when she hasn't got so much going on around her? But also don't want it to come across as a stern, "I know better than you" kind of letter either.

Difficult to be tactful isn't it?

I just worry about a) the lack of water and hay situation (admittedly we could have just caught them at a bad time) and b) the fact an unneutered female is going to be put in with other unneutered females.

Or do I just leave it and not go again?

PS Yes I wasn't sure if the lady I spoke to was a volunteer or the owner or the main person so at least if I wrote it would go to the right person.
 
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I certainly think the lack of hay, situation the rabbit was in ( with birds) and no Shelter are causes for concern. I guess as there is no law on neutering, it's up to them, vaccinations are the same, but as I see it the rest break the 5 freedoms ( lack of water too, but it just may have been unfortunate and the rabbit usually has water). I think a nice letter saying how impressed you were with the place but the rabbit care let it down. Say you are a devoted rabbit owner who follows the advice of the RSPCA and RWAF, and maybe send any leaflets too.
 
Where abouts in the country are you? I'm worried about it to be honest after reading your post. I tend to think that people that go on the defensive and become unpleasant, do so because they know they are doing wrong. I can honestly say, I try my absolute best for my bunnies and they do all seem very happy and I know they are well looked after, but then again if someone pointed something out to me, and it was a valid point, I wouldn't personally take offence at all, and would be only too happy to make things even better for my buns. Are the females likely to bully or hurt this poor bunny?
 
I was also going to ask where about it is.

I am wondering if the rabbit has been placed there through lack of space. If all the other rabbits are in reasonable condition perhaps this was rabbit was placed there because it was taken in in an emergency and there was no where else to place it. I agree that the lack of water, shade and hay is not acceptable. It also sound like they have decided to accept the previous owners assessment of the rabbit and will not be trying to rehabilitate / reassess any time soon.

Perhaps if a home could be found for the lonely bunny...
 
Thanks for all the replies. Yes I was thinking of the 5 Freedoms when I was looking at the bunny - water and hay are basics that all bunnies need, I was very worried about it. It did have a pet carrier for shelter (I couldn't see any hay in this, I looked very hard to see if there was any), and it did also have a lid on the run and about a 1/3 of that was covered with ply wood, so it did have shade from the sun/a place to hide from rain.

The birds couldn't actually get to the rabbit because it was in the run, which I'd estimate was 3x6', but they were all around it aside from that protection.

I was told the bunny was in temporary accommodation - the lady said the bunny would be going to more permanent accommodation (in with the other females) but I saw no other rabbits so I don't know where they are housed. Another site? Somewhere out of view on that site? Who knows. As far as I could tell, they are all unneutered females.

Then again, she did say that somebody else had mentioned to her that the bunny shouldn't be in with the birds, but she said “we’ve never had any problems before”, so that sounded almost like it was a while before?

I think people can get defensive because all the rescues and sanctuaries are up against it, and it must feel awful to do your level best and for someone to come along and pick holes in it. I know I am not perfect with my bunnies and I wouldn't like it if someone criticised me, but we all do our best for our bunnies. I'd never let my bunnies be without water, for my incontinent ones that drink buckets I've always made sure they have big bowls and extra bowls if need be, especially in this hot weather we've been having, to make sure they are never without water.

They aren't a rehoming centre so I don't blame them for keeping the rabbit and trying to do the best with her, and I am sure their hearts are in the right place with wanting her to have company but its a dangerous thing to do if you ask me to put unneutered females together.

I don't want to say where the sanctuary is as I don't want to give them bad publicity without a chance to enter in to a conversation.

Happybunny I would love to offer to take the rabbit (if they would even let me) but not a possibility here at all.

Halfpenny I am going to take your advice and contact them in the way you have suggested, thank you.
 
Good luck and let us know how it goes.

I know my biggest fear is if someone complains about our animal care, when it feels we try so hard.
I know at times we have animals in less than perfect accommodation but its better than where the animal came from, unfortunately people can't see the previous homes. In our case we try to improve facilities, as and when money allows. It's a tough call often, do you take in an animal at risk, when the housing isn't perfect, or do you leave it because you can't offer the recommended home?
 
Absolutely Halfpenny, nobody is perfect and I certainly don't expect a rescue or sanctuary to be perfect either. Its hard as well, because she didn't know me from Adam, she has no idea that I know a little bit about rabbits and was genuinely concerned, to her I bet I just came across as a meddling busy-body.

Anyway will let you know how I get on with contacting them further about it. I think I have some RWAF leaflets somewhere already.
 
Good luck with this.


I do hope they can take your contact for what it is - genuine concern for the rabbit.

I think their hearts will be in the right place but if they have many species of animals it will be hard to be experts in all.
 
I visited a sanctuary last year where some of the rabbits were housed poorly and had no toys. My mom wrote a polite letter to them and they invited us back free of charge and we met with them and talked about the rabbits. I think if you bring some hay (though since they're a farm sanctuary they must have some), toys, or some hidey houses the next time you go, it will show them you're not meddling, you actually want to help and are willing to use some of your funds. You could also see if there are any low cost spay and neuter programs that the sanctuary could use, even a small discount would help :wave:
 
Thanks Happybun and Snowytoshi. I have written my letter now, OH has checked it to make sure its focussed and respectful, I've also got some RWAF leaflets ready to go with it, so will post that tomorrow and will let you know what reply I get.

I would go over to the sanctuary with toys, hay etc but I live about an hour a way and went specifically for the first time to show my support for their open day and have a look about. I just hope they see where I am coming from.
 
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