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The age old (other customers at the) vets issue :(

tlcwrites

Mama Doe
Took my rabbits for their RHD2 vaccinations today. Most people cooed over them, thought they were charming, wanting to know their back story and so on. I was happy to oblige and make sure people know that no way, I'm not a breeder. And I'm not a rescue, I just love my rescue rabbits. :lol:

The actual appointment went completely fine. Helios and Selene have slimmed down, which needed to happen. Helios had his claws clipped too. :) Elphie's underweight but somewhat stable - especially in terms of "quality" of life. Morpheus was admired everywhere (it was his first trip to this vet). And yeah, those being vaccinated all accepted it smoothly.

The issue came afterwards. A lady came in with her guide dog, and he got interested in the crate. She actively takes him to pet shops to "look at" the rabbits. She kept saying he was thinking "oh look, food!", "that's breakfast, dinner, tea, a snack...", "it's food that's still moving!" repeatedly over and over again.

I'm still angry now.

These are beloved pets, people know them and love them and adore them. Why do people do this? It isn't funny. How would they react if we said something like that about their dogs?

Aaargh.
 
I do say it about their dogs. They're always horrified... I think puppy pie was the best reaction.

Obviously I never mean it but if they're insensitive enough to call my beloved pets food, I'll call theirs food too.

Try to brush it off - I know it's difficult but you had a lovely consult with positive things said :) focus on how happy and healthy your animals are x

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I HATED that at the vets. I used to stand outside with mine and wait my turn as I didn't want my rabbits upset even further by people who could not prevent their dogs 'having a little look'. :roll:
 
Aw I'm sorry you didn't have an entirely pleasant vet trip, I would be angry to :( I just don't understand some people, at my vets there's a cat and small pet area where carriers must be covered and there's signs everywhere saying no dogs allowed but every time there's some one coming in saying their dog just wants a look!
 
Makes me mad too but fortunately for me, my vet only treats small furries and cats so we don't get dogs being a pain and insensitive comments. In the past though, I have just given the person a death stare, told them that's not a nice thing to say and turned my back on them. They do generally look sorry afterwards.
 
It's the one thing that I fail to deal with well. I've had a really hard time with one of my rabbits recently, he's had invasive surgery, emotionally I've been struggling and it's obvious for all to see. Unfortunately that doesn't stop people from asking me if I've 'put him in a pie yet'. I've even had people asking me if I want them to come to my house and hit him round the head.
I lost my Hamster last week and someone asked me if I'd chucked him in the bin and they were really surprised when I told them that he was incredibly loved and that I'd buried him in my garden in a lovely wooden box with a photo and some carrot pieces. They laughed when I said that I'd got him a beautiful potted plant.
I find it disgusting that people can be so cruel but I'm trying my best to not let it phase me. I'd be upset all the time if I did :(
 
A lady in work came in on Monday and couldn't stop crying because her cat had passed away over the weekend. She kept apologising for 'being so silly over just a pet'.
They're not 'just pets' though are they?

I don't understand why small furries seem to be treated by some as not worthy / less important than dogs. Grrr!
 
I've talked about spit-roasted cat before: I hope the owners of the poor feline went home and Googled it and thought about their life choices :evil: (do NOT Google it: I never have but SOMEONE must have done it and posted a video because there are some really proper sick people out there). If it's kids I'm not afraid to sing the joys of babies being the best source of calcium either :evil: Or quick ways to despatch them.

I can be proper vile if provoked: I have an overactive imagination and am sort of obsessed by the fragility of life, and can roleplay it well enough they they're not sure if I'm fibbing...
 
A while back a woman at the vets told her daughter she could look in my carrier at my rabbit because she'd been good. I said "actually I'm sorry but she can't, my rabbit is here because it's very unwell and she isn't an exhibition or a treat for your child's good behaviour". After said woman had gone another woman piped up "nicely done".
 
A while back a woman at the vets told her daughter she could look in my carrier at my rabbit because she'd been good. I said "actually I'm sorry but she can't, my rabbit is here because it's very unwell and she isn't an exhibition or a treat for your child's good behaviour". After said woman had gone another woman piped up "nicely done".

I agree!
 
A while back a woman at the vets told her daughter she could look in my carrier at my rabbit because she'd been good. I said "actually I'm sorry but she can't, my rabbit is here because it's very unwell and she isn't an exhibition or a treat for your child's good behaviour". After said woman had gone another woman piped up "nicely done".

perfect.

I tend to have confrontations with taxi drivers on the way to vets
 
my step dad says " are we having rabbit stew" everytime he comes and last time i actually swore at him and i never swear at my elders but i was so upset it just come out really angry and loud. Now everytime he comes he makes comments like " them hutches look stupid painted" "you re going funny you are, get them in the yard. He tries to make it seem like they are not important. I have 2 labradors aswell as 10 buns and to me they are all as special as one another, they are living breathing loving creatures. xxxx
 
Some people are just stupid - I've not ever had this happen to me but then again I'm strange at the vets - the carrier goes on the chair and I sit on the floor in front of the carrier chatting to the rabbits so no-one can get too close - and no-one has tried. I suppose at Trinity there are far more exotic pets than rabbits for people to get excited over.

I do get comments about rabbit pie/stew etc - it actually doesn't bother me too much and I don't respond. People say these things to get a rise out of you - and when they don't they are the ones left looking rather stupid.
 
At our Vets it seems to be the norm to let your dog wander around on a long lead and the owner smiling indulgently whilst the dog slobbers over my pet carrier with very small piggies in it.
 
When I took Tangles in for her spay a woman with a large dog was keen to show me 'how good he is with rabbits'. As he sniffed and peered in the carrier Tangles went into panic mode. I was so upset. Could see she meant no harm, was just clueless. Almost everyone is though, that's the problem.

We get taxis to the vets too. Always get told about past rabbits, asked why on Earth I'm not breeding them, told what to feed them (boiled potato skins, anyone? :shock: )

W&S - My dad makes rabbit stew/pie comments too. He always has to comment on my stupidity for keeping animals in the house (our house is really clean, rabbit proofed, etc so no reason other than personal preference to take issue). I tell him off but have accepted he just has a problem for some reason - he claims not to remember any of my rabbits from when I was growing up (I was never without my beloved bunnies!!). I don't understand this attitude people have, though.
 
I've always been really lucky with my vets and never had anything like that but I did have an awful experience on the way once. Sometimes I have to walk Milo to the vets in his carrier (it's only a ten minute walk) because myself and OH share a car and he works until 7.On the way I walked past a man and his dog off lead. He shouted at me and said "ARE YOU STUPID BRINGING A CAT NEAR MY DOG!" Startled I said "It's a rabbit" at which point he got even angrier and said "I should knock it out and let my dog chase it!" I pretty much RAN away!
 
I've always been really lucky with my vets and never had anything like that but I did have an awful experience on the way once. Sometimes I have to walk Milo to the vets in his carrier (it's only a ten minute walk) because myself and OH share a car and he works until 7.On the way I walked past a man and his dog off lead. He shouted at me and said "ARE YOU STUPID BRINGING A CAT NEAR MY DOG!" Startled I said "It's a rabbit" at which point he got even angrier and said "I should knock it out and let my dog chase it!" I pretty much RAN away!

:shock:

WTA...
 
I forgot to mention, but in between the comments of "rabbits are my dog's food!", the woman kept enthusing about how much she LOVED rabbits and how she kept them as a kid. :roll:

Thankfully, my lot are all incredibly good and solid as a rock at the vets. Especially the quad. Several of them - Athena, Helios, Selene, Persephone especially - will even just chill out and eat while waiting, once they've got over the initial shock of being in a carrier, in a strange place. But my animals always seem to turn out to be weirdos. :lol: They never seem to mind being showed off, to the extent that the receptionist (who keeps rabbits too) always says things like "I love it when I see your rabbits. They are always SO happy and SO well looked after." It makes me proud of them, because each one of my buns is amazing and deserves respect.

When I got home and discussed everyone's comments on here with OH and mum, I said I should say my rabbits are the incredibly rare breed, the Carnivorous Rex, and they eat dog three times a day. ;)

Still, I find it incredibly sad that so many of us experience this disrespect day after day after day. It shows how far we have to go to educate people about the needs of incredible species like rabbits, guineas, hamsters etc. None of them are easy child's pets, no matter what public perception says. :(
 
I forgot to mention, but in between the comments of "rabbits are my dog's food!", the woman kept enthusing about how much she LOVED rabbits and how she kept them as a kid. :roll:

Thankfully, my lot are all incredibly good and solid as a rock at the vets. Especially the quad. Several of them - Athena, Helios, Selene, Persephone especially - will even just chill out and eat while waiting, once they've got over the initial shock of being in a carrier, in a strange place. But my animals always seem to turn out to be weirdos. :lol: They never seem to mind being showed off, to the extent that the receptionist (who keeps rabbits too) always says things like "I love it when I see your rabbits. They are always SO happy and SO well looked after." It makes me proud of them, because each one of my buns is amazing and deserves respect.

When I got home and discussed everyone's comments on here with OH and mum, I said I should say my rabbits are the incredibly rare breed, the Carnivorous Rex, and they eat dog three times a day. ;)

Still, I find it incredibly sad that so many of us experience this disrespect day after day after day. It shows how far we have to go to educate people about the needs of incredible species like rabbits, guineas, hamsters etc. None of them are easy child's pets, no matter what public perception says. :(

That is genius! I might steal it. Yoink! ;)

You're right, it really leaves me despairing. They're not rare, exotic species that are new to the pet trade. This stuff should be common knowledge.

I was very impressed at Luna's post-op check to see a rabbit care information video playing on a loop in the waiting room! It had all the most important points a beginner would need to know. It was even entertaining. Dann and I watched the whole thing and giggled at the cartoon bunnies... don't judge until you've seen it :lol:
 
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