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Independent Pet Shop

hoppin_mad

Young Bun
So I went into our local independent pet shop today for some dog food and was horrified to see that they sell bunnies.

They keep individual buns in the equivalent of Ferplast 100 indoor cages and I think they have a small run out the back which they put the bunnies in for exercise.

To make things worse, they also offer boarding IN the pet shop next to the rabbits for sale. I am sincerely hoping these rabbits are vaccinated because not only are they being kept next to unvaccinated 'stock', Joe public is constantly walking by and could be carrying all sorts of nasty viruses!

There was a beautiful grey and white mini-lop boy in there for sale born mid September. I would love to offer him a better life but I know by buying him, I will only be fuelling the demand. Poor babies :cry:

On the plus side (I guess), they were priced at £60 per single bunny so this might prevent spur of the moment purchases. However, with rescues asking for donations of £50+ for health checked, vaccinated and bonded pairs - why would people buy?!

Hmph.
 
So I went into our local independent pet shop today for some dog food and was horrified to see that they sell bunnies.

They keep individual buns in the equivalent of Ferplast 100 indoor cages and I think they have a small run out the back which they put the bunnies in for exercise.

To make things worse, they also offer boarding IN the pet shop next to the rabbits for sale. I am sincerely hoping these rabbits are vaccinated because not only are they being kept next to unvaccinated 'stock', Joe public is constantly walking by and could be carrying all sorts of nasty viruses!

There was a beautiful grey and white mini-lop boy in there for sale born mid September. I would love to offer him a better life but I know by buying him, I will only be fuelling the demand. Poor babies :cry:

On the plus side (I guess), they were priced at £60 per single bunny so this might prevent spur of the moment purchases. However, with rescues asking for donations of £50+ for health checked, vaccinated and bonded pairs - why would people buy?!

Hmph.

Not in East Molesey by any chance.................. ?
 
Sounds just like the one near me :cry: I avoid going in there now as it just makes me upset and angry x

I think I'm going to have to avoid this one too.

I'd be interested to see what information they request from potential purchasers! And after life in the warmth of a pet shop, lets hope and pray they aren't sold as outdoor pets this Christmas! It doesn't bare thinking about!
 
So I went into our local independent pet shop today for some dog food and was horrified to see that they sell bunnies.

They keep individual buns in the equivalent of Ferplast 100 indoor cages and I think they have a small run out the back which they put the bunnies in for exercise.

To make things worse, they also offer boarding IN the pet shop next to the rabbits for sale. I am sincerely hoping these rabbits are vaccinated because not only are they being kept next to unvaccinated 'stock', Joe public is constantly walking by and could be carrying all sorts of nasty viruses!

There was a beautiful grey and white mini-lop boy in there for sale born mid September. I would love to offer him a better life but I know by buying him, I will only be fuelling the demand. Poor babies :cry:

On the plus side (I guess), they were priced at £60 per single bunny so this might prevent spur of the moment purchases. However, with rescues asking for donations of £50+ for health checked, vaccinated and bonded pairs - why would people buy?!

Hmph.

Because it's easier.

Often I would have people come into the shop and they've been refused a rehoming because they work a 30hr week. I always done in depth questioning, asking the same question multiple times in different ways to catch out lying. 9/10 the people were brilliant and highly suitable for a pair of rabbits. I'm in contact with most of the customers and know the animals are still perfectly cared for.


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So I went into our local independent pet shop today for some dog food and was horrified to see that they sell bunnies.

They keep individual buns in the equivalent of Ferplast 100 indoor cages and I think they have a small run out the back which they put the bunnies in for exercise.

To make things worse, they also offer boarding IN the pet shop next to the rabbits for sale. I am sincerely hoping these rabbits are vaccinated because not only are they being kept next to unvaccinated 'stock', Joe public is constantly walking by and could be carrying all sorts of nasty viruses!

There was a beautiful grey and white mini-lop boy in there for sale born mid September. I would love to offer him a better life but I know by buying him, I will only be fuelling the demand. Poor babies :cry:

On the plus side (I guess), they were priced at £60 per single bunny so this might prevent spur of the moment purchases. However, with rescues asking for donations of £50+ for health checked, vaccinated and bonded pairs - why would people buy?!

Hmph.


Why do people buy from breeders/pet shops? No idea! Impulse? Convenience? They want a particular breed?

But if the bunnies have exercise time and are priced at £60 then I can think of much worse places to buy a bunny from than that pet shop :(
 
Why do people buy from breeders/pet shops? No idea! Impulse? Convenience? They want a particular breed?

But if the bunnies have exercise time and are priced at £60 then I can think of much worse places to buy a bunny from than that pet shop :(

I don't really understand the issue with buying from a breeder if I'm honest :( I understand rescue- when there are so many that need homes it's the ideal as there are so many and 'we' are just breeding more when there's enough already that need homes without 'us' adding to the problem.

I got my most recent pair from a breeder, I wanted the breed because they were supposed to be better for allergies (honestly I didn't buy this - but so far no issues compared to my mini lops before) but it wasn't quick getting them I spoke to the breeder lots before hand she asked a load of questions about enclosure, care etc etc. I'd say it was about the same level as buying a dog from a show breeder. I know every case is different but I'm so fricking glad I got my two, I know one of them might not still be here if I hadn't and I wouldn't change anything about it.

My 3rd bunny was impulse I guess? I never planned to get her but I saw her in the pet shop three weeks in a row looking scared and when I got her home she had cuts and bite marks from the other bunnies (although she was last one left when I bought her) and I just thought I can give you a good home and treatment as she was continually sneezing haha if I hadn't been in that position though I wouldn't have bought her. I know it supports the shop, but I couldn't leave her. I just couldn't.

When I move to somewhere more permanent - soon (finally) I will hopefully be adopting a bunny or a pair not picky but tbh before these current three I hadn't ever thought about adoption for bunnies I wasn't really aware of it.

I'm not sure what my point is tbh I just don't think everyone researches this much always and I know when I was a kid my first two rabbits didn't have the best life (they had long, healthy lives and a great hutch and run) but they were neutered way too young, the female had no pain meds afterwards and was not right at all for a week before my mum took her back to the vets (who then gave her something but said she was fine) but my mum just went by what the vets said, and I was only 9 but I remember it all and I know it was so wrong. They were failed by me and my parents who didn't know any better but they still had a surprisingly good life for the most part, and I think that's probably what a lot of rabbits bought for kids get - it's not the best, but it could be much worse :( I'm not saying it's good I wish every living thing could have the best possible life, but that's not always realistic.

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Ps sorry for essay [emoji23][emoji23]
 
It's a tough one really. Totally understand that buying fuels the demand, and that by refusing to buy, people are trying to change things for so many bunnies in the future, and also open up rescue space for animals in need.

On the other hand, I have always been taken by the saying 'You can't change the world, but you can change the world for that one animal.' They are sentient beings, each and every one of them. And each and every single one of them, no matter where they come from are deserving of love and good care - and certainly in my heart I don't feel pet shop bunnies are any less deserving than rescue bunnies.

I think a lot of people who buy, do it for the right reasons at heart. A lot of people who rescue, do it for the right reasons at heart. I'm not convinced you can judge a person because they buy rather than rescue. X
 
I don't have any issues with buying from a breeder. A good breeder is a great place to get buns, especially for experienced owners.

You could say rescues tend to be better for inexperienced owners because - depending on the location and whether it's a good rescue - they'll probably already be neutered, vaccinated, and maybe even bonded (you can of course buy multiple baby buns, but there's the chance they could fall out before they're old enough to be neutered).

I don't have a problem with people buying from pet shops for the reasons JessBun listed also. But there is the issue of supply and demand. My concern with pet shop buns is where they came from - it could've been a decent enough breeder or it could've been a mill etc. You don't always know. I know where some of my past pet shop bunnies came from though, some even came from a local show breeder, so that's not always true.
 
I don't have any issues with buying from a breeder. A good breeder is a great place to get buns, especially for experienced owners.

You could say rescues tend to be better for inexperienced owners because - depending on the location and whether it's a good rescue - they'll probably already be neutered, vaccinated, and maybe even bonded (you can of course buy multiple baby buns, but there's the chance they could fall out before they're old enough to be neutered).

I don't have a problem with people buying from pet shops for the reasons JessBun listed also. But there is the issue of supply and demand. My concern with pet shop buns is where they came from - it could've been a decent enough breeder or it could've been a mill etc. You don't always know. I know where some of my past pet shop bunnies came from though, some even came from a local show breeder, so that's not always true.

A responsible Breeder would not supply Rabbits to a Pet Shop in the first place. A responsible Breeder would want to check where each Rabbit goes and the Breeder would take the Rabbit back if the new owner could no longer keep him/her for whatever reason.

Some people demonise all Breeders and everyone who obtains Rabbits from them. That is their prerogative :) Yes, there are some absolutely horrific Breeders, but there are also some 'Rescues' where the animals in their 'care' end up needing Rescuing. I have seen both scenarios first hand and taken in Rabbits from both places.
 
A responsible Breeder would not supply Rabbits to a Pet Shop in the first place. A responsible Breeder would want to check where each Rabbit goes and the Breeder would take the Rabbit back if the new owner could no longer keep him/her for whatever reason.

Some people demonise all Breeders and everyone who obtains Rabbits from them. That is their prerogative :) Yes, there are some absolutely horrific Breeders, but there are also some 'Rescues' where the animals in their 'care' end up needing Rescuing. I have seen both scenarios first hand and taken in Rabbits from both places.

re bold: yeah I know, that's why in the pet shop paragraph I said "decent enough".:) By that I mean, they weren't badly breed or kept really inhumanely as mill rabbits are, but the breeder is not as responsible as they should be, especially with finding new homes for the babies (or extra/unneeded stock, in the case of some show breeders). As far as pet shop rabbits go, that's not too bad. I would imagine most rabbits in pet shop chains like P@H are bred in very overcrowded conditions and random rabbits are put together willy nilly, leading to unhealthy rabbits (dental issues etc) with shorter lifespans.

Yeah, I think there's good and bad rescues and breeders. People always just say 'find a rescue' instead of saying a 'reputable rescue', as if there are no bad rescues. The distinction is important particularly when talking to a rabbit newbie who maybe doesn't know the difference between a good and bad rescue or isn't aware that there's bad rescues period.
 
re bold: yeah I know, that's why in the pet shop paragraph I said "decent enough".:) By that I mean, they weren't badly breed or kept really inhumanely as mill rabbits are, but the breeder is not as responsible as they should be, especially with finding new homes for the babies (or extra/unneeded stock, in the case of some show breeders). As far as pet shop rabbits go, that's not too bad. I would imagine most rabbits in pet shop chains like P@H are bred in very overcrowded conditions and random rabbits are put together willy nilly, leading to unhealthy rabbits (dental issues etc) with shorter lifespans.

Yeah, I think there's good and bad rescues and breeders. People always just say 'find a rescue' instead of saying a 'reputable rescue', as if there are no bad rescues. The distinction is important particularly when talking to a rabbit newbie who maybe doesn't know the difference between a good and bad rescue or isn't aware that there's bad rescues period.

What should I look for when rescuing in future? Because I don't know anything about rabbit rescues.

Also I hate to think where my third bunny came from, she was in p@h - she has rex fur and the look, her paperwork said rex too. The only reason I can think someone wouldn't want her or think she wouldn't sell is that she, has a deformed foot.

I'm used to seeing the bunnies in there when I go in for supplies etc she doesn't really look like she belongs with their normal stock haha but maybe she's from a mill I'd never know.

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What should I look for when rescuing in future? Because I don't know anything about rabbit rescues.

Also I hate to think where my third bunny came from, she was in p@h - she has rex fur and the look, her paperwork said rex too. The only reason I can think someone wouldn't want her or think she wouldn't sell is that she, has a deformed foot.

I'm used to seeing the bunnies in there when I go in for supplies etc she doesn't really look like she belongs with their normal stock haha but maybe she's from a mill I'd never know.

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If she was in the Adoption Section then she could have come from someone local who had Rabbits they no longer wanted, an 'accidental' litter or any number of things. My local P@H puts old shop 'stock' in the adoption section and also locals phone up and try to offload their Pets onto the 'Charity' too.

With regards to Rescues, IME those who only take in the amount of Rabbits they can actually adequately care for, they neuter and fully vaccinate all Rabbits before they rehome them and they do a home check of prospective adopters are the ones I trust. I dont think that a 'bad' Rescue sets out to cause harm. The person (people) concerned probably has the best of intentions but just gets in over their head. They can end up with far more animals than they can care for or afford. From first hand experience I know it can be all too easy to fall into the 'just one more' trap. Wanting to help but realistically being unable to do so due to lack of space/funds.

All in all I dont think there are many intentionally cruel/nasty people involved with caring for Rabbits, regardless of their stance on Breeding/Rescue etc. Most people mean well and dont act with any malicious intent. There are of course a few exceptions to that though, on both sides of the Breeder/Rescue setting.
 
It's very tough isn't it? I often look at rabbits in shops and so want to bring them home - if only to save them from potentially bad homes. How often have I caught myself mentally shifting pens around to fit in 'just one more' rabbit?:roll: But I could bring them ALL home only to find more buns back in the shop the week later - it just would never end and unfortunately as long as we buy, someone will supply.

Breeders are the same - many breeders do breed for the love of a particular breed, and show their animals etc. They sell the babies that are not quite up to scratch. I did buy from a breeder and I was never sorry - she was so strict about where her buns were going to and we were lectured and questioned for 2 hours before we even caught sight of Harley...we had to pass these 'tests' first. But one must wonder what would happen to the unwanted babies if the breeders didn't sell?:(

Nowadays we have a lovely friend who works for Foal Farm - and he would be SO disappointed if we ended up buying from a shop or breeder - I can just imagine the look on his face if we did - that in itself is enough to put us off any urges we may get in shops. You may feel that you're saving a rabbit in a pet shop but in reality this is just feeding a 'bunny selling machine'.
 
What should I look for when rescuing in future? Because I don't know anything about rabbit rescues.

Also I hate to think where my third bunny came from, she was in p@h - she has rex fur and the look, her paperwork said rex too. The only reason I can think someone wouldn't want her or think she wouldn't sell is that she, has a deformed foot.

I'm used to seeing the bunnies in there when I go in for supplies etc she doesn't really look like she belongs with their normal stock haha but maybe she's from a mill I'd never know.

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Grace, go and visit the Rescue you are interested in. See how they keep their rabbits, and what their policies are on things like neutering and vaccinations. A reputable rescue will usually allow you to take the rabbit back if it doesn't work out, so a really good safeguard that you don't always get elsewhere.

How old was your third bunny when you got her? Did the staff know about her deformed foot when they sold her to you?
 
Grace, go and visit the Rescue you are interested in. See how they keep their rabbits, and what their policies are on things like neutering and vaccinations. A reputable rescue will usually allow you to take the rabbit back if it doesn't work out, so a really good safeguard that you don't always get elsewhere.

How old was your third bunny when you got her? Did the staff know about her deformed foot when they sold her to you?

I will do that thank you, I'm hoping to get a boy to be her friend when she's all sorted out :)

They said she was between 10/12 weeks but they wasn't sure - what alarmed me was when the microchip transfer came through, I checked the email and it gave her birthday which when I worked it out meant that when I bought her she was nearly 6 weeks old :( if it's corrected that is! I'd seen her in there for 3weeks and in that time she had significantly grown though - also when I got her home she only started eating hay around a month later... Not sure if any of that backs up the fact she was too young to be in there or not really - we have a very close bond now though which is different to my other rabbits one of which I'm very close to. She follows me around all day - she's also tho one who ate the poisonous plant and cried when I got her home. She's very sensitive, was hard leaving her this morning for her spay.

They never mentioned her foot to me either, not sure they'd have known really though. She also had a respiratory infection and I never found out what was going on but she had lumps pop up all over her on her nose, face, back - I took her to William who didn't know what they were they all went on their own and never came up again - so who knows what that was x

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I will do that thank you, I'm hoping to get a boy to be her friend when she's all sorted out :)

They said she was between 10/12 weeks but they wasn't sure - what alarmed me was when the microchip transfer came through, I checked the email and it gave her birthday which when I worked it out meant that when I bought her she was nearly 6 weeks old :( if it's corrected that is! I'd seen her in there for 3weeks and in that time she had significantly grown though - also when I got her home she only started eating hay around a month later... Not sure if any of that backs up the fact she was too young to be in there or not really - we have a very close bond now though which is different to my other rabbits one of which I'm very close to. She follows me around all day - she's also tho one who ate the poisonous plant and cried when I got her home. She's very sensitive, was hard leaving her this morning for her spay.

They never mentioned her foot to me either, not sure they'd have known really though. She also had a respiratory infection and I never found out what was going on but she had lumps pop up all over her on her nose, face, back - I took her to William who didn't know what they were they all went on their own and never came up again - so who knows what that was x

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I can only say that she landed fairly and squarely on her feet when you took her home :love:

Good luck for her spay today, and hope to hear a good report very soon x
 
I can only say that she landed fairly and squarely on her feet when you took her home :love:

Good luck for her spay today, and hope to hear a good report very soon x

Thank you, I hope she's not too distressed there too xx

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