• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

Rescue Centre Letter

Tamsin

Administrator
Staff member
Hiya,

In about 4-6 weeks ish I'm hoping to send out the letter that has been mentioned to rescues centres asking them questions about their work.

Does anyone have any suggestions of what to ask or what information the opportunity could be used to tell them.

There is about 250 rescues and not something to be repeated too often so we don't want to miss anything :D

Tam
 
Well the main thing I was thinking was a count of how many bunnies and maybe how many places and the length of the waiting list. So we have some accurate/uptodate statistics to argue points with.

Tam
 
That would have been what i would have asked for. As far as I know there hasn't been a count in 4 years but please correct me if I'm wrong.

How about if they neuter how many does have had uterine cancer or the start of as this also seems to be an argueing point at times.
 
Do rescues log where the rabbit originated from ie: petshop, local papers, breeder, found etc, or how many owners has the rabbit had before being handed into the rescue.

I know most will probably answer petshop but it would be good data to argue certain points with :)
 
I would like to know how much accomadation each rescue centre can give over to rabbits and g/pigs, and whot is there stance on pts and would they rehome a rabbit that had ongoing heath problems, do they insist on g/pigs being rehomed in 2 as apposed to a single pig being homed on its own. And finaly how many centers get the does done as well as the boys, and how many do there jabs as well. val
 
rabbit rescue

Hi there,

ive just joined, but thought i would introduce myself here as to the questions regarding rescues. I cant speak for every rescue, but my policies are as follows.

I neuter and vaccinate every rabbit before i rehome them.

I do not put any rabbit down unless it is either suffering physically from an illness that cant be helped. i.e. I recent had to put down an 18month old rabbit due to congenital teeth problems. I thought long and hard before doing this, but on the advice of my vet, I felt i had no choice.

He had 7 operations to remove teeth, molars in rabbits are not closed rooted as in many small furries, their molars keep on growing, if a rabbit with this problem is bred, the trend continues. My vet and I felt we had did absolutely everything possible, but the pain and suffereing continued. and with so many anaesthetics, i felt i had no choice but to think of poor wee dougal.

i am self funded, i do not recieve any money for what i do, if i have rabbits needing vaccinated or neutered, they stay with me until i can afford to do so, even if a home is available. this is my way of trying to reduce the sheer numbers. There is no point sending a rabbit out to be rehomed if there is the slightest chance it can have babies.

oh accomodation, my rabbits have a large stable, and i try to integrate singletons as soon as possible due to their sociable nature, so more often than not, i rehome them in pairs rather than as a single rabbit. I feel its unfair to rehome a single rabbit if this is the only rabbit going. so homes are much harder to find, as when ive introduced successfully, the bonding is already evident and feel its unfair to split them. If i have a rabbit that for some reason cannot be rehomed due to health problems, it stays here as a permanent resident, i dont put them down.

due to my rural location, i have to vaccinated every six months.

I have records of all the animals who come to me, a questionaire is issued to the people who are bringing animals in, ie. contact numbers are optional, i dont force the issue. I just like as much information as possible foods, eaten, diet it has been fed etc.

I sometimes get animals in appalling conditions, neglect cruelty etc, many people condone me not reporting such issues to the sspca as in some cases, the cruelty and neglect is evident. the reason i dont do this, is word gets out you are reporting people, i cant take the chance of animals being dumped anonymously anywhere else other than a rescue. id rather take the animal do what i can for it.

I do have waiting lists for animals coming in if the need arises, or for people waiting on a specific animal/breed.

i have a rehoming questionaire asking why they want a particular animal or breed.contact numbers, email etc. I stay in touch with all the animals rehomed, and offer 24/7 advice 24 hours aday.

I also ask them to sign a declaration they wont breed (if for some reason its not been possible to neuter) or show ( i find showing causes too much stress to an animal) and they declare they will return the animal to me if for any reason they can no longer keep the animal. I also ask what size their hutches/runs etc are, if they dont have one large enough the rabbit stays put, until they have suitable accomodation. There is nothing worse than seeing a rabbit stuck at the bottom of the garden in a hutch bored to death.

I cant always do home checks and have to rely on gut instinct in many cases, having spoken to people on the phone and in person you get a feel for how you feel the person wishign to adopt is suitable. I confess i do tend not to rehome to people who are asking for a specific breed. I wonder why they want a specific, when there are so many lovely animals, what difference does breed or colour make??

Not sure what else to write in response to some of the questions, as i say every rescue is different If anyone wishes to ask a specific question, im happy to answer to the best of my ability

Donna
Scotrat Animal REscue
 
Hi and welcome Donna, nice to see another Scot!

Your info was well put and very interesting. Tamsin is putting together a questionnaire to send out to rescues all over the UK so perhaps you'd like to have one sent to you too? Her aim is to try and update the information regarding rabbits which is currently available on the net, things like the number of rabbits in rescues which at the last count was 33,000. We need more uptodate info to back up any claims or statements.
 
rabbits in rescue

Hi there

I recently did a talk at the barony college in dumfries regarding the petshop/rescue issues. I know many rescues through the NASA(National Animal Sanctuaries Alliance), i compiled what there numbers were and added them to the many rabbits in sspca, this was only for scotland mind you, but there were over 15,000 in scotland alone. Alas many rescues do have to put the oldest down as they will never be rehomed, due to petshop competition. The sspca alone put down over 1500 rabbits last year (unofficially) for edinburgh alone. they dont like to admit to figures like that tho.(know someone who works in the offices.

Many rescues are like myself not charities and are unfunded (some are really bad tho)so the actual figures you are looking for may not be possible to be exact enough.

NASA is always looking for members, as if all the rescues have one voice, instead of a voice in a crowd of many then perhaps there may be a change in the laws regarding the sale of animals. I myself am voting for registration, but the licenses and red tape may well put many rescues out of the running due to the costs. there are sadly many rescues out there which are as bad as the people they "rescued" from, some working from a one bedroomed flat type stuff, this is not suitable for any type of animal, but it goes on. I like to think of myself as a trier, i try to do the best i possibly can with the resources i have available.Sadly as its just me , I have had to turn many rabbits away due to the space i like to give mines. I dont use hutches at all, I have my buns stabled in winter, and they live outside during the warmer months in a shed, attached to a walled garden, where they are free to pop in and out of the shed, which is locked at night cos mrs foxy does her rounds here.
 
Hiya,

Policies do vary alot between rescues, there are some general things I'll be asking that I think will help in various ways.

One things as mentioned is a count of rabbits. Its not going to catch every rabbit but it will give us a base figure. This will be handy for campaigning as one thing I noticed people found when talking to their MPs was that they didn't think the problem was that large. Its fairly well known there are a lot of cats & dogs in rescue but despite being the third most popular pet bunny don't get the same press. We know there is a big problem but need something to back it up.

Another main goal is to put together a updated list of rescues that deal with rabbits. This will then be available on the web and via the Rabbit Welfare Association telephone helpline to members of the public.

Another thing this will hopefully help us do is target areas. We'll be able to see which areas have an above average rabbit problem then we can go back to these rescues/areas and try and work on it. For example one thing we might try is asking rescues in that area to record exactly where the rabbit came from (down to the name of the petshop) and then if a particular place is contributing more than others they can be given educational materials and perhaps a visit from an RWA out reach officer.

Another thing this is an opportunitiy do do is let people know about RR. Many rescues have had a lot of success with listing rabbits and we'd like to get more involved from other areas. Possibly pairing them up with volunteers who will list their rabbits from them.

I also get contacted by companies that want to help. So this will help pinpoint places that need help. For example rescues with long waiting lists might benefit from donations of hutches so they can cater for more rabbits.

So what we're hoping for is an overview but also something that can be used for reference in lots of other things.

Tamsin
 
rabbit welfare issues

Hi again,

these aims are fantastic if it can be pulled off. I for one would love to see animals being sold completely barred (i.e. petshops).

Some of my rabbits, have come from very good homes, but due to increasing teeth problems (Wild rabbits do not suffer the same dental problems as pets), they loathe to give their buns up but for the increasing cost of burring down overgrown teeth, etc.

What I hate about petshops, and I believe it is here we need to address the problem of incorrect and inadequate feeding. I know some of the manufacturers of rabbit feed claim to have good expertise behind rabbit nutrition, but thats just absolute ********, pardon my french.

If we can educate petshops to feed their buns correctly there may not be the same degree that require veterinary treatment. I had to put a poor gorgeous bun down at only 18months, due to 7 operations to sort his teeth out. As much as I loathed to do this, i had to think what was best for our wee dougal, his teeth had recurrent problems leading to abscessing in the jawbone. My vet advises me that he treats this problem on a daily basis, so i really think people in general need to be educated in exactly what feed we should be using to avoid this problem, the reason it is prevalent in petshops, is they take them from their mother too young, the mother doesnt get the care and the extra nutritional requirements when pregnant which then leads to the problem spiralling as it is at the moment.
 
Lynda wrote

Your info was well put and very interesting.


Donna ..welcome from an Aberdonian
wave1.gif


I too found this very interesting..I am learning all the time!
 
thanks for the warm welcome

not sure why little stars appeared,as i didnt think it was a swear word lol
bull, spelt with an o and hocks without the h lol.

I try to do my bit but its not easy a lot of the time,especially when it comes to rabbit teeth, although ive had rabbits for a good few years, id only just learned about the problems with teeth in the domestic rabbit just recently through my vet nursing course. I was very shocked at the statistics , so im making a point of trying to let people know that diet is essential. Hay is just for the fibre side of things, its the munching of grass and hay that grind the molars down, which is something that doesnt seem to be happening in domestic buns.

Also forgot to add the NASA website, it is

http://www.farplace.co.uk

thanks again for the welcome
 
Hi donna and welcome, i found your post very interresting to read there is only one thing that i want to dissagree on in the nicest possable way, and that is you think that showing is too stressful to rabbits. I run a small rescue centre of my own and have done in the past for a large charity, as well as this i breed and show and have been for about 5yrs. In all that time ive never had a problem with a stressed rabbit. You can rest assured that if a rabbit was streesed at being shown it would not be for any length of time. A show rabbit even at the age of 3 myhs has gone through long training to be prepared for showing, it must be happy to be handled and turned over poked and proded in the nicest way.If a rabbit is stressed it will be noteced by the judge and the rabbit returned to its pen. There is no way that it would be taken to a show again, My rabbits are so streesed at a show that they have to be woken up when its time to be judged and fall asleep as soon as they are put back. I know they are not all that laid back. Show rabbits are born into the life and are accustomed to it, i can honestly say that most of mine love it, its like a day trip. If they were streesed you would know about it very quickly, with odd behaviour or tummy problems. My rabbits are in the pink and have to be kept like that, as for anyone taking a rescue rabbit and showing it, were do your rabbits come from? they would have to be something very special, to be of any interrest to a breeder that shows.I would never introduce an unknown rabbit into my breeding programe. I know all of my rabbits down the generations and would not gepadize it for the sake of a unknown rabbit no matter whot it looked like. val
 
showing buns

Hi again,

apologies for offending regarding show animals. Im not really up on rabbit shows, but have attended crufts and various small animal shows, and i ahte to admit i was in the wrong in opening my mouth regarding rabbit shows, cos ive never been to one, so it was wrong of me to say so.

the rat shows i attended i was pretty appalled by the whole thing, some were obviously showing signs of respiratory disease (very common in ratties, so probably more at risk than buns), strangers were coming up and snatching up ratties from their teeniest containers filled with sawdust(another no no for small furries ) rats being sold by the dozen, i was really rally taken aback as many of the people there found nothing wrong with the stress levels these poor wee furries were subjected too.

As for crufts very big place, many of the dogs there did seem to enjoy it, but my friends who went witnessed as many appalling displays of behaviour when there dog didnt win, they were shaking the poor things, even kicking them, i apologise again for making comparisons against something i havent attended. I perthaps wrongly assumed buns woudl be stressed out with the hairdryers and primping and pruning, and i guess to me one bun is just as gorgeous as another, regardless of whethere it has spots or markings in the right place type stuff.

I just felt some of the comparisons i made would apply to the bun shows as well, distance travelling in a small container, the primping and pruning from strangers, judged on their apparent beauty or actually choosing one bun over another cos its markings are perfect type stuff.

As i said i did not wish to offend, with any wrong comparisons i made.

i guess they are introduced the stresses of hairdriers and the like from an early age and learn to live with it.
 
You might find this: http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=207 interesting. It was written by one of our members on what to expect at a rabbit show for people who are going for the first time.

Was it a show organised by the proper clubs you've been to for the rat shows? I haven't been myself but from what I've heard tell they don't generally use woodshavings and many don't allow rats to be sold on the day.

Alot of these events have been going on for decades so some have rules that are quite old. I think things are begining to change for the better though.

I think as you say it does depend on the animal and the person showing.

Tam
 
[/quote]
Was it a show organised by the proper clubs you've been to for the rat shows? I haven't been myself but from what I've heard tell they don't generally use woodshavings and many don't allow rats to be sold on the day.

Hi again,

this was in fact an organised show in bearsden by the scottish rat club!!!! i declined my membership after that particular show, it may have been a one off, but i didnt think it would be.At that show, they had to postpone the show as someone was travelling from london in the train with travel boxes, there was talk of this in their newsletter later on in the months but neverthe less the organisers allowed this to happen, id always be afraid of showing any of my animals due to the possible risk of infections. In another rat show, i came home carrying a bug called pseudomonais, which wiped out all but 13 out of 72 rats, the disease itself can be carried by any animals, and i kinda declined to attend any shows after that. It is possible that i could have picked it up elsewhere, but having worked in a lab as a technician during my uni days, i knew a good bit about the disease, and there were claims of someone taking first prize for the pew white section an ex lab rat.

I think its a good thing for actual rescues to enter shows and win onlypurely from a selfish point of view, to prove that a rescue animals can win prizes as well as your purebreds. Possible to highlight rescue animals.

I do apologise if i have offended anyone, its not my intention at all. i guess i sometimes get carried away with my point of view at times. Having been through the animal welfare systems ( working/volunteering sspca, kennels, animal sanctuaries and my own sightings within my rescue) you see a lot of things and this perhaps has blinkered my idea of things a bit.

:wink: :wink: :)

lol i just seen the smilies, brill
 
Its ok, the whole point of the forum is so that people can share their experiences/views and learn new things. Sometimes what you learns means you decide you had the right view to start with and sometimes you learn something that changes your view.

I've learnt alot since starting the forum and its always interesting to see what others have to say.

Tam
 
Back
Top