Disturbed by book...

Has anyone read Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennett.

I was very bothered by some of the comments in the book.

One example--

"A note for Naysayers"

"Nobody, even the most avid animal-rights fanatics, needs to worry about depriving caged rabbits of their liberty. Those born in confinement don't know what liberty is; they are not deprived of anything."

This is referring to his breeding rabbits for meat and labs. It goes on to say that pet rabbits should not be allowed out of their cage except for OCCASSIONAL petting, to where they are confined on the lap.

I would like to ask the author if its ok for abused children to be allowed to be abused since they do not know what kindness is, thus they are not deprived of anything.

OMG!!! :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

When and where was the book printed?
Some of the older 'Rabbit Care' books have some VERY strange contents.
One of mine has advice on CULLING :shock: :evil: and various RECIPES for rabbit meat :evil: :evil: :evil: :evil:

Janex

that is dreadful - I know I say 'what they've never had they don't miss' but only when referring to treats - Room to exercise is an animal's right, and a basic need surely - how can it stay healthy otherwise? :evil:

This book was printed in the United States in 2001 by Storey Books.


It also has recipes etc in it-- which I understand, as people do eat rabbit-- I was mostly appauled by the treatment up till death. It HAS horrible advice on taking care of rabbits, I got it in a public library which bothered me even more, it was one of only 3 books on rabbits.


There is a removable comment sheet that I plan on sending in. I would love help and support from this forum to write an appropriate and short response.

The author is a former member of the Board of Directors of the American Rabbit Breeders Association-- we have a long way to go.

well you could maybe mention the '5 freedoms' that our RSPCA says an animal has a right to whilst alive (even if being bred for eating).

I hope someone else knows what they are, as I can't recall maybe do a search?

TAken from the RSPCA rabbits site : http://www.rspcarabbits.co.uk/page14.html
1. FREEDOM FROM HUNGER AND THIRST.
You should give your rabbits ready access to fresh water and the correct diet to maintain full health and vigour.

2. FREEDOM FROM DISCOMFORT.
You should provide your rabbits with an appropriate environment which includes shelter and a comfortable resting area.

3. FREEDOM FROM PAIN, INJURY OR DISEASE.
You should ensure your rabbits remain disease free through regular vaccinations, rapid diagnosis of any illness and take them to a vet if they appear unwell.

4. FREEDOM TO EXPRESS NORMAL BEHAVIOUR.
Your rabbit should have sufficient space, proper facilities and the company of other rabbits.

5. FREEDOM FROM FEAR AND DISTRESS.
You should make sure that the conditions that you keep your rabbit in will avoid mental suffering.

I bought a book about keeping chickens as it's something I want to do in the future and there was a whole section on killing and eating them. I stapled that section together so I could never accidently look at it!

I remember being repulsed by looking on an American breeders site and he said if any of the rabbits had faults he'd eat them. Didn't matter if they have been with him for years, they stop being useful, they end up as dinner. Personally I think it's disgusting, there is a difference between shooting a rabbit and eating it from the wild (don't really agree with this either) and keeping something in your home and then killing and eating it. Sick sick sick. You wouldn't eat your dog, so why your rabbit?

raven_guest said:

I bought a book about keeping chickens as it's something I want to do in the future and there was a whole section on killing and eating them. I stapled that section together so I could never accidently look at it!

I remember being repulsed by looking on an American breeders site and he said if any of the rabbits had faults he'd eat them. Didn't matter if they have been with him for years, they stop being useful, they end up as dinner. Personally I think it's disgusting, there is a difference between shooting a rabbit and eating it from the wild (don't really agree with this either) and keeping something in your home and then killing and eating it. Sick sick sick. You wouldn't eat your dog, so why your rabbit?

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Hi all,

this way of thinking is not necessarily an American way of thinking, because it is more commonplace in this country than people think.

There are UK rabbit websites that have private sections on culling, skinning, preparing hides & meat recipes...its just that it is hidden from 'general view'.

When i showed rabbits it was obviously part & parcel of every day life...one reason i didn't want to stay involved, as it was too ruthless for my liking. Not everyone culls,etc but many do.(non-culling breeders sold off or gave away surplus stock which i found too 'easy come easy go')

OMG that's awfull, my buns love running around

re the culling - the breeder I rescued my piggies from was a rabbit breeder (dabbled in piggies and decided it was too much work) - she'd had 35 rabbits at one time, and just churned out babies to pay for her 'hobby' - Husband delivered the piggies to me and whilst chatting said it was his job to kill any sick animals :? I guess a vet bill would take 'the hobby' into debt

Does culling always involve killing the rabbits-- I thought it was just a way for show breeders to sort show quality rabbits from pets?

Culling doesn't necessarily killing. It means removing them from the breeding group. Quite oftening that might be by killing them but it could be buy selling them.

Tam

Monty'sMarch said:

Does culling always involve killing the rabbits-- I thought it was just a way for show breeders to sort show quality rabbits from pets?

Click to expand...

No. Culling just means removing them from the genetic pool, which can be done by not breeding them. I know one breeder who was horrified to find that one of her bucks and one of her does both carry the recessive malocclusion gene. This of course only showed up when they were bred. She kept the maloccludded babies as pets, same with the parents, and is planning on having them spayed/neutered. They are "culled" but not killed.

Many show breeders will sell any unshowable rabbits as pets- that's how my two dwarf hotots were sold to their original owner. One lacks the dwarf gene, the other has a few spots on her ears.

Although I was surfing through sites of tan breeders in the US (I love that breed, wish I had one) and was horrified to find that several of them ate their culls! I would expect that with, say, a traditional meat breed, but a little thing like that? I wasn't expecting it.

And don't get me started on the size of the normal breeder cages! :evil:

omg this is a little shocking to read, but very sad that it does infact happen.

I know one of my many rabbits books, as a section to culling, i was quite shocked as it was one of these pet books that ideally have children as the readers in mind....why on earth would such a book even print the idea of killing rabbits i do not know, but it did.

When i bred rabbits, i always sold off any excess stock, im a vegitorion as i NEVER ate any babies that made the best so the speak...i find it slightly disturbing that any breeder would even think that...

Well as an example, the breeder i purchased my original Belgian Hares from IMO had the best Belgian Hares in the country. It was a 70 year old line passed onto him from his father, etc

BUT.... in his words.."nothing lives longer than 10 months old as they go in the pot". He also uses the surplus to 'train' his brothers gundogs. :shock:

I know that stock selection can be described by the term culling, but i was referring to the routine ending of lives.

Culling as a rule dosent mean killing as has been said ,its a removal from the breeding program. As a meat eater i carnt see any difference wether you eat rabbit or not. The top priority should be the welfare of the animal before death. Its conditions and treatment. All animals should have a good quality life, even if there destined to be eaten. I love my rabbits just as much as anyone else does. If you have pets then you look at things differently but not so long ago rabbit was on most peoples shopping list as food.The reason such things are not talked about openly is to spare peoples feeling as not everyone can come to terms with animals being eaten. But it does still happen as as i said we should all be thinking of the quality of live while there living and that there death is humain. It should be the responability of any breeder not to breed to the extent that they have too many to know what to do with. As a breeder myself as well as a rescuer i take my breeding very seriously and only breed what i need, ive no interrest in suppling pet shops. I do know someone that eats his rabbits but i also no that they are treated with respect at all times. Myself i admit that ive never eaten rabbit but have nothing against people that do if its done right. I do agree that it should not be included in any old book on rabbits. Such things should only be put into books that are meant for people that intend to breed for meat. This is a very imotive subject and is bound to cause problems. val

i am turning vegitarian......