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Poor bunny-what to do?

Nicola3

Mama Doe
Hi Friends,

I went to a few rescues in Devon this w/e as I had some rabbit food I no longer use. I decided to look around the bunnies as my vet has suggested introducing a more friendly and outgoing female to Harvey. Primrose is more nervy and prefers to spend a lot of time on her own doing her own thing. My vet and I both think that Harvey will benefit from having a friendly confident bun to interact with as Harvey is such a playful bunny.

I soon came across a lovely grey male lop. He was a dear and apparently a house bunny before he came to the rescue. BUT...he has to have his molars trimmed regularly. The girl told me that he is due a healthcheck on Friday and if he is going to need regular dentals may be pts. She hastily added that she is not allowed to tell me that as she could get into trouble. She said that he would be very difficult to rehome due to him requiring dentals and for the money that would be spent on his treatment over the months they could have helped many more rabbits. The bun in question looked a good weight, still has his incisors and was munching on his hay. There were a nice pile of droppings in his litter tray. She also added that even if they did rehome him there is no guarantee that his new owner would be dedicated enough to take him for regular check-ups.

Now that I know this I feel awful. I had a stinking headache when I got away from the place and have been worrying about it ever since. I said I would take him and rehome him myself as I know I would be able to find a good dedicated home for him but she said that the rescue wouldn't let me do that. I told her that I take rabbits in for rehoming and am known by my local veterinary centres ,they would give me a good reference.

Basically, the rescue is bound by many rules and regulations and they have to strictly adhere to all of them. They will not home out of the area. They will not allow somebody else to home him on their behalf. He has to go to a permanent home in the area where he can be monitored. The only option I can think of at the moment is to take him myself but its the cost of another dental bun. I am in and out of the vets every other week with Harveys teeth probs and I have the other rescue buns to sort out.

I cannot tell you the identity of the rescue as I don't want to jeopardise the situation.

As it stands he's awaiting a health-check on Friday and a decision will then be made. If he's going to need his molars burred it is likely he will be pts.

I know the vet who treats the rabbits at the rescue so I have just contacted them to find out a bit more about the buns background and they are ringing me back.


L O L,

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
Could you take him on, and keep him for say 6 months and say you had him pts for some other reason, but rehome elsewhere?
 
I had spoken to a few rescues last week in regards to getting a partner for Adele - the ones in our area always pts buns that have rear teeth problems when it is discovered when they go under for neutering as they say they are always honest about health issues and as soon as you say "may need regular burring" people just don't adopt them and if you then pair a bad toothed bunny to a healthy bunny it reduces the chance of the healthy bunny finding a good home too. Not to mention the risk of the bunny not getting the dentals it needs if they adoptees are short of cash or miss the signs etc.

I can sort of see their point of view but at the same time I feel awful for the bunnies that never know a loving home but if the burring is more than once a month you are looking at a lot of stress on the rabbit both mentally and physically especially with the risk of repeated anaesthetics.

I just think of Athena though who came to me with mild spurs from her previous poor diet, was put on a good hay diet and never needed burring again until she died. I just worry that the ones with minor back teeth issues are catagorised with those with more severe issues and aren't given a chance.

Caz
 
I feel so sad for this rabbit as it sounds as though he was very well looked after before he came to the rescue but his elderly owner had to go into hospital and so the family handed him over to the rescue.

He looks healthy enough and still has his incisors. He was nibbling away at his hay when I was there.
 
Oh how sad :( .. My bun Fudge has got teeth problems :( I offered to foster him as the conditions he was living in was pretty bad...
I only found out last week that he may have problems in the future with his back Molars... I am getting him a girlfriend but cannot take on another bun with known teeth problems I just couldn't afford the vet bills...
I have decided to keep Fudge as I don't know If I'd be able to rehome him incase he teeth to cause him problems..
I'm keeping my fingers crossed that with a good diet of veg & hay might help the teeth..
 
Another option would be to help them find a home without taking him. Offer to go on the radio to talk about him, put a picture & appeal in the paper/RR etc. perhaps you can help that way?

Tam
 
I cant understand how they can say they would PTS if you have offered to take him on and rehome him :? If you signed some sort of disclaimer that states you are aware that the Bun has longterm health problems and accept full responsibility for any cost this may incur then the Rescue would be crazy to have him PTS. Its bad enough that rescues have to do it at all due to Dental problems but IMO it is heartless to do it if an alternative is available.
I really hope the Rescue would reconsider your offer

Janex
 
Tamsin said:
Another option would be to help them find a home without taking him. Offer to go on the radio to talk about him, put a picture & appeal in the paper/RR etc. perhaps you can help that way?

Tam
good idea, if the word gets round im sure someone will want him. local papers are always a good place to start.
 
The vet who treats the rescues rabbits has phoned me back and told me a bit more about the bun.

He was handed over to the rescue as his elderly owner became ill and she had to go into hospital. He has always been a real lap rabbit and craves human attention. When he first came to the rescue he was put in a pen outside but he became very very depressed. They bought him into an indoor pen next door to a female bun but this didn't cheer him up either. Apparently the only time he bucks up is when a person goes into the pen with him. He is really grieving the loss of his human mum and it really shows at the moment. He just craves human attention. The old lady that had him spoilt him rotten and spent all her time with him.

The vet is unsure how often he requires his molars burring as when the family bought him in they said he has had to have his molars burred " a few times". The vet isn't aware of when he last had his molars burred. He's three years old.

I feel so sorry for the little man, he looks so sad.

The vet I spoke to said she won't know anymore about his teeth until she does his healthcheck on Friday this week. She said she will ring me after she has checked his teeth and let me know whether it's a pts situation. He doesn't have a problem with his incisors it's his molars that have needed the burring.

The rescue is adamant that I can't take him on to rehome him myself. They have very strict rules and regulations that have to be adhered to in all circumstances. If you take on a bun you have to sign lots of documentation saying that you will not part with the rabbit. They also carry out homechecks prior to rehoming and keep tight tabs on the buns after leaving.

Arrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhh......I feel so frustrated with it all. I only want to try and help but every suggestion is met with a negative.

I can't put something in the papers as I'm not even supposed to know about this situation and it was explained to me under the strictest confidence. This is what I get for taking some food up to the rescue.

I wanted to at least have a couple of options up my sleeve for when the vet rings me on Friday. If it came to the crunch I would take him but I'm worried about the ongoing dentals.

L O L,

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
Nicola3 said:
The vet who treats the rescues rabbits has phoned me back and told me a bit more about the bun.

He was handed over to the rescue as his elderly owner became ill and she had to go into hospital. He has always been a real lap rabbit and craves human attention. When he first came to the rescue he was put in a pen outside but he became very very depressed. They bought him into an indoor pen next door to a female bun but this didn't cheer him up either. Apparently the only time he bucks up is when a person goes into the pen with him. He is really grieving the loss of his human mum and it really shows at the moment. He just craves human attention. The old lady that had him spoilt him rotten and spent all her time with him.

The vet is unsure how often he requires his molars burring as when the family bought him in they said he has had to have his molars burred " a few times". The vet isn't aware of when he last had his molars burred. He's three years old.

I feel so sorry for the little man, he looks so sad.

The vet I spoke to said she won't know anymore about his teeth until she does his healthcheck on Friday this week. She said she will ring me after she has checked his teeth and let me know whether it's a pts situation. He doesn't have a problem with his incisors it's his molars that have needed the burring.

The rescue is adamant that I can't take him on to rehome him myself. They have very strict rules and regulations that have to be adhered to in all circumstances. If you take on a bun you have to sign lots of documentation saying that you will not part with the rabbit. They also carry out homechecks prior to rehoming and keep tight tabs on the buns after leaving.

Arrrrrggggghhhhhhhhhhh......I feel so frustrated with it all. I only want to try and help but every suggestion is met with a negative.

I can't put something in the papers as I'm not even supposed to know about this situation and it was explained to me under the strictest confidence. This is what I get for taking some food up to the rescue.

I wanted to at least have a couple of options up my sleeve for when the vet rings me on Friday. If it came to the crunch I would take him but I'm worried about the ongoing dentals.

L O L,

Nicola and Harvey xxx

I would say offer to take the Bun and IF he needs ongoing Dentals (who knows a good hay diet might sort him out as long as his molar roots are ok and he does not have severe molar maloclussion) I am willing to donate towards the cost and maybe you could do a bit of Fund Raising for him too. I understand the Rescue has its guidelines but SOMETIMES flexibility might be more appropriate.
It is just NOT RIGHT that he should be PTS. And he wont have even had a nice few weeks of life as he is so unhappy in Rescue :cry: :cry:
Arrrrrgh, this has actually made me very cross......

Janex
 
I will wait and hear what the vet says on Friday when they ring me as I won't be able to do anything until then.
It's true they are not flexible in the slightest which makes everything so much more difficult and frustrating. Thanks Jane for your offer of help.

I'll let you know when I hear back from the vet on Friday. At least I have a couple of ideas up my sleeve.

L O L,

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
There's no way I could take him on myself, but I have a small indoor cage you could have, if that would help you out at all.
 
Hi Nicola! Have just caught up with this but know you will read this tomorrow (Wed).

This is a terrible story especially when there is an offer of an excellent home and some possible solutions to cover the costs.

I hope the relationship you establish with the vet will allow him/her to have some serious influence in the rescue's decision making here. Can you push that direction and get the vet on your side for extra weight?

Fiona x
 
Hello :D ,

I can't do anything until the vet phones me on Friday. When I spoke to the vet yesterday they said they were hoping that the buns teeth were going to be o.k. But, as she doens't know the buns dental history it's difficult to say as she doesn't know when the buns last dental was. She said it may be that the buns teeth will only need burring now and again in which case the rescue would more than likely continue to try and rehome him.

I had the impression that I was putting the vet in a difficult situation as she did say that it's not only a cost issue for the rescue but the fact that the person that does adopt the rabbit may not be as dedicated as they need to be and monitor the teeth situation which would be unfair to the rabbit. I expect her loyalties lie with the rescue and she would be putting herself in a tricky situation if she says anything derogatory towards the rescue.

As it stands she is phoning me on Friday after she has checked the buns teeth to let me know whether it's a pts situation.

It would be lovely if the vet phones and says that she feels his teeth are fine. If that is the case the rescue will go on what the vet advises and continue to try and rehome him themselves. If that isn't the case I'm going to have to have another option up my sleeve.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed it will be positive news and I'm worrying unneccessarily.

Thank you for all your support. That'll teach me for looking around the rescue.... I have been worrying about the poor man ever since.

L O L,

Nicola and Harvey xxx
 
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