Really upset - horrible petting farm u/d great news!

[Tamsin]

It's very frustrating. Another route to try is working internally - what's going on in the petting area might not necessarily be under the attention of the owner/manager (depends how it's set up) so putting a complaint in writing to the HQ is also a good idea. It gives you an opportunity to set out all the issues in writing.

 

[Lady Logamorph]

I rang the RSPCA back and spoke to a more sympathetic person, she said that they are just so swamped with complaints at the moment they are only dealing with extremely urgent cases which I can understand. The council don't deal with it apparently, all the animal welfare/standards stuff is under DEFRA's local office and they deal with everything on behalf of the council. DEFRA have said it needs to be seen by the RSPCA because they can't do anything!

I'm so frustrated, I can't believe an animal can be left without food and clean water and no one will get involved

I know I have been through the same thing over and over. I was under the impression that private places are for the RSPCA and public places are the council as they issue the licences to allow them to trade. I think your best bet is to post on the action for rabbits facebook page and detail where the place is and maybe we can get them some of our leaflets over to them. Also if you contact your local RSPCA see if you can ask them to send a letter or email the place saying that a complaint has been made about them and detailing why and attach RSPCA info on feeding/housing etc.. There's also the info on the study on why muesli is so bad from the university of Edinburgh which is backed up by evidence that you could send to them http://www.ed.ac.uk/schools-departments/vet/news-events/news/archive/2013/rabbit-muesli
Good luck I know it's frustrating but you can make a difference. I have convinced pet shops to throw away tiny 3ft hutches and stocked 5ft/6ft ones and even after complaining time and time again to a small petting zoo that the rabbits had no hay or food apart from duck food been in and thrown bales of hay in myself! After doing it a few times they started doing it themselves (probably just to get rid of me!) There is ways :lol:

 

[Lady Logamorph]

Also if you are not on facebook or don't want to post it then send the info to me and I will post it on your behalf
sally@actionforrabbits.co.uk

 

[Hesperus]

I'd go to the local paper

 

[Lucy-Lou]

I've been on the phone all day, feel like I've been through every council department! Have just spoken to my dad about it and he knows some people who work for the council, plus the local councillor, so he has kindly agreed to report it to them and try and put some pressure on

I also rang PETA and spoke to one of their campaigners who thinks she maybe able to help, they wanted me to send some pictures though. So if I can get a big bloke to go back up there with me for a bit of security I'll go and get some, cause I don't want to see that manager again on my own.

I'll also post on fb on Action for Rabbits, thanks Lady L.

If I get any updates then I'll post on here.

 

[Lady Logamorph]

Great sounds like you are getting some more positive help...keep us posted

 

[Holhol]

Can the local council definitely not do anything?
I had some issues with some rabbits in a pet shop (no hay, tiny cage, kept with guinea pigs etc.) and I spoke to the pet shop but they treated me like I was an idiot even after giving them RWAF leaflets, so I contacted the council licensing agency. The pet shop licensing man (and myself) now go and check on them regularly to make sure they have hay and decent living conditions and they've been told they'll lose their license if they don't comply
I don't know if some councils are better than others though, but might be worth keep pestering! Hope it gets sorted for the poor buns x

 

[Lucy-Lou]

Can the local council definitely not do anything?
I had some issues with some rabbits in a pet shop (no hay, tiny cage, kept with guinea pigs etc.) and I spoke to the pet shop but they treated me like I was an idiot even after giving them RWAF leaflets, so I contacted the council licensing agency. The pet shop licensing man (and myself) now go and check on them regularly to make sure they have hay and decent living conditions and they've been told they'll lose their license if they don't comply
I don't know if some councils are better than others though, but might be worth keep pestering! Hope it gets sorted for the poor buns x

I will get it sorted one way or another, I'm not leaving those little furries in that state :evil: I will keep pushing until something changes :thumb:

 

[catxx]

I will get it sorted one way or another, I'm not leaving those little furries in that state :evil: I will keep pushing until something changes :thumb:

Can you get a friend to snoop and do covert photos for you without you there to avoid you getting it in the neck from the idiot manager again? Ideally a friend with cooperating children so they can get hands on and be sneaky and see if the animals they cuddle are underweight too!

 

[Lucy-Lou]

Can you get a friend to snoop and do covert photos for you without you there to avoid you getting it in the neck from the idiot manager again? Ideally a friend with cooperating children so they can get hands on and be sneaky and see if the animals they cuddle are underweight too!

It's an open site where you're supposed to pay in one building and the animals are in a barn, so I'm hoping I can just walk in and start taking pictures without anyone noticing (or if they do then at least I can leave quickly.) If I ask one of my friends I'm worried the photos will turn out rubbish or they won't get pics of all the different animals.

 

[Alibunbun]

Really sorry you were treated so horribly xx

"We're sick of people like you" ... What? People that actually give a about their pets and take an interest in their welfare? If you're sick of people like that get out the business. Simple.

 

[Lucy-Lou]

Really angry now... :evil::evil:

Been back today to get some photos, had to walk straight through to the barn as the manager I spoke to was on reception and I didn't think there was any way he'd let me in.. Managed to quickly get some photos and he's then approached me on the car park asking for my details (which I wouldn't give.) Basically he's said I'm trespassing as I didn't pay (which is technically true) and I've been abusive to staff and tried to attack one of them!! This is utterly untrue, I was really polite and calm when I spoke to the staff even though I was so angry at their attitude :evil:

He's took a picture if my car licence plate so I have rung the police myself and explained the situation, because I'm worried he'll try and place an assault charge. Can't believe this man, if he thinks he's not doing anything wrong why is he afraid of someone taking a few pictures?!

I've never been in trouble with the police, I'm so worried now. Still glad I got involved, but worried. And since yesterday some of the animals actually have a few hiding places (carrier, igloo etc.) so he must have acknowledged that their situation wasn't correct. I'm glad things have improved a little bit for some of them (still no hay though )

 

[Crunchie]

The RSPCA and the council will likely have the calls you made to them logged so you should be able to use that in your defence. I can't see the police being able to do much given the lack of evidence.

 

[Lady Logamorph]

Well done you for going back and trying.

He sounds like an utter but you haven't done anything wrong so don't worry.

Hopefully it will push them to make some changes...if they know you are on to them and the RSPCA may be involved then they will hopefully make changes. Wish they listened to you about the hay though :?

 

[Lucy-Lou]

The council licensing people have rang me, they've been out to see him and are satisfied everything is okay. I asked about the access to hay, rabbits being kept with guinea pigs, ferrets in a crammed hutch next to the rabbits, no vaccinations and she said these were not serious concerns and there was nothing they could do She also said the RSPCA will not act unless it's a severe cruelty/neglect case.

I'm absolutely gutted. Those animals are stuck living in a sh*t situation and I can't do anything. All I've managed to do is get myself into trouble

 

[Gus-ta-furry]

The council licensing people have rang me, they've been out to see him and are satisfied everything is okay. I asked about the access to hay, rabbits being kept with guinea pigs, ferrets in a crammed hutch next to the rabbits, no vaccinations and she said these were not serious concerns and there was nothing they could do She also said the RSPCA will not act unless it's a severe cruelty/neglect case.

I'm absolutely gutted. Those animals are stuck living in a sh*t situation and I can't do anything. All I've managed to do is get myself into trouble

You should never feel like that. Defenseless captive animals like rabbits depend on selfless people like you. You are inspirational, keep trying the Facebook group with your story and you may find some locals willing to help you out by keeping complaining. Eventually the manager will probably make the changes, just to keep what he deems 'nuisances' off his back.

The world we live in and the freedoms we enjoy are thanks to selfless people like you making a stand and risking getting into trouble because they knew doing the right thing (even if it did 'get you in trouble') was still the right thing to do

for now i wouldnt visit the petting zoo in person again, but would see if you can inspire anyone else to carry your fight on on your behalf

 

[*lily*]

The council licensing people have rang me, they've been out to see him and are satisfied everything is okay. I asked about the access to hay, rabbits being kept with guinea pigs, ferrets in a crammed hutch next to the rabbits, no vaccinations and she said these were not serious concerns and there was nothing they could do She also said the RSPCA will not act unless it's a severe cruelty/neglect case.

I'm absolutely gutted. Those animals are stuck living in a sh*t situation and I can't do anything. All I've managed to do is get myself into trouble

It most likely wont be the case that the RSPCA will not act unless it's severe cruelty/neglect. My Mom phoned RSPCA over a dog that was being kept in a very small dog run and surrounded by faeces.

The RSPCA visited and, the next time my Mom went past, there was no dog in the run.

The 5 freedoms here are not being met, they are definately not being allowed to express normal behaviour.

 

[Sarah1991]

I guess there's not a lot more can be done except to try and make people realize that its not right how they are kept. Guess they would only learn if people boycotted it...

 

[Lucy-Lou]

It most likely wont be the case that the RSPCA will not act unless it's severe cruelty/neglect. My Mom phoned RSPCA over a dog that was being kept in a very small dog run and surrounded by faeces.

The RSPCA visited and, the next time my Mom went past, there was no dog in the run.

The 5 freedoms here are not being met, they are definately not being allowed to express normal behaviour.

I did ring the RSPCA again after I had spoke to the licensing woman, they said they would not be able to help as the council had deemed everything to be okay. I explained the council woman didn't know any of the basic need of rabbits/piggies, and told the RSPCA lady everything that I thought was wrong. She actually said: you're right, it is not appropriate to keep animals in those conditions, but as the council think it's acceptable we can't do anything. I'm really surprised at this :?

 

[Lucy-Lou]

You should never feel like that. Defenseless captive animals like rabbits depend on selfless people like you. You are inspirational, keep trying the Facebook group with your story and you may find some locals willing to help you out by keeping complaining. Eventually the manager will probably make the changes, just to keep what he deems 'nuisances' off his back.

The world we live in and the freedoms we enjoy are thanks to selfless people like you making a stand and risking getting into trouble because they knew doing the right thing (even if it did 'get you in trouble') was still the right thing to do

for now i wouldnt visit the petting zoo in person again, but would see if you can inspire anyone else to carry your fight on on your behalf

Thank you but I feel pretty useless at the mo! I will keep trying through Peta and fb groups, and try my local RSPCA. I'm definitely not going back up to that farm - with that psycho manager I think I would get lynched :lol: