School rabbit

[Ailstar]

I don't know what schools you have been to but I seriously doubt many schools can really afford to keep animals. Rabbits in particular can be very expensive to treat correctly and most a lot of people on here have their buns ensured. I seriously doubt a school could pay the potential thousands of pounds in vets fees bunnies can run up very quickly. And as for your comment about pigs, again, that is a highly unusual situation for a school to have the resources to feed those pigs (I've seen comments from rescues on here who have pigs and they cost thousands to just feed!) and I don't know of any schools who would have space for pigs. I also don't know of any that could realistically afford to pay someone to just go in and look after the animals at the weekend. At least not in the UK state school system. Private fee paying schools are obviously a little different. While you may have seen examples where it can work, I would suggest these are exceptions rather than a general rule, and I certainly wouldn't advocate pets in school as a general rule.

 

[Fri]

The pig keeping school is a state school, and I think it is great that schools take responsibilities for raising their own food and working towards self reliance it is a thing we all need to be looking at but that's a different topic.

To my knowledge rabbits are agricultural animals and as far as I know there is no Vat on rabbit food unless the situation has changed, I was once quoted £15 for a sack of goat food from a pet shop the ag merchant it cost £10 again no vat I think My last bale of hay costs £3.50 or £5 depending where I get it from a goat that lasts about a fortnight and a rabbit I would expect a fair while, I take on board your vet comment and I will accept that vets are high for small animals but then we do have welfare and charity vets who do great work and it is not complicated to use these if required and remember a'school rabbit' is a valued member of the community and I know most people would sort out any financial issues so I am not sure your argument is valid there, however I will say the more we go on bullying and pressuring about animals the less people will want to keep them and we as a society will be poorer for that.

 

[Ailstar]

Fair enough. I think we just have very opposing views on this.

 

[BerryJane]

By telling schools in no nonsense vocabulary that it is not FAIR on the rabbits is not bullying the school it is teaching them about rabbits and their needs. I would rather offend the headteacher any day of the week than to think of a rabbit being subjected to noise, rough handling (no matter how well meaning) and then isolation and all for being 'a lesson' in someone's classroom.
I worry about taking mine in to visit the children in a short controlled time let alone being there permanently.

Lots of well meaning people think they could look after them. I have had house rabbits for 8.5 years - hands on, much loved and I would do anything for them and I am STILL learning! i can see no justification what so ever.

 

[Ailstar]

By telling schools in no nonsense vocabulary that it is not FAIR on the rabbits is not bullying the school it is teaching them about rabbits and their needs. I would rather offend the headteacher any day of the week than to think of a rabbit being subjected to noise, rough handling (no matter how well meaning) and then isolation and all for being 'a lesson' in someone's classroom.
I worry about taking mine in to visit the children in a short controlled time let alone being there permanently.

Lots of well meaning people think they could look after them. I have had house rabbits for 8.5 years - hands on, much loved and I would do anything for them and I am STILL learning! i can see no justification what so ever.

:wave:

 

[Fri]

I agree to inform any body that your beliefs are as such is totally not bullying it is simply saying that is your personal opinion and that's fine to then badger harnesses threaten with other bodies then becomes bullying doesn't it ? Because of unclear understanding of recommendations and legislation people are feeling threatened and bullied that is unfair interestingly you seem to say that you take your rabbits in for show and tell yet say you worry about it I am not sure how that would work for me, again domestic animals would not be domesticated if they could not handle people within the right framework

 

[Rosie42]

I agree to inform any body that your beliefs are as such is totally not bullying it is simply saying that is your personal opinion and that's fine to then badger harnesses threaten with other bodies then becomes bullying doesn't it ? Because of unclear understanding of recommendations and legislation people are feeling threatened and bullied that is unfair interestingly you seem to say that you take your rabbits in for show and tell yet say you worry about it I am not sure how that would work for me, again domestic animals would not be domesticated if they could not handle people within the right framework[

You can't really say that because animals are domestic then they all act the same and are subject to the same things. Rabbits were domesticated for meat. They were traditionally kept in small hutches/ cages for a few months and then killed. Dogs were domesticated to hunt and are therefore used to going everywhere with people- different environments etc. Rabbits were not domesticated in the same way as dogs and as prey animals still have a fear of the unknown and new spaces/ people. It can be very stressful for them to be constantly bombarded with new smells/ experiences as they are ingrained to keep hidden in those situations in case of predators.

 

[BerryJane]

I agree to inform any body that your beliefs are as such is totally not bullying it is simply saying that is your personal opinion and that's fine to then badger harnesses threaten with other bodies then becomes bullying doesn't it ? Because of unclear understanding of recommendations and legislation people are feeling threatened and bullied that is unfair interestingly you seem to say that you take your rabbits in for show and tell yet say you worry about it I am not sure how that would work for me, again domestic animals would not be domesticated if they could not handle people within the right framework

I have been asked to - have not done so 'as I worry about it'. Just to clarify.

If someone did take a pet for a visit then that would not worry me as long as the pet can handle it -and some can extremely well. I would trust the owner to make that judgement.

 

[BerryJane]

I agree to inform any body that your beliefs are as such is totally not bullying it is simply saying that is your personal opinion and that's fine to then badger harnesses threaten with other bodies then becomes bullying doesn't it ? Because of unclear understanding of recommendations and legislation people are feeling threatened and bullied that is unfair interestingly you seem to say that you take your rabbits in for show and tell yet say you worry about it I am not sure how that would work for me, again domestic animals would not be domesticated if they could not handle people within the right framework

Nope, it is continuing to ensure that the rabbit is being cared for properly - with the best will in the world that wont happen in a school.

 

[Fri]

In your opinion it won't and that is the issue here lots of animals are cared for outside of personal homes, it may not be how you feel they should be cared for but that's not the debate is it ?

As I have said many places care for companion animals as they provide a lot of enjoyment and learning.

 

[Rosie42]

In your opinion it won't and that is the issue here lots of animals are cared for outside of personal homes, it may not be how you feel they should be cared for but that's not the debate is it ?

Well the debate is that they can't be cared for very well in places such as schools/ nurseries/ residental homes because they don't get the care that they would do if they were someone's pet. They don't often get access to the five freedoms and that is a minimum requirement for care.

As I have said many places care for companion animals as they provide a lot of enjoyment and learning.

For children they might provide something different but they get bored quickly. They are being taught that they can stroke an animal/ pick it up/ feed it, but that it's okay to leave it for someone else to deal with or even to it's own devices for extended periods of time. It's not exactly responsible.

There is also no real consideration for the animals being kept. They may provide 'enjoyment and learning' but what are they getting back in return? As I pointed out earlier I don't think that they school will pay for long term treatment for them, or even probably recognise subtle signs of illness. They are unlikely to be vaccinated or neutered and therefore have to live alone. I don't see that it's likely that they will have very adequate living accomodation too so will probably be shut in a sub-standard hutch for long periods, if not indefinitely.

I think that keeping animals in a school or similar environment simply sends out the message that the animals are bought and kept for our entertainment and enjoyment and that their happiness and how they feel is irrelevant.

 

[chelle]

Hiya, I sent some RWAF along with the letter. They obviously enjoy having him there, but it really concerns me that he is left alone from probably around 4pm on a Friday until 8am on a Monday. Rabbits are masters of hiding illnesses and he could die over a weekend without proper supervision :-(

hi, was just wondering how the school has responded? How the rabbits faring now - has its housing improved at all? Is it neutered & vaccinated? And have they bonded it now with another rabbit?
There are some excellent rescues who visit school to talk about rabbit welfare...perhaps this could be an opening for one...not sure what area you are from but Caroline from "The Rabbit Residecme" in royston, hertfordshire does this sometimes. Im sure there are loads others people can recommend on here too.
Hope some positve changes have been made.

 

[Gemmapookie]

While I do recognise your comment about stress again it is subjective a rabbit who is happy well adjusted should not have to much issue with being relocated for periods of time..rabbits go on holiday to boarding rabbits get fed by other people experience shifts in routine it's part of the normal ebb and flow if life nothing is constant so I genuinely do think with the right care and treatment animal keeping within schools are an asset and should be avidly supported

My rabbits are very happy and well adjusted characters, but I know that they would all find going to a different home every weekend stressful.

 

[Schtoffen]

I should lend them Little :lol: She loves going on jaunts

 

[chelle]

hi, was just wondering how the school has responded? How the rabbits faring now - has its housing improved at all? Is it neutered & vaccinated? And have they bonded it now with another rabbit?
There are some excellent rescues who visit school to talk about rabbit welfare...perhaps this could be an opening for one...not sure what area you are from but Caroline from "The Rabbit Residecme" in royston, hertfordshire does this sometimes. Im sure there are loads others people can recommend on here too.
Hope some positve changes have been made.

anynews?