The latest 'Designer Rabbit'

[Tamsin]

Let's tone it down a bit please. This isn't an interagration!

 

[elve]

The hares i breed are for show i do not breed them for sale. The news paper has quoted a lot of what i said wrong. val

I wasn't referring to what Val said about them being 'good pets' Raven Rexes - I was referring to this ^
she has 2 hares for sale on her homepage, so that totally contradicts what she stated about not breeding them for sale :?

 

[taylor v 109]

My home page as you can see is about show rabbits and the hares went to someone who wanted them for showing. AS A RULE THEY ARE NOT FOR PETS. this dosent mean that they cannot be pets but they need special accomadation and care,so not the best breed. val

 

[Joanne26]

Why would anyone breed AND rescue? I just don't get it. :?

ETA: Sorry i don't mean to cause any arguments, but i really don't understand the logic.

 

[ZakuraRabbit]

It's not good for any animal, pet or not, to be that "popular".
The chihuahua has gotten awfully popular lately, and you see how well that benefited the breed:roll:
Backyard breeders and puppymills breed unhealthy animals that don't fit into the breed standards at all.

From what I've heard regarding the Norwegian Belgian hares at least they can be somewhat fiesty and besides require a lot of exercize.
I know a few people use them for show jumping though, it would seem with their shape and all they would fit fine for that, but it doesn't seem to have gotten all that popular.

 

[Beebop]

What I don't understand is why they are being bred if their only purpose is for showing and are bad pets. Surely it would then be better off for them not to be bred.....:?

 

[louise and Gus]

What I don't understand is why they are being bred if their only purpose is for showing and are bad pets. Surely it would then be better off for them not to be bred.....:?

Yeah I agree :? I think the whole mentality of breeders who breed for show is very different to pet owners, the seem to see their animals as products, but surely if a Hare can't be kept well as a pet because they need lots of space and special accommodation they will not do any better as show stock? I don't fully understand why they don't make good pets so sorry if I'm jumping to concluisions.

And if the don't make good pets who's gonna buy all the rejects that aren't good enough for showing

 

[Raven Rexs]

But is it the breeder describing them as 'designer' pets, or is it the newspaper needing a story. Perhaps it's a slow news day?

Amy

Val was the breeder they misquoted!!!:evil: papers do anything for a story.
im starting to believe the film spiderman if it were real its how the papers would try to portria him:evil::? i never trust the news or papers!

 

[karen354]

Why would anyone breed AND rescue? I just don't get it. :?

ETA: Sorry i don't mean to cause any arguments, but i really don't understand the logic.

I agree with you Joanne I don't get the breeding an rescuing either :?

 

[Snowy]

I agree with you Joanne I don't get the breeding an rescuing either :?

Nor do I!!, especially when it's us self funded rescues that have to pick up the pieces, I have just gone through one of the most traumatic weeks as far as rescuing goes and yet the breeders still keep breeding more and more animals even though there are thousands already born that are unwanted.

 

[Beebop]

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=46372

I don't really think the breeder and rescue debate needs to be reopened again though, I'd far rather know why these hares are being bred when they have only one purpose- the show ring.:?

 

[Jack's-Jane]

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=46372

I don't really think the breeder and rescue debate needs to be reopened again though, I'd far rather know why these hares are being bred when they have only one purpose- the show ring.:?

Yes, and if a BH is an unsuitable Pet surely that makes them unsuitable for the stresses of showing :?

I thought that BH were particularly intelligent and sensitive so I would not think they would be that happy being proded about by a judge :?
The trouble is that now the BH has received some newspaper publicity where, even if it were a misquote, he/she has been descibed as a 'designer Pet' there are bound to be morons who think, Oooooo I must have a BH to go with my new Jimmy Choos :roll:
Not all breeders will care about the homes this latest 'fashion accessory' goes to. I mean, they are for sale on the Freeads :roll:

Janex

 

[Joanne26]

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=46372

I don't really think the breeder and rescue debate needs to be reopened again though, I'd far rather know why these hares are being bred when they have only one purpose- the show ring.:?

I wasn't asking for a debate, just for someone to explain the logic behind doing both rescue AND breeding. If you are going to breed then fair enough, but why choose to rescue as well. I'm interested in trying to understand what it is that someone who does both hopes they are achieving?

 

[taylor v 109]

COULDNT LET THAT ONE GO LOL,

I started showing long before i was running a rescue, its my hobby. None of my rabbits ever go to pet shops only homes were i meet the owners. Mainly though they go to other breeders for showing. The rescue came later and it was the amount of pet shop buns that were being handed into rescues that had me thinking about them. I had the space and the time to help these rabbits and find them good homes . None of my show rabbits are ever going to end up in rescues, i know for sure. Im just doing my small bit. val

 

[elve]

I wasn't asking for a debate, just for someone to explain the logic behind doing both rescue AND breeding. If you are going to breed then fair enough, but why choose to rescue as well. I'm interested in trying to understand what it is that someone who does both hopes they are achieving?

this is what I wrote on another thread - it's just my opinion though - a guess at the motivations behind such a seeming contradiction:

...........'I think people breed animals for 2 reasons - one is to make a bit of money, or two, to produce an animal that's a bit special, that is worth showing off, that makes them feel proud of their 'acheivement'. Stands to reason most resuced rabbits are not even purebred, never mind show stock, so they are the 'rehomables' - and if there is anything worth breeding from, well that's a bonus to someone who thinks an animal is something to refine and show off like a piece of handcrafted furniture

I've got several rescued piggies that are show standard alpaca and peruvian - remarkably beautiful animals and I just stare at them sometimes as they're so lovely to look at. When I first got them I did have an urge to show everyone how special they were - I did feel proud of them, so I understand that desire.

However a little voice whispered in my ear that the piggies didn't care, they just wanted a quiet life, and that would be selfish of me - they are living creatures who depend on me, not something I am entitled to exploit as a hobby.

Maybe those that plough on regardless, bundle their animals into a carrier and enjoy the attention they get from showing them off are deaf to that little voice because the sound of their own ego is all they can hear.

 

[bunlover]

i too saw the initial metro bit and was annoyed. i now realise it was a misqoute.

still i find it a shame that rabbits that are in shows do not get the same love and attention as a pet. i thought that a show rabbit was one who lived a pets existance ie was loved lots and given a good life where could run around and live in a good sized accomodation. I thought that these rabbits as they had "good blood lines" and a nice tempermant (ie liked being handled) were then shown as an extra hobby. i was not aware that they were treated drastically different from a pet?

Also in my opinion a pet is not ness a rabbit which can be cuddled and snuggled up to. in fact my favourite time with my rabbits although i enjoy a stroke when they have let me is watching them run in the garden binky or cuddle together...i enjoy them being rabbits and always try and mimic wild rabbit behaviour as i think this is one of the ways i make them happy.( by giving lots of room and toys such as tunnels and giving veg and wide variety of plants and food)

can a breeder please tell me how a show rabbits life is different from a pet rabbit and why? not to start a debate just as i do not honestly know. many thanks.

 

[cute_fuzzies]

still i find it a shame that rabbits that are in shows do not get the same love and attention as a pet.

I do understand this from a human perspective as a pet owner - the whole reason we have pets is to dote on them and give them love and cuddles.

But I guess that ultimately, it doesn't bother the rabbit...so long as it has company of its own kind (plus all the accommodation/food/stimulation requirements it needs) the human interaction aspect is just a sideline.

A rabbit doesn't *need* human interaction - especially if they are living with other rabbits.

So yes, a shame from a sentimental point of view - but as far as the rabbit is concerned, it's not really missing out.

I'm not a breeder nor do I show, but I don't think that human interaction is an essential part of a rabbits wellbeing. However, as pet owners, that is the part that *we* most enjoy...and therefore, surely the whole point of owning a pet.

I don't know where I stand on this... just thinking out loud!

 

[bunlover]

I do understand this from a human perspective as a pet owner - the whole reason we have pets is to dote on them and give them love and cuddles.

But I guess that ultimately, it doesn't bother the rabbit...so long as it has company of its own kind (plus all the accommodation/food/stimulation requirements it needs) the human interaction aspect is just a sideline.

A rabbit doesn't *need* human interaction - especially if they are living with other rabbits.

So yes, a shame from a sentimental point of view - but as far as the rabbit is concerned, it's not really missing out.

I'm not a breeder nor do I show, but I don't think that human interaction is an essential part of a rabbits wellbeing. However, as pet owners, that is the part that *we* most enjoy...and therefore, surely the whole point of owning a pet.

I don't know where I stand on this... just thinking out loud!

like i previously said my favourite part of owning a rabbit is watching them just be rabbits i have no less love for a non freindly non cuddly rabbit than for one who wants my attention. chelsea for instance hates cuddles and wont let u stroke her she not scared of us she just prefers rabbit company. where as snowy wants to always have a stroke and say hello i just wonderd how the keeping of a show rabbit differentiated from a "pet" rabbit. none of my rabbits have really wanted to be picked up and only some wanted stroking. they are still loved and cared for tho.

so is a show rabbit just kept with a nice run and cage with toys and due to nice temperment is taken to shows? in which case i dont mind it as long as rabbit has a nice good quality life. not knowing much about show rabbits i wondered if they had a good life or if they were left in a small hutch at bottem of garden single not in pairs and given rabbit pellets and hay but no veggies and no run/stimulation. which i deem a bad life for a rabbit. but again all this just my opinion.

 

[Azraelm]

I'm not a breeder, but I don't think show rabbits are kept in pairs. Show rabbits cannot be neutered (a requirement), and therefore any pairings would be problematic.

Another way some breeders differ in their care is that show rabbits are not allowed to run on grass in case of staining on their feet.

 

[cute_fuzzies]

Oh, I seeeee.

Yes, I agree with what you're saying. I don't know about the differences in the ways they're kept - hopefully somebody else can answer

Edit: Thanks Mandy - I hadn't even thought about the neutering/pairing issues!