Thoughts on rabbit and rescue info reaching different cultures

[parsnipbun]

Try to word this carefully as I am NOT being anti non traditional English cultures - just posing some thoughts:

As you might see from my other thread we have just taken on a bun from a Gumtree ad - free with hutch (though actually in retrospect I wonder if this also was a language problem and rather than 'Hutch for sale £30, with rabbit' they meant 'Hutch and rabbit £30')

Organising the pick up was tricky as the emails from them were very very short and also did not always answer what I asked -

the reason became obvious when we met - as the husband who we had been dealing with did not speak much English at all - had come over 10 years ago with no English - so really had made a lot of progress but still very limited - but enough to have a job with as worked with people of same language. Wife born here and good English but in quite inward looking cultural background without pets.


They really were very nice and their house immaculate, very young children very well behaved, they kept parrots inside in fab condition and loads of space - and gave us tea etc etc were kind people, . but just didnt know anything about rabbits. They knew about parrots as had kept them in India - but assumed rabbits just ate cabbage and carrots and died young.

When I asked them why they hadnt contacted a rescue to try and take him and they genuinely had no idea there were such things for rabbits so had not done so - also wanted money for the hutch so decided to sell that and thought just giving away rabbit with it was ONLY way to get rid of it. So this bun would never have reached rescue -

Gave rise to some thoughts on my part - Is RWAF etc information just not getting into some of the ethnic/cultures that are now starting to participate in 'traditional' getting rabbit for the children - presumably children are picking this up from their schools?

And if this is the case what can be done about it? If they dont even know about rescues how can the buns get to the rescue if its needed, or how does info on vets, feeding etc get to the families??

Could there be a fund raising scheme to get leaflets in different languages? and where would they be given away? Schools?


Would be interested in any rescues experience with this -

 

[keletkezes]

I do think cultural preconceptions/traditions so to speak has something to do with it, but I would also expect to see plenty of rabbits kept the same way in any 'English' household. Also the lack of awareness of rescues.

I'm going instead to pick up on your 'pick it up in school' idea: starting campaigns in schools has a lasting impression IMO. Maybe this is a next step? Stop educating the parents (who're stuck in their ways 'adults know best') and start with the children at school: if the kids go home and say 'at school today we learned X' adults are more likely to take notice than 'I read X on the Interwebs'.

Time to start an email canvassing revolution?

 

[parsnipbun]

I do think cultural preconceptions/traditions so to speak has something to do with it, but I would also expect to see plenty of rabbits kept the same way in any 'English' household. Also the lack of awareness of rescues.

I'm going instead to pick up on your 'pick it up in school' idea: starting campaigns in schools has a lasting impression IMO. Maybe this is a next step? Stop educating the parents (who're stuck in their ways 'adults know best') and start with the children at school: if the kids go home and say 'at school today we learned X' adults are more likely to take notice than 'I read X on the Interwebs'.

Time to start an email canvassing revolution?

The children (3 and 7) obviously went to school (and mosque) so schools are a good place. Many traditional English families might not know - but here there would obviously be a language barrier as well - plus this family seemed like ones that would be very willing to learn (unlike some other people I have dealt with!) but had just never encountered any information.

 

[MightyMax]

Try to word this carefully as I am NOT being anti non traditional English cultures - just posing some thoughts:

As you might see from my other thread we have just taken on a bun from a Gumtree ad - free with hutch (though actually in retrospect I wonder if this also was a language problem and rather than 'Hutch for sale £30, with rabbit' they meant 'Hutch and rabbit £30')

Organising the pick up was tricky as the emails from them were very very short and also did not always answer what I asked -

the reason became obvious when we met - as the husband who we had been dealing with did not speak much English at all - had come over 10 years ago with no English - so really had made a lot of progress but still very limited - but enough to have a job with as worked with people of same language. Wife born here and good English but in quite inward looking cultural background without pets.


They really were very nice and their house immaculate, very young children very well behaved, they kept parrots inside in fab condition and loads of space - and gave us tea etc etc were kind people, . but just didnt know anything about rabbits. They knew about parrots as had kept them in India - but assumed rabbits just ate cabbage and carrots and died young.

When I asked them why they hadnt contacted a rescue to try and take him and they genuinely had no idea there were such things for rabbits so had not done so - also wanted money for the hutch so decided to sell that and thought just giving away rabbit with it was ONLY way to get rid of it. So this bun would never have reached rescue -

Gave rise to some thoughts on my part - Is RWAF etc information just not getting into some of the ethnic/cultures that are now starting to participate in 'traditional' getting rabbit for the children - presumably children are picking this up from their schools?

And if this is the case what can be done about it? If they dont even know about rescues how can the buns get to the rescue if its needed, or how does info on vets, feeding etc get to the families??

Could there be a fund raising scheme to get leaflets in different languages? and where would they be given away? Schools?


Would be interested in any rescues experience with this -

Extremely good point! After all there are healthcare (for humans) leaflets in many languages, and it's taken fro granted we should do that. Why not for rabbits. Great idea :thumb:

 

[Tamsin]

That's an interesting point, I don't know how much good information is available online in different languages. I've been approached a few times by people wanting to translate articles I've written into other languages - though aimed at other counties rather than non-english speakers in the UK. I'd expect children at mainstream schools to be picking up English, but then there isn't a lot of information aimed specifically at children. I guess some of the infograpics that are passed around facebook work quite well as explanations for things like diet without too many words being involved.

 

[parsnipbun]

That's an interesting point, I don't know how much good information is available online in different languages. I've been approached a few times by people wanting to translate articles I've written into other languages - though aimed at other counties rather than non-english speakers in the UK. I'd expect children at mainstream schools to be picking up English, but then there isn't a lot of information aimed specifically at children. I guess some of the infograpics that are passed around facebook work quite well as explanations for things like diet without too many words being involved.

Thats true the graphics are a good way in. The children obviously spoke English (well - actually they were very shy - but they went to mainstream school) as well as Gudjerati (sorry spelling) and Urdu. But what would have been good would be if they had then brought home leaflets that the parents could also read - so not just in English.

In some Pets at Home etc pet stores I would have thought there was quite a call for non-English leaflets. The wife worked in a fashion store and said how useful it was to her to speak three languages as many of her customers did not speak English.

I am not sure where this bun came from - a pet store or a friend via school (I am kind of guessing a store there was no mention of a friend) but certainly any signs or leaflets in English would not have been useful for the man - and he was the main carer for the parrots and they said for the rabbit as well.

 

[esupi]

I didn't know about rescues either when we got our first pair (white, British, professional female in late twenties at the time). I just think most people only know about the larger charities with the big advertising budgets, and they are very dog/cat focussed.

 

[bunnymadhouse]

very interesting ... and yes I think there is an information gap here .

 

[catxx]

I know Rabbit Residence has run into this problem on more than a few occasions. Either with English not being a first language and there being cultural barriers, or the family being English, but illiterate or with mental health problems.

It's surprising how far you can get without being able to read or write English. My mother in law teaches basic English and Maths to adults part time. She had one lady in, mother with children, who could not read anything, but could write beautifully - had no idea what the squiggles said though!

Big infographic leaflets which are clear with minimal text would be fab, and could be accompanied with more text-based leaflets.

 

[parsnipbun]

I know Rabbit Residence has run into this problem on more than a few occasions. Either with English not being a first language and there being cultural barriers, or the family being English, but illiterate or with mental health problems.

It's surprising how far you can get without being able to read or write English. My mother in law teaches basic English and Maths to adults part time. She had one lady in, mother with children, who could not read anything, but could write beautifully - had no idea what the squiggles said though!

Big infographic leaflets which are clear with minimal text would be fab, and could be accompanied with more text-based leaflets.

Thats really interesting - I know one of the cases where there was a mental health/illiteracy problem and tbh that should have been dealt with by community carers so that the buns were not allowed to be kept by the 'owners'. Not sure if thats the same one.

Not sure what percentage illiteracy (in any language) there is in this country?

In some areas a high percentage of the population of a town might be reached by having dual language leaflets etc.

 

[catxx]

Not sure what percentage illiteracy (in any language) there is in this country?

Almost impossible to say as those who are truly illiterate in at least English, wouldn't know to take part in a poll! I think it is a larger problem that bubbles under the surface. It's not just complete illiteracy for whatever reason, but also dyslexia can make some of the very wordy leaflets too much like hard work.

 

[tabithakat64]

Really interesting post.
I thought about doing some bullet point leaflets illustrated with simple pictures and getting them translated by my students into different languages.
Something with basic diet (amount of hay), minimum space required, neutering and vaccinating & company and enrichment that I could give to people wanting to adopt the future foster rabbits, that would also span different cultures and ages.

 

[catxx]

The RAW week leaflet last year was good - folded out into a lovely A3 graphic poster that was easy to understand. Anyone got a copy?

 

[Miss Binky Bunny]

Do you mean the one that was folded into a square of six parts? If so I have that.

 

[Kavanne]

Twigs, as of course you know I am half Indian. It is a totally alien concept to the Indian side of my family that I keep pets. They just don't understand why you would want to do that.

I think there is definitely a big difference in the way cultures understand pet ownership.

When I got Karl, who was also a gumtree bunny, we went to the seller's house which - like the one you went to - was totally immaculate but outside in a brick shed was a stack of tiny, dirty hutches, and Karl in a dirty pet carrier with no hay. They were eastern european. They said they had had in indoor house rabbit for about 10 years and decided to get him a friend, well that friend was a girl and bunnies did what bunnies did. They had no understanding or information about neutering, rescue, vaccination or anything.

I completely see where you are coming from and totally agree!

 

[Aly&Poppy<3]

On that 'here come the Romanians' programme there was a young girl bouncing a black rabbit up and down on her lap before chucking it on the floor :? Tiny flat with clothes, dogs and people everywhere so a cage maybe? No idea. The mom was feeding a very very tiny puppy too and none of them spoke any English. I didn't watch it so no idea if they showed what the rabbit lived in or anything but I said to my bf it's shocking how anyone can just obtain rabbits with no true idea of how care for them.

 

[parsnipbun]

Twigs, as of course you know I am half Indian. It is a totally alien concept to the Indian side of my family that I keep pets. They just don't understand why you would want to do that.

I think there is definitely a big difference in the way cultures understand pet ownership.

When I got Karl, who was also a gumtree bunny, we went to the seller's house which - like the one you went to - was totally immaculate but outside in a brick shed was a stack of tiny, dirty hutches, and Karl in a dirty pet carrier with no hay. They were eastern european. They said they had had in indoor house rabbit for about 10 years and decided to get him a friend, well that friend was a girl and bunnies did what bunnies did. They had no understanding or information about neutering, rescue, vaccination or anything.

I completely see where you are coming from and totally agree!

Thats really interesting about the keeping pets - the man said he had kept parrots in india and was keeping them here in really good conditions but rabbits were obviously a mystery to them.

When I worked in the Near East keeping pets was again a no no - obviously not dogs ('dirty' in many many cultures) and the cats were feral ones (i dont recall actually seeing pet cats at all . . ).

In the western side of Turkey and Greece I have come across a few house rabbits.

I am suspecting that the specific problem of it not being something the parents or older generations are aware of will gradually change as the children themselves become more integrated and used to more English/European traditions as they grow up and become parents themselves - but in some areas it may take quite a while.

I think leaflets with lots of simple diagrams/pictures and few words - plus perhaps some in differet languages in schools or some P@H shops is a good idea -

 

[Tamsin]

The Animal Welfare & Behaviour course touches on this a bit, for example in area with feral cat/dog populations where they aren't treated as pets, they focus on how improving animal welfare can benefit humans eg disease/fleas etc. rather than focusing on it as a benefit to the animal.