Where did you get your rabbits from?

[Wabbit]

I love the way you say you got it from a breeder like you should be ashamed, a lot of breeds wouldn't exist anyone if it weren't for breeders. You could kiss goodbye to your lionheads, thriantras, hustlanders, perlfree, lilacs etc. And where would you get a giant if you didn't get it from a breeder?

I completely agree SOME breeders are god awful, but some are very caring, loving breeders who care about preserving a breed. They also will give advice YEARS after they sell you the animal, will spend an hour interrigating you to make sure you know what is invloved and that you will care for it properly! Responsible ones will refuse sale to children, or unsuitable homes.

You can't assume they are all the same because they aren't. Petshops are far worse than breeders, so maybe think before you assume they're all evil because they aren't, most are members of the RWA and the BRC which has very strict rules about not selling before they are AT LEAST 8 weeks old.

It shouldn't matter if you can't get a certain breed of rabbit. The most important issue is to deal with the enormous problem of unwanted rabbits in rescues or advertised via free-ads.

Anyone who TRULY CARES about rabbits and puts their welfare first wouldn't give a damn if they couldn't get hold of a hustlander or a lionhead!

Sadly the "I want" syndrome seems to take priority for a lot of people

Whether a rabbit is bought from a petshop or breeder, buying a purpose-bred rabbit is adding to the over-population problem.

Jenny

 

[SOAD]

All mine are from different breeders around the country and 2 were born and raised here. I would love to adopt one from a rescue to introduce eto my bonded pair but unfortunately the rescues won't let me adopt a FIXED rabbit because I breed, even though I sent pics of all my rabbits in their huge NIC cages and toys (takes up a whole room, and they are all in the house). They are spoiled rotten, it's quite obvious but I'm not going to push the issue if they the rescues here will not be open minded and see that all not all breeders are evil and heartless. If they want to deprive a rabbit a good home, so be it. It's rather sad.

Is the rabbit problem the same in the usa as it is here?

 

[Monty'sMarch]

I got both mine from a breeder. Believe it or not, I searched for 6 months to try and find a rabbit from a rescue ot humane society-- no luck. Most humane societies in the US do not take rabbits and all the rescues I contacted only allowed rabbits to be adopted to surrounding areas (there are NONE near me). They also wanted around $100 per rabbit-- a bit over my budget, and they wonder why they don't find homes. I know they need sponsorship, but if most people can get free bunnies or ones for $10, they are not going to pay $100 for a rabbit that is over 3 years old.

I chose Monty because she was the most pleasant bunny I had ever met! She is also much more active than March and I was ready for a bit of a challenge. I also wanted a larger rabbit and just fell in love with her!

I chose March because of his breed and coloring. He was also very laid-back and litter box trained, both good traits for an amateur bunny owner!

 

[kiz]

All mine are from different breeders around the country and 2 were born and raised here. I would love to adopt one from a rescue to introduce eto my bonded pair but unfortunately the rescues won't let me adopt a FIXED rabbit because I breed, even though I sent pics of all my rabbits in their huge NIC cages and toys (takes up a whole room, and they are all in the house). They are spoiled rotten, it's quite obvious but I'm not going to push the issue if they the rescues here will not be open minded and see that all not all breeders are evil and heartless. If they want to deprive a rabbit a good home, so be it. It's rather sad.

Is the rabbit problem the same in the usa as it is here?

I'm not sure....it's not like you can go to any old Humane Society and find rabbits, most of them are a few hours away and rabbits only rescues, or HRS rescues...they claim that there are alot of homeless rabbits, which I'm sure there are, just I don't think they are all in rescues. Majority of them are in newspaper ads or pet shops. That's just my experience though, I haven't been able to do much with the rescues obviously - maybe someone else from the US could help here? I know a lot of people have trouble FINDING a rescue that does rabbits because most normal shelters don't.

 

[SarahP]

My 2 were from someone I work with, whose kids had lost interest. They were going to someone else I work with, and I wasn't too happy about where they were going, so I took them in.

 

[Nofishing]

Wallace came from pets at home and I chose him because he's so handsome and has lovely markings!

Oh and if I knew what I knew now, I would have rescued.

 

[tinkerbell]

i got daisy and maisy from nottingham small pet rescue and my first bunny patch i got from a friend

I got theo and keira and ellie from pet shops, well my boyfriend did.

 

[SOAD]

All mine are from different breeders around the country and 2 were born and raised here. I would love to adopt one from a rescue to introduce eto my bonded pair but unfortunately the rescues won't let me adopt a FIXED rabbit because I breed, even though I sent pics of all my rabbits in their huge NIC cages and toys (takes up a whole room, and they are all in the house). They are spoiled rotten, it's quite obvious but I'm not going to push the issue if they the rescues here will not be open minded and see that all not all breeders are evil and heartless. If they want to deprive a rabbit a good home, so be it. It's rather sad.

Is the rabbit problem the same in the usa as it is here?

I'm not sure....it's not like you can go to any old Humane Society and find rabbits, most of them are a few hours away and rabbits only rescues, or HRS rescues...they claim that there are alot of homeless rabbits, which I'm sure there are, just I don't think they are all in rescues. Majority of them are in newspaper ads or pet shops. That's just my experience though, I haven't been able to do much with the rescues obviously - maybe someone else from the US could help here? I know a lot of people have trouble FINDING a rescue that does rabbits because most normal shelters don't.

That is such a shame, it makes you think that maybe shelters pts rabbits that are handed in.

 

[naturestee]

All mine are from different breeders around the country and 2 were born and raised here. I would love to adopt one from a rescue to introduce eto my bonded pair but unfortunately the rescues won't let me adopt a FIXED rabbit because I breed, even though I sent pics of all my rabbits in their huge NIC cages and toys (takes up a whole room, and they are all in the house). They are spoiled rotten, it's quite obvious but I'm not going to push the issue if they the rescues here will not be open minded and see that all not all breeders are evil and heartless. If they want to deprive a rabbit a good home, so be it. It's rather sad.

Is the rabbit problem the same in the usa as it is here?

I'm not sure....it's not like you can go to any old Humane Society and find rabbits, most of them are a few hours away and rabbits only rescues, or HRS rescues...they claim that there are alot of homeless rabbits, which I'm sure there are, just I don't think they are all in rescues. Majority of them are in newspaper ads or pet shops. That's just my experience though, I haven't been able to do much with the rescues obviously - maybe someone else from the US could help here? I know a lot of people have trouble FINDING a rescue that does rabbits because most normal shelters don't.

It really depends on where you are. Unfortunately, Humane Societies in some areas will just PTS all rabbits, or so I've heard. But where I live, the majority of the shelters do take rabbits, spay/neuter them, and send them on to good homes. I adopted Loki from the Sheboygan Humane Society, which was never set up to take rabbits. But they weren't about to kill them on sight either, so they're doing the best they can. I know that the House Rabbit Society and other rabbit rescues can get very expensive, but the regular shelters are not. In southeastern Wisconsin, the adoption fee for a (usually) spayed/neutered rabbit ranges from $10-$25. And even if I went to the Wisconsin HRS and paid $100, well my vet charges a little more than that for a spay anyway, and HRS rabbits get very good health care.

Also, if you do a little networking, you can get help transporting rescued rabbits to you from the Bunderground Railroad and/or members of rabbit forums. Some smaller rescues are more than happy to adopt their rabbits to people they "know" online, if transportation can be found. I myself helped transport a rabbit who was rescued out of a bad situation from Wisconsin to New Hampshire to *gasp* a breeder. Sometimes it's who you know. :wink:

Oh, and yes, we have the same rabbit overpopulation problems. The shelters here have been crammed full all winter, and now Easter hits! :shock:

 

[Monty'sMarch]

There are no shelters that take rabbits where I live (western KY). I found 1 humane society that had a rabbit and they wanted $125 for it.
Even spayed, I thought that was incredibly unreasonable. Not surprisingly it had been there 6 months.

 

[deborah]

rspca, also a neighbour who was mistrearing it, and a pet shop......

 

[JIMGRACIE]

Bindi came from one of my ex managers bunnies litters. She was the only one of the litter to survive. Bindis mummy killed the rest (she was afirst time mummy). So i had to have her. She was and still is such a gorgous bunny!!

Maya was also one of my ex bosses bunnies. She had taken him to her shop to be sold, but said that nobody was interested in him because he was a BIB and he had tear duct problems. I couldn't resist and when i came back off holiday, and see him still in his hutch, i took him home.

I wouln't be without either of them - problems and all

 

[clare23]

i got mine from a pet shop. i know people critisise that but all the time i see them in the pet shop i feel sorry for the way they are treated and want to save them from the misery of the pet shop and from people who will not be good owners.

sorry if that wrong but i hate see them suffer.

 

[peediepixie]

I just got Eddie and Elsa from Kareen @ Fife Rabbit Rescue. I did a lot of research before I decided to get them and realised a rescue was the way to go

 

[animus]

I didn't choose to get a bun, Crunchie chose me.
I used to work in a pet shop that didn't sell animals. One day a French woman came in with a box, inside were 4 baby buns, the woman said that she and her rabbits just immigrated from France and her bun had the babies on the plane :shock:
She said she didn't know she was pregnant as she thought they were both girls :?
The manager of the pet shop said it would be OK if we took them in and tried to find homes for them as the woman said she would 'get rid' of them if we didn't :shock:
The pet shop sold hutches so we set one up and put them i there until we could find them homes.
After a few days it became clear that Crunchie was the 'runt' of the litter and was being bullied by the others, I'd take her out and play with her and give her cuddles and in the end, I couldn't let her go so I decided (after lots of research) to take her home. That was in July 2004 when she was approx 8 weeks old.
When Crunchie was old enough we got her speyed, although she had run of the house and garden and got loads of attention she seemed lonely so we decided to find her a friend.
We looked on RU and came accross a bun called Alfie, he looked so sweet so we called the number (Honeybunny's) and asked about him, Jill told us about another bun called Merlin who was being overlooked because he was black, he sounded lovely too, so we went to meet Jill and she brought them both to meet us and Crunchie, all 3 buns seemed kinda scared and didn't attempt much interaction but my O/H Neil cuddled Merlin and couldn't put him down so he came home with us too!
They bonded almost instantly and it was like a fairytale until a few weeks ago when Merlin sadly died in his sleep
So hopefully in a few weeks time, we'll be off to meet Jill again to find a new bunny friend for Crunchie, I think she has a choice of 5!!

 

[norrielian]

Hi
I got Dillon from a breeder - before I discovered Rabbis Reuinted. Although have to say, breeder was fab!

Pippa came from the bunny sanctury in Bradford - found through Rabbits United rehome section.

Lian xx

 

[LucyJK]

Esmee - from a friend of a friend whos bunny 'accidently' had babies !
Dillon (now deceased) - from a small rescue in rickmansworth
Eli - from the national animal welfare trust in Watford