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Not sure what to do..unsuitable housing..they stuck inside their small hutches!

Bunny Magics

Alpha Buck
Hi, it's taken me about 2 months to write this.

Worried about 3 Bunnies welfare...kept in 2hutches...in a front garden by a busy road.

Asked in the local shop who it was that kept the bunnies , as I am a bunny person too. I asked in a very friendly way.
Staff said they were kept by a lovely girl.

I said nothing more, have been constantly checking on the Bunnies tho, every day, when I go to the shop.
The owners house is nice, curtains nice, front garden is nice.

Bunnies housing IS NOT nice :? One 3 ft double hutch, with 2 buns in.
One single box hutch sat on the ground, about 2X2ft with another bun, or 2, can't see them.
Have been waiting to see if they get any outside garden time...it's a nice garden, well walled, even tho it's by a road.
Or even if they are having improvements done to their housing with the oncome of cold winter. There seems to be none. Today I saw a blanket, sort of chucked over the hutches in a haphazard manner. Very odd.

I'm slowly coming to the conclusion that :

1) The Rabbits do not get any exercise at all.
2) They have no opportunity to express their normal behavior.
3) I have no idea about the condition of their bedding, food, etc, (but looking at the lack of evidence I have observed, I don't think that 'anyone' in that house actually knows how to care for their ouside bunnies )

If this carries on and I see nothing changing, I will have to call the RSPCA.
They wont do anything tho :cry:

Ugg...I don't want to get to the point where I can't stand it anymore and have a "face to face" in the depths of winter, when everyone is buying their Xmas pressies and everytime I go to my shop I see the Bunnies.

Ahem...there I've said it now... Have been thinking on how to put this one. Thankyou for reading. I'm sure we've seen it all before, but I don't want to do nothing, unless I know that doing nothing is the right thing to do.

I travelled with my Dad ( he was an engineer) when I was a kid to many countries where humans had few rights, animals none.
I think that's what makes me so unable to do nothing , when, possibly, something could be done.

I think I will just call the RSPCA, they do helpfully advise people how to care for their animals, don't they? ( even tho they did nothing for the poor little frozen dog I told them about few years ago)

Just want to find a way thru this one...without getting into trouble by knocking on the person's door on Xmas eve :shock:
 
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You could try putting some leaflets through the door - sometimes people just don't realise rabbits needs and a little education is all it takes for change :)
 
I will have too.
I will do. It's the first step.
She mustn't know it's me...I've got a few RSPCA leaflets.
Need to get some RAWF leaflets too , before I act.
Will search for info tomorrow.
Thankyou for your support,
Many blessings x
 
You can always pop them in an envelope with a stamp and post them rather than poping them through the door - that way you're completely anonymous :)

The other thing is, it's likely she shops in the local petshop so you could see if they would put some posters up - the RWA might have a hutch is not enough ones :)
 
is there a reason you cant just pop round - say you've noticed the bunnies - have some spare hay would she like it etc etc??? people rarely pay attention to anonymous leaflets through the door/
 
I think I would go with leaflets posted and maybe a note explaining you are increasing awareness of the current housing recommendations for rabbits, make it positive and helpful as a start (give her a chance to right it all) before taking the next step.
Well done for tackling it, it's a difficult one isn't it. Xx
 
Hi everyone... thanks for getting back, yes.. I've thought of popping round and saying hi, being interested, etc. Or the leaflets along with a helpful note.
I have heard that if one introduces oneself to a stranger, particularly on their own property, concerning animal welfare, whether it's being helpful, or just interested it can get taken the wrong way. Then, it's harder to do anything if it turns out that there is actually anything really wrong. i.e...if they get reported they know who you are.
I'm going to stay anonymous for now, am trying to catch owner in the local shop, so we can meet / chat on neutral friendly community ground.
I have my leaflets ready to go in front of me ,as I speak...and have been thinking of adding a friendly note with them.
Not sure what yet...but I'm working on it.

Any ideas welcomed. Thanx guys . Very much X
 
I think I would go with leaflets posted and maybe a note explaining you are increasing awareness of the current housing recommendations for rabbits, make it positive and helpful as a start (give her a chance to right it all) before taking the next step.
Well done for tackling it, it's a difficult one isn't it. Xx

MMm...okay, so I might put a note in saying : (for e.g.) that : " I am working voluntarily to increase peoples awareness of the Winter Care of outdoor Rabbits , as Rabbits are becoming increasingly more popular as pets, and their needs are very specific. 5 Welfare needs, etc. "

My mobile number for local support / Advice ?

I'm just thinking again now.....I have a local Pet Care Service who are fantastic and they know me very well..
My local Vets are great... I'll chat to them first too.

Thinking On X
Quickly, before it gets coold X
 
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I can't see why you just don't go round there. It doesn't have to be a confrontational visit or anything. For all you no, the people could be genuinely lovely people who have just been given the wrong information, and don't realise they aren't providing for the rabbits needs as they should be.

If it were me, I would purposely buy a nice pack of hay and take a bit out, and then go round there under the pretext that your buns don't like it, and rather than just throw it away, you wondered if her buns would like it.

That way you could then get chatting to them and find out what the real situation is. They could well be extremely grateful for any help and advise. It could be that they were a child's pet who has now gone to uni or something, and you could maybe suggest signing them over to a charity if they feel they haven't got the time or any real interest to provide for them.

Let us know how you get on and good luck x
 
I've just chatted to a member of staff at my 'Neighbourhood Pet Care' service, they come to look after my Buns when I'm away...
She is happy to go round there to drop off leaflets about NPC's services, and have a chat , see how things are, etc, and get back to me. :thumb:

Will let you know what happens.
 
I've just chatted to a member of staff at my 'Neighbourhood Pet Care' service, they come to look after my Buns when I'm away...
She is happy to go round there to drop off leaflets about NPC's services, and have a chat , see how things are, etc, and get back to me. :thumb:

Will let you know what happens.

:thumb:
 
I think I've found this solution as the best one, to be going on with...
...Send a professional ( truly caring) animal carer around to talk to them independently of me, and let me know what they think.
I love where I live, and I love my community, but I don't want to risk 'any' sort of neighbourhood bad feeling, even tho they may be lovely...they also may not be. My visit to them may go fantastic, or it may go totally wrong, and then it gets really tricky.
If this works..i'll be overjoyed!
Oh Yeah! :D
 
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Pet Care Service has got back to me.

Hi... I'm feeling a bit odd at mo.. :shock:

The people I know who run the pet care service near me got in touch with me today....

I will leave out most of the details, but essentially, the points were:

1) It is an RSPCA job.
2) The woman was not in a state that enabled her to listen.
3) For me Not to get directly / personally involved because 'the woman was not in a state that enabled her to listen'.
4) The local RSPCA unit here have supported said 'Pet Care Service' reports in the past, by visiting to advise owners / make further enquiries.

Then the Pet Care service enquired after the well being of my Bunnies, by name, told me that one of their staff members had given their notice and would I be interested in the job. :shock:

Quite handy really, because, my last Carer's job ended recently, due to the client moving. I'm presently self employed / between jobs ( i.e..jobless )

So, I Will report the neglected Buns to the RSPCA, and I Will continue to keep my eye on them, as I Will continue to see them everyday, and I Will continue to feel sorry for them. :(

So, after all this, I possibly have a new Pet Carer's job. :shock:

And, I may, end up, after all this, having that face off with the woman on Xmas eve, after all.
(No, i'll do my best not to ). We'll see.

Thanxs everyone. Sometimes it's so important to talk things thru. Always, in fact. Always.
Bless you all, and all the Bunnies, ever!. X
 
P.S...I feel really really sad! Bunnies are magic! Why can't many people see it? :cry:

UGG! There is NO victory in this :cry: :cry:
 
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Can someone just reply, or please can we close the thread.
I'm going to sit with my beautiful silky buns X
Thank you everyone X
 
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Hopefully the RSPCA will have a chat and explain rabbits needs and encourage them to have a think.


I hope you get the job, it sounds like it would be perfect! What animals would you be caring for?
 
I will be doing the dog walking / cat visits...BUT, also ...because of my Bunnies, my Tropical Fish and my African Land Snails,
i will hopefully be on the 'exotic pet care' side of it.... Bunnies count as 'exotic / specific needs' animals in Pet Care Land.
I know that keeping exotic pets isn't particularly good...but , as Bunnies are on the list.. that's where I want to focus.

Thanx Tamsin...was just about to cry and snuffle on my 3 legged pussy cat.

Great forum by the way...
I think I'm weddy for wabbit Wednesday :)
 
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I will be doing the dog walking / cat visits...BUT, also ...because of my Bunnies, my Tropical Fish and my African Land Snails,
i will hopefully be on the 'exotic pet care' side of it.... Bunnies count as 'exotic / specific needs' animals in Pet Care Land.
I know that keeping exotic pets isn't particularly good...but , as Bunnies are on the list.. that's where I want to focus.

Thanx Tamsin...was just about to cry and snuffle on my 3 legged pussy cat.

Great forum by the way...
I think I'm weddy for wabbit Wednesday :)

Bunnies are definitely exotic pets .. There is an insurance company called 'Exotics Direct' that I used to have mine insured with.

I think you've done amazingly good work for the bunnies, and how marvellous that you may be taking a new job with animals :D

You seem to have a lot of 'good vibes' on your side for this to have worked out so far. I hope this continues and shows you the way forward with your neighbour as well .... x
 
Thanx Mighty Max...Just put my Buns to bed. It's so good to know that this is not just a computer, it's way more than that.
Better sleep... Wabbit Wednesday is upon us .
Cheers everyone X
 
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