For the past four years I have been visiting a lady in her sixties - C - who lives in a residential home. She has schizophrenia and dementia and I am paid by her family to do art/crafts with her for an hour a week. I also take her out sometimes. She loves animals so I started bringing her to my home for an hour or so in order for her to spend some time with the bunnies and cats. She groomed the bunnies for me and really enjoyed being around my pets.
Without thinking it through at all the staff decided to give C a rabbit. They were all enthusiastic about it and I was the only one who was horrified. The rabbit, who C has called Bonnie, belonged to a carer whose children had got bored with her. She came in a tiny hutch and was put under the stairs. C does not have capacity to care for a rabbit and the majority of the staff did not have either the time or the inclination to feed her or clean her out. I visited once and she had not been cleaned out for ten days and had no hay. I was appalled, bought some hay and did it myself. I took a puppy pen over there so that we could let Bonnie stretch her paws outside as the hutch was far, far too small. The Manager said they were getting her a larger one but it never materialised.
Bonnie is a dwarf bunny with a very sweet temperament. She seems to enjoy being cuddled but for the majority of the time she was stuck in this tiny hutch under the stairs.
Every time I visited I complained and the staff admitted they didn't know much about rabbits. I sent them a link to RWAF but I don't think anyone read it.
C's key worker was also upset and worried about Bonnie and completely out of the blue asked me if she, Bonnie, could come and live with me. C was present and I choked over my coffee as it was a total surprise. I felt totally put on the spot - Bonnie hasn't been spayed or vaccinated - BUT I had been considering making my trio a quad and I had become fond of her. I agreed and said that C can come and visit regularly.
So, today, I went and picked her up. It was 1115 and she hadn't been fed - C was still in bed and none of the staff had fed Bonnie. She is now in a pen with my trio with a divider separating them. Bonding will commence later.
I'm not sure how I feel. I don't know how many homes this poor bunny has had - she is three - and I am pleased I have a chance to give her her forever home with space and bunny company. A year or so ago I moved a pension so I do have access to funds if she needs veterinary treatment and I am intending to insure her. I feel a bit manipulated though and am very cross with the care home which is an expensive 'up market' residential home for elderly patients with dementia.
I will get her vaccinated asap - my three have all been done - and she can be spayed at the same time as Flopsy who hasn't been done yet (she is old enough now but is still growing. Zippy is neutered so I have left it until Flopsy is bigger).
In an ideal world I would have waited until Flopsy and Bonnie were spayed before bonding them but Flopsy was far too young when I adopted her.
I just hope they bond easily and quickly so I can move them back outside. If not, I will divide their hutch and run into two and keep them apart for a while as I did when Zippy kept fighting with Pebbles and Flopsy. They bonded eventually but it was a very, very slow bond.
It's far from perfect but hopefully I will improve Bonnie's quality of life.
Vibes for an easy bond would be much appreciated.
Without thinking it through at all the staff decided to give C a rabbit. They were all enthusiastic about it and I was the only one who was horrified. The rabbit, who C has called Bonnie, belonged to a carer whose children had got bored with her. She came in a tiny hutch and was put under the stairs. C does not have capacity to care for a rabbit and the majority of the staff did not have either the time or the inclination to feed her or clean her out. I visited once and she had not been cleaned out for ten days and had no hay. I was appalled, bought some hay and did it myself. I took a puppy pen over there so that we could let Bonnie stretch her paws outside as the hutch was far, far too small. The Manager said they were getting her a larger one but it never materialised.
Bonnie is a dwarf bunny with a very sweet temperament. She seems to enjoy being cuddled but for the majority of the time she was stuck in this tiny hutch under the stairs.
Every time I visited I complained and the staff admitted they didn't know much about rabbits. I sent them a link to RWAF but I don't think anyone read it.
C's key worker was also upset and worried about Bonnie and completely out of the blue asked me if she, Bonnie, could come and live with me. C was present and I choked over my coffee as it was a total surprise. I felt totally put on the spot - Bonnie hasn't been spayed or vaccinated - BUT I had been considering making my trio a quad and I had become fond of her. I agreed and said that C can come and visit regularly.
So, today, I went and picked her up. It was 1115 and she hadn't been fed - C was still in bed and none of the staff had fed Bonnie. She is now in a pen with my trio with a divider separating them. Bonding will commence later.
I'm not sure how I feel. I don't know how many homes this poor bunny has had - she is three - and I am pleased I have a chance to give her her forever home with space and bunny company. A year or so ago I moved a pension so I do have access to funds if she needs veterinary treatment and I am intending to insure her. I feel a bit manipulated though and am very cross with the care home which is an expensive 'up market' residential home for elderly patients with dementia.
I will get her vaccinated asap - my three have all been done - and she can be spayed at the same time as Flopsy who hasn't been done yet (she is old enough now but is still growing. Zippy is neutered so I have left it until Flopsy is bigger).
In an ideal world I would have waited until Flopsy and Bonnie were spayed before bonding them but Flopsy was far too young when I adopted her.
I just hope they bond easily and quickly so I can move them back outside. If not, I will divide their hutch and run into two and keep them apart for a while as I did when Zippy kept fighting with Pebbles and Flopsy. They bonded eventually but it was a very, very slow bond.
It's far from perfect but hopefully I will improve Bonnie's quality of life.
Vibes for an easy bond would be much appreciated.