# Where did everyone get their bunnies?



## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

I was wondering with talks of rescues etc, where did people get their rabbits from? 

Maybe to keep arguments to a minimum, just click the poll, not leave a post? Up to you of course, I cant tell you what to do  as much as I would love mind control 

*Heidi*


----------



## umber (Feb 15, 2009)

I dont see a poll lol! My 2 came from a rescue!


----------



## cherrie_b (Dec 14, 2008)

Jackson was from [email protected] am not fussed where my animals come from really...they all need a home regardless!!


----------



## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

umber said:


> I dont see a poll lol! My 2 came from a rescue!


it was on its way  you have to post the thread first! you were too quick for me Umber!

*Heidi*


----------



## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

hmm although I clicked "Breeder - more than one breed" she only had 3 rabbits and I would never go back there for many reasons


----------



## SeaThreePeeO (Sep 15, 2008)

I voted other.

One day my neighbour ran screaming into my kicthen because she went to clean her rabbits out and a baby dropped out on the floor. That's how we came about getting Honey and Mustard. Their parents Tiger and Lilly are coming to stay for a week on Friday while their owners go on holiday.


----------



## Nicky09 (Feb 26, 2009)

Other he was my sisters bunny and she wasn't looking after him properly so I took him in. She did get him from PAH though.


----------



## kelly-m-e (Jun 18, 2009)

I thought id leave a post because I got my bunnies from different places. Ebony I got from a specific breeder of just british giants and sugar was an unwanted pet. A man who was selling a litter of babies also had her and her sister 4 sale as he didn't want them anymore! Then to my suprise she had a litter of 7 babies two weeks after I had her! Now they are 10 days old n just starting to wobble out of the nest to stretch their legs!!


----------



## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

you can click more than one  
could you please click aswell so we can get a fairly good idea of whats most popular.

*Heidi*


----------



## miss-freak-of-nature (Jan 4, 2009)

I got my Dwarf Lop Buck from a breeder and my Bi Standard Dalmation Spotted Rex from someone in Cardiff who sadly had to get rid of her.


----------



## Lumpy (Jun 5, 2008)

My four are all rescue bunnies - three from the place where I used to volunteer which has now closed - and the other is on permanent foster from another rescue.


----------



## AmyCruick (Jul 20, 2009)

I may just be being daft but it won't let me vote?!

All rabbits I've had have been rescued from Woodgreen Animal Shelters


----------



## cassie01 (Jul 11, 2008)

mine were unwanted childrens pets, but my last bun i got from the [email protected] rescue bit, hed been stuck there because he wasnt selling with the breeder because of his legs, so obviously he was mine!!!!


----------



## Jazzy (Apr 15, 2009)

I voted 'other' as both our Nethies came from a local garden centre with a pet shop.


----------



## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

i put more than 1 breeder 
but my very 1st bun (about 10 years ago) Ash, was from my local pet shop, he was soooo funny he used to play add lol he would come up nudge me then run away then id chase him tap his bum and run away and it would go on for a while lol
sadly he had to go to my friends to live due to the fact i was living in a masionette and although i had a massive balcony it was way to hot as it was all tar mac and he was in danger of heat stroke.
he was the best bunny ive ever owned.


----------



## Kat28 (Mar 19, 2008)

I got mine from my brother. My nephew has 2 dutch rabbits that they have had a couple of litters from. They have got a waiting list for the babies as they are lovely friendly rabbits.Mine thinks its a dog im sure it does.Alot of my previous rabbits have been from pet shops and i have rescued a couple as well


----------



## Tink82 (Mar 22, 2009)

Well I'm not ashamed to say Pepsi came from a petshop/pet supplies place. they lady tht sold him to us was very thorough in her job, spent quite some time talking to us about him and our house and if we have got a good sized hutch, advising us and letting us hold him to see how he behaves and showing us the correct way to handle and pick him up. She then wrote everything we needed to know on the side of the box carrier (so we didn't loose little bits of paper), including when he should be introduced to veg, how to do it, the need for constant fresh hay, vaccinations, castrations and after 4 weeks of having him the shop gives you a free check up at the local vets.

Also, the vets come to the shop every week and check over each animal and check their welfare. They must have some contract but if it means people take them, the vets can see how the rabbit has been treated.

IMO if a breeder wont sell to someone then they will just go to another breeder and lie or go to a petshop and lie. It's something you just cannot police sadly. You can do a home check, but who is to say that the bunny will always be well kept once the novelty wears off or the owners circumstances change?

Instead of discouraging people from buying from certain places, perhaps they should be educated about keeping pets as I know that we did not expect half of what we have had to do for Pepsi until we went to the shop.


----------



## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

wow sounds like a great pet shop 

I popped in to my local garden center this week that have pets, and was really surprised to see 1 bun with a gooy eye, I told them about it and told them to separate him from his litter mate, and guess what they wiped the eye with their hand then put him back, grrrrrrrrr i was fuming and left


----------



## Tink82 (Mar 22, 2009)

emzybabe said:


> wow sounds like a great pet shop
> 
> I popped in to my local garden center this week that have pets, and was really surprised to see 1 bun with a gooy eye, I told them about it and told them to separate him from his litter mate, and guess what they wiped the eye with their hand then put him back, grrrrrrrrr i was fuming and left


There are good and bad petshops, just as there are good and bad breeders. It is a minefield and needs regulating by an official body. You can boycott a fantastic petshop like the one I bought from and go to a seriously crap breeder or vice versa! I think to say all petshops are bad etc is a bit much really, that's just MHO


----------



## Pampered pets (Jun 20, 2009)

I got jackson from an ad in the pet shop, free to good home as they novelty had wore off.

He is a large bun and was living in a three ft hutch 

I got rex from a similer advert as a friend for jackson, owner had two brothers given her but they were fighting and had to be split up, rex and jackson escpaed in the garden together before i had got them castrated and instead of a blood bath it was love at first site, they adore each other and both are now castrated.

Summer and tiffany were offered for sale by someone down sizing, when it turned out one was pregnant i was glad i got them as it would of meant more babies offered on for sale or even taken to a pet shop, i plan to keep all the babies so i feel i did the right thing as they wont be sold on.


----------



## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Tink82 said:


> There are good and bad petshops, just as there are good and bad breeders. It is a minefield and needs regulating by an official body. You can boycott a fantastic petshop like the one I bought from and go to a seriously crap breeder or vice versa! I think to say all petshops are bad etc is a bit much really, that's just MHO


But at the end of the day anyone can still walk in that petshop and walk out straight away with a rabbit, are you saying they'd refuse to sell it if they thought the person sounded inappropriate? Petshops sell animals to make money no other reason that is what im against. What are the sizes of the hutches in that shop? The biggest hutch i have seen in a petshop is in PAH and that was 5ftx2ft.

I think there are many more bad breeders thamn good out there, what i am saying is if you are going to get a rabbit get it from a decent breeder that breeds responsibly and knows what they are doing or a rescue, i think there should be an official body regulating breeding to stop people inbreeding and breeding in genetic problems. A good breeder will know where their rabbits are going, established breeders will have waiting lists and why shouldnt animals be hard to get, if people are serious and commited to having an animals they will be patient and do things in the correct way.

All petshops should be banned from selling any livestock in my opinion and if you speak to any experienced rescue such as starlights they will agree because its where most of the cruelty cases originate from.


----------



## Tink82 (Mar 22, 2009)

crofty said:


> But at the end of the day anyone can still walk in that petshop and walk out straight away with a rabbit, are you saying they'd refuse to sell it if they thought the person sounded inappropriate? Petshops sell animals to make money no other reason that is what im against. What are the sizes of the hutches in that shop? The biggest hutch i have seen in a petshop is in PAH and that was 5ftx2ft.
> 
> I think there are many more bad breeders thamn good out there, what i am saying is if you are going to get a rabbit get it from a decent breeder that breeds responsibly and knows what they are doing or a rescue, i think there should be an official body regulating breeding to stop people inbreeding and breeding in genetic problems. A good breeder will know where their rabbits are going, established breeders will have waiting lists and why shouldnt animals be hard to get, if people are serious and commited to having an animals they will be patient and do things in the correct way.
> 
> All petshops should be banned from selling any livestock in my opinion and if you speak to any experienced rescue such as starlights they will agree because its where most of the cruelty cases originate from.


The probelm is, if a breeder turns a person away, they will simply go elsewhere or obtain a rabbit another way. Who is to say what breeders are good and which ones are not? there are no guide lines like there are for cats and dogs. I don't disagree with what you are saying, just that where I got mine from was a good pet shop and I wouldn't think twice about buying from there again. But like I said, it's just my oppinion


----------



## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Tink82 said:


> The probelm is, if a breeder turns a person away, they will simply go elsewhere or obtain a rabbit another way. Who is to say what breeders are good and which ones are not? there are no guide lines like there are for cats and dogs. I don't disagree with what you are saying, just that where I got mine from was a good pet shop and I wouldn't think twice about buying from there again. But like I said, it's just my oppinion


Good breeders give their rabbits enough space, dont relentlessly breed from them over and over again with no rest, research their genetic history and care where their rabbits go, it is very clear which are good and which are bad.

Good breeders breed to improve the breed, if you are good you wont earn any money out of breeding really. Petshops are completely driven by money, they dont care where the rabbit goes just as long as they get there £25.

Im well aware these people that shoulodnt own rabbits will go elsewhere. What Im saying is there should be guidelines if you read my previous post again to try to minimise therse bad breeders and educate people. There is no such thing as a good petshop in my opinion, you didnt answer my question on hutch size either.

One petshops that actually gives in your view good advice does not make up for the thousands that dont and make rabbits the most abused/neglected pet. Its all very well saying well theres nothing we can do but we dont have to see what the rescues see, speak to them they are the experts they know what causes the problems, see the horror some of these rabbits go through and pick up the pieces, ask them about what they think of petshops.

This is not a problem that will ever be solved but stopping petshops selling livestock will reduce it greatly.


----------



## Tink82 (Mar 22, 2009)

crofty said:


> Good breeders give their rabbits enough space, dont relentlessly breed from them over and over again with no rest, research their genetic history and care where their rabbits go, it is very clear which are good and which are bad.
> 
> Good breeders breed to improve the breed, if you are good you wont earn any money out of breeding really. Petshops are completely driven by money, they dont care where the rabbit goes just as long as they get there £25. What Im saying is there should be guidelines if you read my previous post again. There is no such thing as a good petshop in my opinion, you didnt answer my question on hutch size either.
> 
> One petshops that actually gives in your view good advice does not make up for the thousands that dont and make rabbits the most abused/neglected pet.


They had big open runs, seperate for each sex. size I can't remember exactly but they where very big, about the size of 2 in [email protected] there where no more than 4 in each, I remember that.

I initially suggested and agreed with you about a governing body.

I know what your saying about good breeders but how are you supposed to tell from a free ad? this is my point, there needs to be something that PROVES the breeder is decent, then the same can be applied to pet shops, but even then you can't vet the owners!


----------



## hazyreality (Jan 11, 2009)

We had a "rescue" in the area, and she was known as a rescue, and she kept her animals in squaller. She gave her term rescue(and people accepted it) because then she could get he hands on all these animals(every type of animal) and then she would just sell them on. 
If I tarred every single smaller rescue with the same brush as this one(which I most definately dont), I could be telling people never ever to buy from a rescue because they are just in it for the money. Rescues and Breeders(good or bad) have absolutely no regulations, no check ups, nothing. At least a pet shop has a visit from the council once a year! If they are no good, they lose their pet licence.
I agree they are there to make money out of these pets, but then that means their livelihood is their livestock, and if their livestock dies, they lose money, surely that means while they are at the pet shop, they have to be kept in a decent condition. A sick rabbit is not going to be brought.

Where do you buy your toys/food/bedding from? Without the pet shops life would be a hell of a lot more difficult. You cant expect them to provide a service with the food etc when people boycot them and say they should not have something in their shop.

So thats a very good pet shop in Tink82's area and a very good one in my area, I'm sure other people have good shops.

As for the size of a hutch, breeders dont sell hutches! How do they really know(I am not saying the good ones like Frags) what size hutch that rabbit will end up living in, the people could tell them anything, and change them into something else. If a rescue does a home visit, how do they know they wont put it in a smaller hutch later on in the buns life,they could get another and want the hutch for it. I had one for Rascal, never seen anyone since. His hutch has actually got bigger!

*Heidi*


----------



## frags (Feb 5, 2009)

hazyreality said:


> As for the size of a hutch, breeders dont sell hutches! How do they really know(I am not saying the good ones like Frags) what size hutch that rabbit will end up living in, the people could tell them anything, and change them into something else. If a rescue does a home visit, how do they know they wont put it in a smaller hutch later on in the buns life,they could get another and want the hutch for it. I had one for Rascal, never seen anyone since. His hutch has actually got bigger!
> 
> *Heidi*


good point about the hutches, i cant sell hutches as i have to have a licence and be classed as a pet shop 
but i always recommend at least 6ft long for sleeping quarters only but tbh even myself cant garentee the homes they are going to will be the best forever homes, people's lives change and some people turn out to be not as nice as we think.

as for home checks, i think anyone can spruce up there garden and home to make them look like they smell of roses but at the end of the day some smell like sh!t. unless we are there everyday of the rabbits lives no breeder/rescue/pet shop can garentee the rabbits will be 100% cared for in the way all of us on here want them to be.
so maybe everyone should agree to disagree as the whole pet shop thing is getting alot of people down.


----------



## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Tink82 said:


> They had big open runs, seperate for each sex. size I can't remember exactly but they where very big, about the size of 2 in [email protected] there where no more than 4 in each, I remember that.
> 
> I initially suggested and agreed with you about a governing body.
> 
> I know what your saying about good breeders but how are you supposed to tell from a free ad? this is my point, there needs to be something that PROVES the breeder is decent, then the same can be applied to pet shops, but even then you can't vet the owners!


I mean the hutches they sell. You dont tell from a freead you have to go and see when you go to view the bun  I agree thats what im saying there has to be something in place to prove a breeder is a good one.

Like I have said good breeders breed to improve the breed, petshops sell rabbits to earn money, they dont care where they come from or where they go! Thats why i dont like them


----------



## crofty (May 2, 2008)

hazyreality said:


> We had a "rescue" in the area, and she was known as a rescue, and she kept her animals in squaller. She gave her term rescue(and people accepted it) because then she could get he hands on all these animals(every type of animal) and then she would just sell them on.
> If I tarred every single smaller rescue with the same brush as this one(which I most definately dont), I could be telling people never ever to buy from a rescue because they are just in it for the money. Rescues and Breeders(good or bad) have absolutely no regulations, no check ups, nothing. At least a pet shop has a visit from the council once a year! If they are no good, they lose their pet licence.
> I agree they are there to make money out of these pets, but then that means their livelihood is their livestock, and if their livestock dies, they lose money, surely that means while they are at the pet shop, they have to be kept in a decent condition. A sick rabbit is not going to be brought.
> 
> ...


Yeh because that makes sense buy a big hutch and then once the homecheck is done buy a smaller one 

The hutches pet shops sell are far too small, they can sell food toys etc without selling livestock. All my bunnies seperately had horrible starts to life due to the petshop trade, no bunny deserves that. Animal welfare will always be compromised when they are used to make money.

Your arguement is just not making any sense to me at all, im not saying we can solve this problem as ive said before but its a FACT if you ask any rescue that the huge majority of these neglected bunnies and horrendous advice received is from petshops. I can name you countless brilliant rescues but i have never found a petshop that gives correct advise.

I give up now i can see I'm wasting my breath.


----------

