Its been awhile

I might be forced to get rid of my rabbits. yeahIm the one who used to post alot with having problems with the city, onthe other forum. Someone called the police on me again. The officershowed up monday and told me there had been a complaint. He went outand looked at the rabbits. He saw an old rabbits for sale sign(nowgone)leaning against the garage, and automatically assumedthat I was 'running a business because I show and then sell at shows.'When I said no I wasn't, he came back with, that anyoneowning over forty animals(I lied and said I had forty), and breedingand showing them, was doing it for a reason, and that it was a cityviolation.He also said that the my caging situation hadn'tbeen corrected. Remember the complaint I mentioned on the old boardthat had been brought against me over six months ago? That was asituation where the officer handling that at the time told me to callanimal control. I did. they said my rabbits were fine. That was passedonto that officer. I explained itthis to this other guy. Hebasically said it was moot, and didn't believe me. Said the cages andthe condition they were in was a hazard, plus the poop on the groundunder the outdoor hutches was also a hazard. Then he looked at theanimals in my garage and said there wasn't enough ventilation. And saidthat was a hazard too after seeing thepoop in the droppingpans, and the wheel barrell that I use to help dispose of the poopwith. Trust me, there was not alot there. The he said I had too manyrabbits. Now mind you, the police have known they have been here forabout 6-7 years and have not said anything till now?

So he says that he will be back to talk to me later on about what wasgonna happen. He came back alright. On the second visit he came backwith the crooked city lawyer. I stood in my backroom, and watched themboth walk out the garage and rabbit area. they took pictures of thesign that I havent used for over a year, pictures of the cages andrabbits inside the garage, and outside the garage. then left. thebeauty of that is that they never said that A.they were gonna take thepictures. B. they did not have a search warrant. C. What they did wasprobably not legal. And D. they did not get a city citation letterstating that I had to remove the animals from the property, clean it upto 'fix it,'or a court order for that matter.

Then my mother gets home and goes up to the police dept to see what wasgoing on.the officer tells her that we have 30 days to eitherrelocate the rabbits and cages, or get rid of them.

He comes up to where I work and shows me the city ordinance. Then hesays the reason why he had brought out the lawyer to the property wasto prove I was in violation, and was running a business, excetra. Yethe keeps saying "now we are not trying to make you sell out of them."But pionts out that I am in violation. and the animals and equipment inand outside the garage need to be gone within 30 days regaardless.

I have found someone who is gonna buy my moms with babies, and possiblyone of my bigger cages, with the intention of helping me out and givingme back some stock once this boils over.

I am also talking to a lawyer within the next few days. Though mymother, the property owner is uncaring and is convinced that its all alost cause andI should just send them all to the auction.Urgh. Shes is the property owner, though she is mad at me for calling alawyer! I wish someone would talk some sense into her. And she justtold me that she was telling the cop friday or saturday that we aregetting rid of all of them, despite the fact I have told her to saynothing! She will not listen! Shes convinced that everything they havedone is legal becaus they got a complaint! I am sure it is not.She hates the rabbits and would sooner be rid of them.

Well see what the lawyer says.

Oh and shes convinced she will be kicked off the property over this, should I go after them with the lawyer.

Sorry for the rant guys. I hope its ok. Ive just been going through alot these last few days.

How many rabbits have you got?

This is completely rediculous!!!!

If the reabbits are fine and healthy, surely common sence says they have the right ventilation??

And what a prat that copper is,"the poop has to be cleaned up!!" Howmuch could there have been, and of course it's gonna be cleaned up!!

And as for the fact of selling them, if you haven't used the sign inyears and just coz you have a lot, he assumes you are selling them????

And by the way, all what they did is not legal!! They have to have a seach warednt to open up your garage and take photos!!!

Welcome back, Janelle,

I'm so incredibly sorry to hear this. I know how you love your rabbits and how this must be ripping you apart.

Your rights have indeed been violated by them not having a search warrant unless you had given them permission to look around.

Without your mother on board, it's going to be hard to fight City Hall on this one.

My heart breaks for you and your babies. I'm so sorry, Janelle. What a shame.

-Carolyn

The city has nothing to do with it this time.They didn't even know about it. I called them and asked them about it.So the cop is basically going on a report on what happened six monthsago, and his own findings, and what the lawyer is telling him. Im gonnasell some of my rabbits, relocate most of the cages, and still talk tothat lawyer. Even my sister thinks I may end up getting rid of theanimals but I should still get both of them for trespassing. I emailedtyhe president of the msrba. He hasn't gotten back with me yet, but Iam sure he got the email and will talk with me saturday at thecharlotte michigan rabbit show, on what I can do.

The front of the garage was opened up when they took the pictures.Theres no door. Still, them taking pictures of the inside of it just bystanding near the frontshould still beillegalillegal. And they were supposed to tell someone theywere gonna do that a and why, and knock on the door first to let meknow they were there. As it is he doesn't even know that I know he tookthem. They went straight onto the property. they had to drive back orethan twenty feet off the city property in order to take them. Yes thepoop is cleaned up. I removed it to my sisters farm.

Now when Ive had cops there at other times, they looked from a distance. Or they got me first, and then looked at them.

He assumed I was running a business cause I showand sell. And he claims the city ordinance says I cannot have them. Yetthe ordinance does not say how many I can have. It just says they cantbe kept in herds so that its offensive and hazardous to the public.

Ive tyried rilling it into my mothers head that what they did bywalking out there and taking photos like that without the owner knowingabout it is in fact illegal. She wont listen. Maybe she will when thelawyer comfirms it.