A cautionary tale--about petstore bunnies

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We recently had a new pet store open here in Daytona Beach that was selling rabbits. Our rescue came down so hard on them that they not only stopped selling rabbits, but said they will allow us to hold adoption events at their store! If someone were to adopt a bunny from us, we would certainly take them into the store and show the adopter all the right things to buy. Win-win!!
 
Ali, a while back someone who brought me a pair of cottontails as wildlife patients said that she initially intended to keep them as pets until talking to someone through your org. Apparently she got a much-needed education in why orphaned wild rabbits are NOT to be kept as pets & have the best chances of survival with a wildlife rehabber. I looked y'all up after hearing about this and I just LOVE your site and everything you're about. So nice to see a rescue that is also so focused in education and advocacy; a lot of groups rescue, but it's like putting a bandaid on a gunshot wound if you'd don't adress the underlying issues.
 
Wow, I'm a bit shocked by the number of people who have bought sick bunnies from a pet store (or have had health problems soon after)

I purchased three of my bunnies from a pet store and none of them were sick or have had any health or temperment problems. Maybe I just got lucky?


 
tonyshuman wrote:
Luckily, organizations like the HRS have gotten some leeway in getting large chains (Petco, PetSmart) to not sell bunnies (ie the Marshall bunnies), but these small local shops aren't as easy to target because they're not national and a single local HRS chapter can't do it. I don't shop at those stores, but lots of other people do. I also like to shop locally to support independent business owners rather than the large national companies, but can't do that with pet stores.
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I'm the same. I try really hard to shop at locally-owned stores. But the locally-owned pet store near me sells bunnies. I will not shop there.

I adopted all of my bunnies, but it is possible that three of them originally came from pet stores, before they ended up in the shelter and then the rescue. They all went through the same shelter, so I suspect there's a pet store in that city selling bunnies. :(
 
BethM wrote:
I adopted all of my bunnies, but it is possible that three of them originally came from pet stores, before they ended up in the shelter and then the rescue. They all went through the same shelter, so I suspect there's a pet store in that city selling bunnies. :(
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Except for the bunnies I bought who knows where the others came from. Of course, I know where I got them (humane society, CL, one was found in a ditch by my neighbor) I'm willing to bet they most likely were first purchased from a pet store.

Ya know, I hate to say this as I don't want people to take it the wrong way but I sometimes wonder if some bunnies were not sold in stores would we have the pets we have today? I love my pet store bunniesasmuch as the ones I have adopted. Where wouldwe get our pet bunnies? (assuming if stores didn't sell bunnies then shelters wouldn't have bunnies to adopt either) From a breeder? I'm not so sure that's the way to go either.
 
luvthempigs wrote:
Ya know, I hate to say this as I don't want people to take it the wrong way but I sometimes wonder if some bunnies were not sold in stores would we have the pets we have today? I love my pet store bunniesasmuch as the ones I have adopted. Where wouldwe get our pet bunnies? (assuming if stores didn't sell bunnies then shelters wouldn't have bunnies to adopt either) From a breeder? I'm not so sure that's the way to go either.
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I agree.Ringo, Connor, Elvis and Wyatt came from petstores. I adore them each. 2 ofthe 4 were sick from almost day one. I don't regret them at all.It is why I don't say I would never get a bunny from a store. Truth be told some bunnies just know where they belong and if it's my home where they come from doesn't matter.:)

TeresaI was in a Petco and had Connor with me(He went every where with us). An employee approached us asking if we would be intrested in another bunny. She got her from a friend who used to show bunnies.

Sam I am not sure where she came from exactly, she was the housewarming gift.

Dallas came to the rescue with his brother when the owners couldn't afford the medical bills. They were from a breeder.

Chibi came into the rescue when his last family lost their home and were living in their car.

Apple was from a litter a member on here had and kept but due to life ended up having to rehome her bunnies.

Montana came to the rescue as a stray so no idea her orgins.


I should edit to add that there will always be rescues and shelters with bunnies to adopt. As you see some of mine came from breeders ending up in rescues or shelters.
 
Where would we get our pet bunnies? (assuming if stores didn't sell bunnies then shelters wouldn't have bunnies to adopt either) From a breeder?
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If pet stores didn't sell animals, there would still be shelter animals because people's circumstances change or they simply aren't committed enough to keep their pet. People who spend thousands on dogs from breeders still wind up abandoning them, and I have no doubt that someone who spends $10-60 on a rabbit from a breeder might abandon it as well. There would simply be less of it because it wouldn't be as easy to get a rabbit impulsively, and a good breeder is more apt to screen adoptions than a pet store. Point blank, there are too many animals and not enough good homes out there, so less animals being produced would be a positive at this point.

And honestly, is us having easier access to rabbits worth the ammount of suffering they endure in pet stores & mass breeding facilities? In my opinion if we truly love rabbits, we should be selfless enough to promote & support responsible breeders (not all private breeders are responsible either, after all) and rescues, even if it means less ease of obtaining a rabbit.

Just my two cents, I know not everyone will agree. I personally feel that the only sources for animals should be reputable breeders and rescues; I have seen far too much negativity and far too little good in pet stores & high production breeders to ever feel this is an acceptable means of producing companion animals.
 
I agree Ren. Even if pet stores didn't sell bunnies, their would still be plenty to go around. When we are at adoption events I always explain to people the benefits of adopting from a rescue; i.e., they are already altered, litter-trained, and socialized. All of our rescues are with one-on-one fosterers and we know their personalities and can match the right bunny with a family. We had one instance where a family wanted a certain bunny, but I knew that it wouldn't be a good fit. We matched the family with another bunny and they couldn't be happier.
 
slavetoabunny wrote:
I agree Ren. Even if pet stores didn't sell bunnies, their would still be plenty to go around. When we are at adoption events I always explain to people the benefits of adopting from a rescue; i.e., they are already altered, litter-trained, and socialized. All of our rescues are with one-on-one fosterers and we know their personalities and can match the right bunny with a family. We had one instance where a family wanted a certain bunny, but I knew that it wouldn't be a good fit. We matched the family with another bunny and they couldn't be happier.
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Very true. We love when we get calls or emails saying "listen this is our lifestyle do you have bunnies you think would fit. We want to try a lot of bunnies to find the best one for our family." It is like jackpot they are looking for the right bunny not the specific bunny.
 
I think that rescues have a place first to rehome bunnies that are pets that people no longer can take care of, because of life changes. They exist to help people and animals at the same time, so that people can have an option when they no longer can care for an animal, although they entered into owning it with good intentions. It happens--people's living situations change, they have family health issues, lose jobs, get in car accidents, get injured and can't work, etc. These are things that happen and shelters need to exist to help people who have had "bad luck." Even the best pet owner may one day have to give up their animals due to circumstances beyond their control. Some people also don't realize how much work having a pet is, but if they got a rabbit from a shelter, they might have gotten better info on the rabbit, and if pet stores don't sell rabbits, they're not creating an industry where people breed rabbits just to be sold in pet stores--those animals exist to meet a need that is already met by shelters.

I guess I am ok with reputable breeders trying to improve the breeds and coming up with new and interesting breeds of rabbits. The rabbits that aren't show quality from these breedings are great pets, and that's where I think pet rabbits should come from. If you look at it, there are people who want rabbits to breed for show, and people who want good pets. As people who want pets, we can help out the people who breed to improve the breeds by providing homes for the bunnies they can't use in their programs.
 
When you think about it, buying a rabbit from a pet shop is a really big gamble:

Every rabbit there is a "dwarf" or "dwarf cross." Theywon't tell you who the breeder is.They don't know when they were born, just that they're "three months old." And, unless you can sex a rabbit yourself,odds arethey'll sex the rabbitwrong. The buns aren't litter trained, they're not socialized, and they certainly aren't neutered (at least not at any of the pet stores/chains around here!). Plus, there's a very good chance the rabbits are already sick orhave other genetic defects (like bad teeth). And then they wantto charge you $50-65 + tax! (That's the same as the adoption fee at the SPCA and our local rabbit rescues!)

It's true, at a rescue,you may notget the rabbit's full history, like its exact age or breed (unless the rabbit was born at the rescue or was surrendered by a breeder), but you can be sure they've beentreated by a vet, socialized, litter trained, properly sexed and neutered.

I dosupport purchasing pet rabbits from reputable breeders.As has been mentioned upthread, healthy rabbits can be got from breeders (many reputable breeders even offer a health guarantee). They're often handled from birth, so are much better socialized than pet store rabbits. And as an added advantage, you'll know the rabbit's exact age and history. You'll just be responsible for things like litter training and neutering the rabbit yourself.

JMVHO

Rue
 
funnybunnymummy wrote:
And then they wantto charge you $50-65 + tax! (That's the same as the adoption fee at the SPCA and our local rabbit rescues!)
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Wow, I wish the pet stores around here charged that much! Around here, pet stores charge $15-25. (Somehow, the bunnies in the $25 tank look to be the same mix as the ones in the $15 tank, I have no idea how they determine which are which.) People think bunnies are a cheap pet, because of the low initial price, then it gets hormonal and they go into shock when they find out how much it will cost to spay or neuter. Then they dump the bunny at the rescue or shelter. :(

My rescue only charges $55 for the adoption fee, which includes spay/neuter!
 
I was only charged 45$ for an adoption fee.

I hate that my store sells rabbits, and I have been slowly convincing my managers to stop selling rabbits. They have agreed to make sure every person who wants to buy our rabbit is given a packet of information (The same packet I was given when I adopted Sasha. I also tell every customer that it is much better to adopt.

I wish there was something I could do. I know the little rabbit we have right now is not happy, and I know we are going to have her for a long time because she is not a "little" rabbit (she is a dutch)
 
My experience with pet shops has been mixed. In my town, we have one really good one. They give out good information and have signs up saying rabbits should be kept inside and not for kids. Although I keep my rabbits outside, I think it is good they have those signs to stop people who buy them, put them outside and are too lazy to go out and care for them. The second one is pretty good too, they ask questions about your set up and give out good info. The third is bad! Which surprises me because one of the main workers has spoilt, free range house buns.
So far, we don't have a rabbit over population problem like ye in the US. Which I believe is because lots of people don't bother with rabbits, they don't see them as having the potential of being good pets. There are very few people breeding rabbits as well since we have no rabbit shows or club
 
funnybunnymummy wrote:
When you think about it, buying a rabbit from a pet shop is a really big gamble:

Every rabbit there is a "dwarf" or "dwarf cross." Theywon't tell you who the breeder is.They don't know when they were born, just that they're "three months old." And, unless you can sex a rabbit yourself,odds arethey'll sex the rabbitwrong. The buns aren't litter trained, they're not socialized, and they certainly aren't neutered (at least not at any of the pet stores/chains around here!). Plus, there's a very good chance the rabbits are already sick orhave other genetic defects (like bad teeth). And then they wantto charge you $50-65 + tax! (That's the same as the adoption fee at the SPCA and our local rabbit rescues!)

It's true, at a rescue,you may notget the rabbit's full history, like its exact age or breed (unless the rabbit was born at the rescue or was surrendered by a breeder), but you can be sure they've beentreated by a vet, socialized, litter trained, properly sexed and neutered.

I dosupport purchasing pet rabbits from reputable breeders.As has been mentioned upthread, healthy rabbits can be got from breeders (many reputable breeders even offer a health guarantee). They're often handled from birth, so are much better socialized than pet store rabbits. And as an added advantage, you'll know the rabbit's exact age and history. You'll just be responsible for things like litter training and neutering the rabbit yourself.

JMVHO

Rue
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I dont mean to really single out just YOUR post, but you make a interesting point.

I am not sure how things run around all ya'll but where I got Poker and Vegas, the breeder was the manager....
Poker is a mix breed dwarf bunny, yes, and he was thin when I got him, the runt of the litter and bullied by his siblings in the cage...
But Vegas' breeder is the manager, she and her mother are on the ARBA list of rabbitries, and they supply only purebred bunnies (you must ask for any of its papers though)...
Both my bunnies were sexed correctly, and I triple checked to make sure..None of the rabbits at the store have been sick..and Poker and his 4 or 5 siblings were the only mixed breed bunnies there...

SO yeah, ALOT of pet stores sell sick and mixed breed bunnies, but there are also ALOT that take excellent care of the rabbit..

I am not dissing your point at all--you really do have a good statement..

But people are practically saying "oh no, all pet stores are bad.." and that is not true..

Now I dont know what everyone else has seen in their areas.So maybe thats how things are run where everyone else is..
I do know that I will never buy a petstore bunny again because I feel better rescuing from now on, but I cannot say that all petstores are bad places..I have seen one pet store that I posted about on here because of how upset I was with the care and treatment of the rabbits...And maybe thats what everyone else is seeing..

But maybe instead of saying that ALL pet stores are bad, lets get a point out there to say that there are many pet stores that we would rather not see selling any rabbits.
Also--at the pet store that I got the bunnies from--there are atleast 25 volunteers at different times of the day that come to let the bunnies out and walk with them on a leash around the store, and they get lots of love and attention.. They also have an absolutely beautiful bunny named Lucy that is a show bunny and a party bunny..

Again, I dont mean to pick on your post, but you just brought up a good statement.
 
That's true, there are some petstores that are good. They are the exception to the rule. I particularly like that the people who run your store are affiliated with ARBA. I, however, have never seen that.
 
Why do I have a feeling (only being to Madison a few times) I know what pet store it is?

Poor bun. :( Luckily he is in good hands now!!
 
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