A cautionary tale--about petstore bunnies

[funnybunnymummy]

pOker wrote:

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

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.

If all pet stores were like that, this thread wouldn't exist. Heck, if even MOST pet stores were like that, this thread wouldn't exist!

Around here, none of the small pet shops (the kind that do take good care of the animals they actuallysell--fish, birds, hamsters, etc.) sell rabbits. Only the big "chain" stores do. Those are the stores I was referring to (particularlyone chain that had stopped selling rabbits andis now selling them again... :X ).

Personally, I don't see any reason for pet stores to sell pets at all (aside from maybe fish). Most of them make their money off the accessories. (We actually have two local pet shops that ONLY sell food and accessories and NO pets--not even fish--and seem to have no problem staying afloat.)

JMVHO

Rue

 

[RandomWiktor]

I agree 100% - there is no reason, IMO,that pet stores should be selling animals. Most of the problems we have right now in the pet trade are directly due to impulsive purchases of ill-researched animals. There is no need for it; private hobbyists around the nation breed animals to a much higher standard than mass production facilities, and rescues/private rehomes have plenty to offer. If people actually had to put a little effort into getting an animal, we'd probably have fewer animals abandoned. It would still happen, but I strongly doubt it would happen on the scale it does today. Plus, stores put a glut in the market. There simply aren't enough quality lifelong homes for the animals being produced. People will buy them, sure, but I'd be interested to see figures on the number of animals bought in stores vs. the number of animals that a. live their full potential lifespan and b. actually keep their homes for life. I feel like those figures would be depressing.

Though, I do disagree on the "aside from maybe fish" bit Fish matter just as much as any other critter and are by far the most mistreated animal in the pet trade. If mammals or birds were crowded, sickly, and dying in the numbers fish are in stores & with such visbility, people would be calling the SPCA. Stores sell WC fish that are unsustainably collected on a phenomenol scale, and their domesticated fish are often sourced from farms that make puppy mills look favorable by comparison. There are tons of private importers & private breeders across the nation, and since fish can be safely shipped anywhere in the country, there's REALLY no reason for stores to carry them. [/digression] (Sorry, I do a lot of internet and real world fish advocacy and rescue.)

 

[pbheather]

I had two Italian Greyhounds and both were bought from pet stores who got their dogs from bad breeders. Both were sick within the first few days. There were similar cases of other dogs from the same store.

That aside, I bought within the last few months two Netherland Dwarf rabbits from a local pet store, who receive their rabbits and birds from a local breeder. The lady who sells the rabbits within the store has rabbits. I have had no problem with my rabbits.

I know pet stores are not the ideal place to purchase any pets. Before getting my second rabbit, I researched for weeks to find local shelters or rescue groups in the Springfield, IL area. There are none, and the store I got my rabbits at are the only place that even has them. I only bought my second rabbit from the store because I didn't want an already traumatized rabbit to go through a long drive to get to where I am. The closest rescue group I could find were either in Chicago (a five-six hour drive depending on traffic) or down in Missouri past St. Louis (still over 2-3 hours).

I send my condolences to those who have lost rabbits. I haven't had mine that long and I can't think of living without them.

 

[funnybunnymummy]

RandomWiktor wrote:

I'd be interested to see figures on the number of animals bought in stores vs. the number of animals that a. live their full potential lifespan and b. actually keep their homes for life. I feel like those figures would be depressing.

I do too!

Since we've had Gus, I don't know how many people have told me, "We had a bunny once. It died." :tears2:

RandomWiktor wrote:

Though, I do disagree on the "aside from maybe fish" bit Fish matter just as much as any other critter and are by far the most mistreated animal in the pet trade. If mammals or birds were crowded, sickly, and dying in the numbers fish are in stores & with such visbility, people would be calling the SPCA. Stores sell WC fish that are unsustainably collected on a phenomenol scale, and their domesticated fish are often sourced from farms that make puppy mills look favorable by comparison. There are tons of private importers & private breeders across the nation, and since fish can be safely shipped anywhere in the country, there's REALLY no reason for stores to carry them. [/digression] (Sorry, I do a lot of internet and real world fish advocacy and rescue.)

I won't argue with you about the fish. I've seen the conditions some of them are kept in. I just had no ideabreeders would sell their fish individually!

Rue