Discouraging breeding.

[Korr_and_Sophie]

The Rabbit Hopping Club had a BBQ on Saturday and we have had a few issues arise from that with regards to breeding. The main issue is some of the members (mostly younger kids) are considering breeding their rabbits. These rabbits are primarily pets and there had been very little thought put into it. Many of the rabbits are really too old for a first litter and they are smaller breeds (Netherland Dwarfs and Lionheads).
One of the girls doesn't really listen to much and does things without consulting her mom. She put her doe (1 year old Netherland) in with a Lionhead buck (3-4 months I think). I am pretty sure her mom was not aware of this and we did manage to stop it before anything happened.

I am looking for some tactful advice on how to discourage this kind of breeding and maybe help with a club policy on it. We are not anti breeding, just anti irresponsible breeding. It is kind of touchy for us as we do have some breeder friends who do come to some events and we have done some events and rabbit shows.
Info that shows the good and bad of breeding is would very helpful to give these people to be more informed.

This really isn't that we don't want breeding in the club, but we don't want some of the young kids to think that just because some members do it doesn't mean it is for everyone.

 

[lelanatty]

At ARBA shows there is no breeding allowed in the show room. From what you described it sounds like it happened at one of your events or meetings, so I hope this info helps if you do consider making it a club policy.

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

I think that part of it started with a breeder wanting to breed her does with one of the club founders bucks. It was done at an event and while we tried to keep it private, one of the younger members did see. This was the day before the BBQ and there really wasn't a way around it as the breeder lives about 3.5 hours from us and we were up there anyway.

The issue would not be so much doing it at events, but doing it at all. While we can't necessarily stop them from doing it, we can have guidelines on what we will allow and what could get you kicked out of the club.

 

[lelanatty]

I just meant that making it against the rules to do it at an event would deter them from doing it because it would require a lot more work to get the rabbits together at a different time. Events are a very convenient place to get rabbits together. I know there are breeders who breed in the parking lots at shows, because as you described, sometimes it is very inconvenient any other way.

 

[HappyFarmBunnies]

I agree with a "no breeding at events" rule. Also, [erhaps you just need to get the club leaders together and agree on a set of general breeding guidelines? Like, only purebred breeding is allowed, and only once the rabbits have reached a certain acceptable age, and only x number of litters per year? Something like that to wherein the guidelines are clear (and responsible) but still allow for some fun and leeway.

I should say that if a doe is older, it can't harm her to try to be bred. It's more dangerous if the doe is too young that too old.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

:yeahthat:

 

[CCWelch]

Make a no breeding at club events rule but have an unless it is a prearranged purebred breeding clause.