Emaciated rabbit

[Echo]

Ok.. I was helping my aunt care for loads ofanimals while the owner is away, and he boards animals in his kennelsas well, from horses, goats and dogs to rabbits and hamsters.

There's a gorgeous friendly female rabbit there...

She's in a tiny hutch on straw.. and I went to pick her up and shealmost slipped through my fingers. She is absolutely emaciated. Herentire spine sticks out by like an inch. I saw the food she is beingfed and it is really just like husks of grain. She won't eat it, tossesthe bowl upside down. So she is living on 1 handful of hay a day and 1carrot at night. She's awfully matted too.

Now obviously, she has a home that cares enough to board her, but Itried my luck anyways and begged my aunt to ask him to ask the ownerscan I adopt her.

She is kinda reluctant as its quite inappropriate foraboarder to ask can hebuyyour animal, butshe said she'll ask. Whether he agrees to ask the owners is anotherhurdle.
If she is a childs pet they will unlikely part with her..
But for now, I am hoping against the odds I can get her, and if so,what sort of illnesses might be expected with a rabbit with a very poordiet?

 

[naturestee]

Poor thing! I hope you can get her!

This isn't a complete list, but poor diet can make her bones weaker,weaken her heart and other organs, and weaken the immune system makingher more susceptible to infections or parasites. I can'tthink of anything else at the moment, but there may beothers.

 

[massie777]

did you get the rabbit? please update us.

mandy

 

[Echo]

All I know extra is that she belongs to a young girl. Young could range from child to young adult I guess.

I'm hoping they will let her go.

I'm going mad waiting! It bothers me that they would pay for boardingand yet keep her so thin and matted, I'm not sure what their attitudetowards her would be.

They aren't back yet anyways so I won't know a thing really untilMike speaks with them.

 

[Spring]

Maybe call the SPCA? Iftherabbitis not getting the proper nutrition she needs and isn'twell cared for, the SPCA can take the rabbit away. This isn't right atall, no matter how much that dumb girl loves the poor thing.

 

[pamnock]

The rabbit does need medical careASAP. She needs to be given a dish that she can't tipover. Teeth need to be checked as well as blood tests todetermine if a health issue (such as cancer) is the cause.

An emaciated animal most certainly falls within the bounds of animalcruelty. I would speak to the owners and convey theseriousness of the situation.

Pam

 

[Echo]

I'v decided if she says no I will get her numberoff him and try speak to her myself about how seriously the rabbitneeds to see a vet.



To be honest I am not sure what power the SPCA have in this country.Ireland has absolutely rubbish animal welfare laws. They have literallyjust started cracking down on the huge amount of puppy farms here.

I work in an animal shelter part time when I am not in the vets as theshelter is shortstaffed, and I know if we go on a field outing to finda reported animal it is very hard to obtain the animal if the ownerprotests. The police and court don't really come into it. It could bejust that we aren't government funded so I dunno but i'm not sure ifthe ISPCA would have the power to take the rabbit either.



I could always threaten the girl about calling them though :?

 

[Echo]

Grr the owners have her back. They apparently said they didn't realise the food was why she was thin, I don't think they even realised she was so thin. My aunt told them to change the food and they apparently were very grateful to know to feed her more.

I really hope they do feed her, they sound mad about her, just misinformed. She lives in a stable all to herself so I guess at least she's not in a tiny hutch, that must be the boarding hutch.

 

[Spring]

What dumb people.. can't tell your rabbit's thin? Are they stupid or something? Here, if the SPCA comes to check the living conditions of an animal, and it doesn't meet their needs, they can take it from the people.

 

[bunnydude]

Some people were never meant to have animals:X. In my opinion, "not knowing" isn't really an excuse. There is a wealth of information on rabbit care. At least it sounds like they'll try to care for her better.

 

[Carlie]

I hope they at least take very good care of her now.