HELP! Disturbing Craigslist ad

[EricaBear]

K, I was just scrolling through Craigslist and I saw this ad(please click link and read):

Bunnies to rent for occasions or trial for adoption (Metro Vancouver and Fraser Valley)
http://vancouver.en.craigslist.ca/rds/pet/2485631937.html


I understand their "trail adoption" but lending bunnies for parties or temporary companions?!?!?!? AHHHHH! I nearly screamed! I'm emailing the VRRA (Vancouver Rabbit Rescue & Advocacy) right now!

Pretty sure I can't be the only one who thinks this is ridiculous!

Please read the article... I'm not going to flag it yet, but if it's still there tomorrow after the VRRA has a chance to see it, I'll be emailing this person and flagging it for removal!

Any suggestions on other ways to let these people know that "renting bunnies" is not a good idea, let me know!!

 

[EricaBear]

And lets be realistic, I know this isn't exactly "animal cruelty" but isn't it kind of "rabbit cruelty"???

I'm sure all of us here know that rabbits are not big on being around new people constantly, being passed around from place to place, and all that! Those poor rabbits will be so stressed!

How is this person running a rabbit rescue? I know there aren't really "rules" for running one, but you'd think they'd need to be at least knowledgable on rabbits!

I am so stressed about this! If I had the space I'd go and adopt all those rabbits away from this idiot!

 

[Pharfly]

Wow renting rabbits for birthday parties and such is going too stress them out!! What are they thinking? I hope that they can be stopped! It's sad enough the rabbits are in the rescue and that alone is stressful...

 

[EricaBear]

Well, I have emailed this person(in a friendly way), hoping to get their actual email when they email me back, so if their ad disappears I can still contact them or send some info for them because they are clearly uneducated on rabbits. I have emailed the VRRA with hopes they will do something, if they don't, I'll be getting in touch with this person, and hopefully I'll be able to get through to them. I'm also looking to get in touch with the SPCA and other such animal rights groups, in case this person doesn't understand that this is not a good way to treat bunnies!


SIGH! Very agitated about all this!

 

[TinysMom]

I edited the subject title so that people could see a bit more information if the second line wasn't easily seen (like if this was the top topic on the page).

 

[EricaBear]

Thank you!

UPDATE: I have contacted some important authorities on the matter and it seems that, as he/she isn't doing anything technically illegal(as far as I can tell), they can't really do anything about it. The SPCA may be able to perform a home check, but even then only if there is proof of abuse or cruelty of some kind. In which case, I'm gonna get in touch with this person, visit them myself(under the pretence of wanting to adopt or rent a rabbit) to ensure the rabbits aren't being treated poorly and hopefully be able to educate this person so they will stop with this nonsense.

 

[Kipcha]

Speaking as someone who performs with rabbits in public, I honestly believe that people overreact at how stressed rabbits really get. This is not to say that ALL rabbits are cut out for going out and about and meeting people because some just don't do well, but some bunnies, such as my Babbitty Rabbitty, absoloutly love the attention and are always standing up in their pens looking for pets from the public (Although we usually have them somewhere where people cannot get at them freely. We are not a petting zoo). In fact, this weekend, I saw quite a few rabbits taking naps and flopping right over, obviously comfortable and under no form of real stress. Some, when they are out on the course, actually run into jumps because they are binkying so much. So, if it was done responsibly (Meaning, with some real supervision) and with a rabbit that was alright with this sort of situation, it's different.

HOWEVER, in our club, we NEVER, EVER leave the rabbits unattended. To do so is extremely irresposible and should never even be considered, especially in a situation where the person is more likely then not unfamiliar with rabbits and surrounded by grabby children. It doesn't seem like they are picky with the people who take them, either, which bothers me greatly.

I would say check them out and see what they are like in person and how their operation is run. Then you can see exactly what they are dealing with.

 

[EricaBear]

I totally agree, but odds are, you own the rabbits(or at least are familiar with them) that you perform with. Which is fantastic, however, this person, from what I can gather, is rescuing rabbits, which means they are coming from all sorts of stressful circumstances, and basically renting them out for profit.

If I hear back from her, I intend to go and see the rabbits, and if she isn't abusing or mistreating them, I hope to perhaps educate her a little better on rabbits... especially on how they probably should not be "rented out for birthday parties or special occasions".

Thank you for your response!

 

[MiniLopHop]

There was a business in the US that was renting dogs to people who wanted them temporarily- to guys to wanted to get girls using a puppy, someone who feels lonely for a weekend, you want to try a pet for a week etc.

The state passed a law that made it illegal to rent animals because it was cruel to the dogs to have so much instability. Unfortunately it took lawmakers getting involved to stop it.

I think there is a big difference between rabbits going on in public with their people and getting rented out for a special occasion to strangers. I take my bunns to the pet store and they love getting the attention from strangers. However, they also know that "mom" is right there and I think that gives them a much better sense of security. I think if they were sent into the same pet store without me they would be much more afraid. Just my two cents.

 

[Pharfly]

I agree that some rabbits love the attention, I just picture rabbits at a 7 yr olds birthday party, with a herd of sugar high kids bouncing off the walls trying too play with the bunnies...
Now if she was going too bring animals to the public ie nursing homes, preschools etc she should supervise them! There is a reason the animals at pet shops in open top cages are aggressive. People constantly poking them, picking them up etc. The rabbits at petland here usually always have URI's. The G-pigs run from people, the hamsters bite, the birds bite... Yet Petland hosts parties, has a summer camp and allows the public too maul the animals...

 

[EricaBear]

Well, I will keep you all updated as this progresses.

I really hope for these rabbits sake that she means no ill will and is just poorly educated on them. But even still!

My Mojo loves attention too, but he has been well socialized with people and such. But if I take him to unfamiliar places, even with me he can sometime get a bit agitated(depending on the place).

I like that some places have passed laws on renting animals... that is fantastic and I am so worried by this I am tempted to go that far.
I'm not against some animals being used for entertainment, but only if their handler/mommy/owner/slave is near by. If its supervised, great! But to just send them off with people you hardly know? Eeeek. I can barely let my rabbit be babysat by people really close to me, people who are familiar with small animals, I can't even bear the thought of people who cannot recognize when an animal is in distress.

Anyways... hopefully this can be resolved soon, with minimal negative impact on the rabbits!

 

[mochi_ball]

I think #3) trial adoption is okay if it's similar to fostering a pet but the key to making this scenario work is to properly educate the person who wants to do a trial adoption with a rabbit.

As for #1) renting a rabbit to a magician or kids bday party, etc... again the key is to educate all the people who will be in contact with the rabbit, and ALSO the owner needs to be present at the event to make sure the rabbit is okay. I think of it similar to renting a petting zoo for a kids party.

#2) renting a rabbit for companionship is just plain weird! Unless the rabbits are used at a nursing home and just visiting pet therapy animals. Again, the owner of the rabbits should be present if they are just visiting for a few hours for therapy purposes.

These ideas are doable but perhaps the owner needs to remember that rabbits should never be left alone with a stranger unless they are interested in adopting. of course extensive screening should be done in case the person is some psycho animal sacrificing freak!

 

[EricaBear]

Yeah, from what I gather, she is not planning to stay with the rabbits in most scenarios, I should have more details soon...

If they were rabbits she had trained from a young age(or at all really) to perform and enjoy the company of people(or at least tolerate it) then I could understand, but apparently these are rescued rabbits! So for all she knows, they could've been abused (maybe by children), etc.

I just can't imagine the stress for the rabbits if what she's doing became a common thing... Being lent out to strange people, people who may force you to interact with small, grabby, children, or maybe worse.

After I visit these rabbits, I may have a separate person inquire about renting a rabbit to see how the process goes... or I might just ask her, but I wonder if she would realize and perhaps lie to protect her interests...Ultimately, I'm just hoping that they are being properly cared for, hence the visit, because if she is renting them out in a stupid way, then who knows what her knowledge of rabbits really entails....

OKAY! I keep meaning for these posts to be shorter, but I just cant help myself apparently.

Thanks for all the responses, I think I'm going out to see them in the next day or two, shall have an update then!

 

[Violet23]

any news from this rabbit renter yet?

 

[Leowyldemi]

I really hope you get this resolved,it seems to me that the person has good intentions but is either under educated about rabbits and their mental health, or is one of those "it's just a rabbit" people (something that infuriated me with howie)

 

[Ashleighh]

This is so stupid. I can't believe some people.
I can see what she is thinking though, "if I rent bunnys out it will stop people buying them and tossing them"

This is what my mum would call a before bed idea. When you're laying in bed and you think of and idea (i.e renting out rabbits) then you wake up in the morning and say "what on earth was I thinking"

though, it appears she hasn't woken up yet =.=

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

erased my reply.