i hate myself right now RESOLVED

[Pipp]

katt wrote:

ijust talked to Dominique and feel so much better, she has given me alot of options to go with....she completely understood myconcerns and was very nice about everything.

This is SO important, hats off to Dominique!:bouquet: It's hard for rescue people fornot be frustrated, but I see rescuers who arecondescending orflat out angry, and the end result is thatthe bunny is letloose in a park, dropped off at a city kill-shelter or left in acardboard box somewhere. The local bunny boardhere, andmany others, spend so much time berating the peoplewho have surrendered their bunnies that I can't imagine somebodyresearching their options will feel comfortable even contactingthem.


katt wrote:

she has also given me theoption to place them in foster care for a while until i a more settledand find a place that will allow them. i don't think i will be usingthis option as i have no idea were my college will lead me,idon't think i can live through putting them in foster, getting themback, only to find that i need to place them again.... we will keep knocking on wood that we stumble across anice landlord that thinks bunnies are cute (my mom suggested bring therabbits with us. . .letting herman smooth binkie his way into thelandlords heart).

Think of it as sharing your bunnies. I would love that option... Sharedcustody!

In many areas even short term fostering will help, so if your home forthe holidays and can take them back for a couple of weeks, that justmay be enough to free up space in the bunny chain to save anotherbunny's life.

Here's hoping your new landlords are as understanding (or justuncaring, actually) as mine. I'm in a no-pets building withthree cats and five bunnies.:biggrin:


sas

 

[Haley]

Pipp wrote:

katt wrote:

i just talked toDominique and feel so much better, she has given me a lot of options togo with. ...she completelyunderstood my concerns and was very nice about everything.

This is SO important, hats off to Dominique!:bouquet: It's hard for rescue people fornot be frustrated, but I see rescuers who arecondescending orflat out angry, and the end result is thatthe bunny is letloose in a park, dropped off at a city kill-shelter or left in acardboard box somewhere. The local bunny boardhere, andmany others, spend so much time berating the peoplewho have surrendered their bunnies that I can't imagine somebodyresearching their

Yeah, shes awesome. Shes the only rabbit rescue in thisareathat takes owner-surrendered rabbits. Lots of places onlytake from the shelters.. She has a hard time turning anyone down, evenwhen the place is packed to the brim. Shes always so kind and caring topeople who (for whatever reason) have to rehome their bunny and she'llwork with you to try and adopt them out while still in your care.

Youre right, sas, so many shelter people get discouraged from seeing somany surrendered animals, and end up making people feel like crap whenthey need to rehome their pets.

 

[katt]

both you guys (haley and pipp) are right on themoney with rescue's making owners feel like crap. . .i just got a replyfrom one of the rescues i had emailed (i won't say which one) and letsjust say after the tone that they wrote, i wouldn't go to them for helpwith winnie and herman no matter what. i mean, i realize what it feelslike to get one more person wanting to give up their rabbits (i had myfair share of drop offs and phone calls in the past 7 years when peopleknew i raised rabbits), but i had only asked for any advise on findinga good home for mine, i flat out said that i didn't intent to fill ashelter with rabbits that are being taken care of and i was praticallyyelled at.

dominique wasa gem on the phone. we get lots of phone callsstill for people looking forbaby bunnies (from my breedingdays), and until now i have given 4-h friends numbers out that have afew litters, and my mom even has them written down, we didn't reallyhave a close rabbit rescue to give out a number to up here (the onlyrescue in the area is a chapter of EARS and it is being phased out uphere due to lack of members, i talked to them also), but i am tellingmy mom to only give out the web address for Midwest rabbit rescue fromnow on (as i won't be getting these calls anymore once i move). . . iwish i lived closer to a rabbit rescue, i would goplay withthe rescue rabbitsso i don'thave to go yearswithout being able to cuddle one.

i am still hoping for an apartment that will allow them. we will see. ihave a free add going into the paper next weekend. i am getting a listof questions together to ask people that call. i am also going to setupappointments with them either at my house or we will meet at petsmart(as they allow animals in the store). i want to be comfortable with thehome my babies go to.

and i just got my volenteer paperwork for the humane society i will beclosest too. i was feeling upset about the prospect of not havinganimals a few days agothat my mom mentioned it to me asaway to still be around them.i am going to go andclean cat cages and walk the dogs. . . that way i won't miss animals tomuch. it has to be worth something.

i can't even begin to thank so many people for being so helpfull andsupportive of this, you go through 7 years of getting drop offs andsaying how only responsible people should own animals and then gettingfaced with the decision that you need to find a new home for yoursmakes you feel very small and dirty. . .

katie

 

[Haley]

Katie, make sure you check this thread out aswell:http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=14544&forum_id=7

Theres a list of questions there for you to use if you need them.

Everything will work out in the end, you'll see Youre a great bunny mom and you have two very wonderful bunnies.

 

[gentle giants]

I know what you mean about having a hard timefinding an apartment that will take animals. My husband and our twosmall children and our three cats had to find a place to live when ourlease ran out. We had let it run out because my husband's boss hadpromised that we could move into a house on the site where he worked,and then two weeks before our lease ran out he told us we couldn't havethe house.
We managed to find a place where they don't normallyallow pets, but since it was off-season (it was college housing) andthey had almost no one living there, they allowed it with an extradeposit.
Our cats did damamge one of the blinds and part of the carpet, but wereplaced those things and didn't tell the landlord. Anyway, my pointis, keep trying to get landlords to allow them. Someone made a goodsuggestion earlier, to ask about "caged animals". The landlord doesn'thave to know they get free time, so long as any damage they might doyou undo before you leave. Offer the extra deposit without them asking,make them see dollar signs, LOL.

 

[aurora369]

Yup, emphasize the 'caged' part.

I always casually asked, would you allow caged animals? Ihave a CAGED rabbit. I've had some say flat out "no", andothers seem to really not care, they just don't want cats or dogs.

Most people are ignorant about rabbits, and if you say caged, will think they always stay in the cage.

--Dawn

 

[naturestee]

That's how I was allowed my rabbits.My apartment didn't allow any animals aside from my small fishtanks. First I got permission to get a hamster, and they saidthat small caged animals are ok as long as we contact themfirst. So when we asked about a rabbit they assumed that theywould be more or less completely caged.Sure, if 4+ hours of playtime a day is completely caged. Wewere going to let Mocha have free run, but then she hit puberty andbecame the Poo Beast.

 

[xxEstellexx]

awww thats sooo sad! my prayers for you and your rabbits!ray:



GOOD LUCK!!!! were here for you! :groupparty:

 

[katt]

Well, i think i found the perfect home forwinnie and herman! she is a foster mom for Midwest R & R. shehas lots of experiance with english lop (she has 1 right now), and is astay at home mom with 2 boys that are great with the rabbits. she livesdown near grand rapids, and we have been emailing back and forth thispast few days. sharing photos of each others rabbits, and talking aboutwinnie and herman. the care she gives her rabbits is very similar tomine and her rabbits get turns running around the house (and in goodweather, on the deck that her husband made safe for the rabbits). theyget greens and pellets, and she has 6 rabbits already including andenglish lop and a flemish giant!

we are still looking at apartments that allow rabbits, i am going totry the caged animal thing and flat out offer deposite/additional rent,i hope that it works. but at least now i know that if i can't find anapartment, i have a home that will take the buns.

katie

 

[pinksalamander]

Are you just going to foster them so you canmaybe get them back once you've finished college and have a place withno rules? It might be better to do that, maybe find an older person whowill foster them for a few years or just until you need to? And someonewho might be able to keep them full time if after a while you realiseyou just can't have them back?

 

[naturestee]

Sounds like a great home! I still hope you don't need to give them away, though. ray:

Pinksalamander, I can see finding a temporary foster home if you can'thave the buns for a short period of time, like a few months or ifyou're going overseas with the military, etc. But for severalyears? Anything could happen. If I was the fosterparent I'd probably consider the buns my family by then and I'd beheartbroken to give them back. That's a lot to ask of someone.

 

[Haley]

oh, Im so happy for you!

That is so wonderful to know you have someone willing to take them ifthings dont work out with finding a place that will allowthem. This woman sounds like she'd make a great new home forthe two of them. How wonderful!

Keep us posted. I hope you are able to keep them, but if not, sounds like they will be going to a loving, caring home

PS..if she ends up adopting them, you will have to tell her about RO so we can see them in their new home

 

[katt]

well, i am about to get on the road! and winnieand herman are with me. they are heading down to meet their new bunnymom. . .i am torn between sad (because they are going) and happy(because i found such a great home for them).

i did find an apartment, that will allow a single cat (that is it,other then a fishtank), which works perfect for my roommate and i asshe has a cat(and i have a new 30 gallon setup fishtank comming forchristmas).

i wanted to update everyone. . . i am going to pass this website to thenew owner, she will enjoy it, and i will check in once in a while (i amsure that for a few weeks i won't be in the mood to talk rabbits, but ilike this message board to much to stay away)

and hopefully in 6 or 7 years when i have my degree and am settled in aplace that has a better pet policy, i will have a few rabbits. . .

katie

 

[Haley]

Katie,

What a bitter sweet story. Its so great that you found them a lovinghome. I know you will miss them so much, but at least you know they aregoing somewhere where they will be loved and cared for just as youwould.

Good luck in your new place and stay in touch!

 

[katt]

i just got an email from the new owner, and itis hard because all last night i wanted them back (and i still do), butto hear just how good they are doing is making me feel like i did theright thing:

the email from the new owner, reading it tears me up. . . because iknew how both of them would handle it, and i was right, winnie wouldstay in the cage, while herman would quickly make as many friends aspossible. . .

Herman he is SOSOCIAL!!! English Lop Trait. Winnie, she keeps toherself, will venture out, but once you have her and holding her, shemelts into you. She cradled into my arms like a baby andallowed me to trim all her nails. These are absolutelyWONDERFUL rabbits! They truly settled in very fastand very comfortably, right at home!! Herman just couldn'tget enough of my husband. Especially when they were workingon the NIC cube, constantly went up to him and nudged him to say "WellHello, my name is Herman, who are you?" I absolutelyLOVE these rabbits!!!

Thank you Katie for allowingme to help you out by taking these two remarkable bunnies!They really fit in perfectly and are outstandingbunnies. They had run time immediately after we gothome, and this morning they are out an about. Well, Winnie isin the NIC cage with the door open just sitting there, but she can comeand go as she pleases. I take that back, Chase my oldest justtook her out, and went upstairs to watch a movie with her.So, I guess we have family bunny snuggle movietime!

 

[Haley]

Thats great news Katie! Im so happy for you.

I know its difficult, but it sounds like you couldnt have found a better home for them.

 

[missyscove]

It certainly sounds like you've found them a great home, where they are already loved by the entire family.

 

[naturestee]

Sounds like they have a great home! Iknow you miss them, and I'm very sorry that you couldn't keepthem. But you did the best you could and found them a greatnew home.

:hug2:

 

[LuvaBun]

Oh Katt, I know how much you must be missingyour babies, but how heart warming to know that they have a wonderfulhome, and are loved already. I hope that you can take comfort in that:hug2:

Jan