Little Help Please. RSPCA

[Fluffball]

Hi,

I'm wondering if I can pick the brains of all you wonderful rabbit people.

I have volunteered to be an RSPCA Home Visitor for those wanting to adopt rabbits from the RSPCA. Once I have had the home visit then I should be able to (which I'm BRICKING it about).

They have no rabbit knowledgeable people there and have given me free reigh to redesign the forms that they use for home visits and to make them appropriate to rabbits (as opposed to cats and dogs which is what they are at the moment).

So, there are two forms, one for pre adoption, one for post adoption.

For pre adoption I'm going to put about

~Accommodation
~Roughly hours out of cage per day
~Other animals in house
~Run space
~Rabbit proofing
~Vets details (and recommending a rabbit savvy one in our area)
~The cost of owning the animal is understood, as is the fact that they are high maintenance.
~Any queries the owner has

(I haven't seen if they give out a care pack yet, so that's very sketchy, if they don't give out any sort of care pack or info, then I'll have to write that too, which will include things like food, bonding with your bunny, what rabbits need, housing,etc)

For post adoption I have

~Check cage, food, water, hay, run area, toys.
~How often fed, how much, what?
~Check the rabbits eyes, ears, fur, genitals, nails, teeth, etc.
~Check animals behaviour (happy, alert, interested, lethargic, scared, etc).
~Any queries the owner has.
~Has the animal been to the vet, what for, which vet.

(the rabbits are adopted out 'fixed' and uptodate with vaccinations, I believe, but if not, that will go on too).

That's very rough, and like I said, I don't really know what they give out, so It's not complete, but I was just wondering if anyone else has any ideas of what else might need to go on? (I'm not talking formal things like adopters name, etc, that's all in hand, just rabbit related stuff).

And it will be a great opportunity to promote the forum to new owners, and also maybe have them promote it at the RSPCA itself.

Thanks in advance.



(P. Please don't respond I can't talk to you until after the D's, so sorry).

 

[Fluffball]

Given the fact I can't edit it, I'll have to put the edits here :/

1, I'm Bricking it about the home visit for my buns, not the actual home visting other people, I didn't make that clear.

2, The two forms are for actually visiting the homes, incase that wasn't clear.

3, When I said (P. Please don't respond I can't talk to you until after the D's, so sorry). That was aimed at someone in particular, and was not meant to say PS and be aimed at everyone. So that is a specific request for one person.



Not being able to edit your threads is annoying *nods*

 

[Fluffball]

Ha ha, something else I wanted to edit in to explain, but I can't.

Before anyone is allowed to adopt an animal from the RSPCA they have to have a home visit to assess whether or not they are prepared/able to be good pet owners. Some people do this as a mini-hitler job, but I want to do it in the best interests of the animal, not a crummy power trip.

So yeh, just wanted to explain what it was for those that don't know.

 

[TK Bunnies]

I don't really know much about this sort of thing but mabey you could also ask:

Pre adoption:

• Number children in the house
• Age of children in the house
• type of cage for the rabbit

Post adoption:

• if the rabbit has/had medical conditions's how's it doing
• How does the animal handle other animals in the house
• How do the other animals handle the rabbit
• Check how owner handle's petts the rabbit
• Check how the owners kids act around the rabbit

Also you could give them a pamphlet on basic rabbit care and such.

Hope I was some help,

-TK

 

[Fluffball]

Thanks for the reply.

The stuff about how many kids and ages and stuff is on the form. I thought I'd written that I wasn't asking about the admin side (i.e. the owners's details and stuff), but about the bunny care side, but I can't see where I wrote that, so it looks like me brain had a spasm, so no worries, it's already on there The type of cage would come under accommodation

The post adoption stuff I will definitely put on about how the owner handles/pets the bun, that's an excellent one, thank you, and how the family as a whole act around the rabbit. You're also right about how it handles other animals, and that aspect is on the form (but apparently my brain spasm meant I didn't write it on here, eek), but not how they handle the bun, so thank you for that

As for the pamphlet, like I said, I would assume they give out a care pack, but they might not. If it turns out they don't, then I will make something up for them to give out, so you are right on that account too, they definitely need something to guide them

Thanks for the reply.


ETA, after your suggestion about how the animal deals with other pets, I also thought I could put in about how they feel they have bonded with their rabbits. And I can't believe I made it in the time limit to edit a post. :biggrin2:

 

[LuvaBun]

Hi! Mezeta has just had a home visit from the RSPCA (and passed ).

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=32343&forum_id=1

She may be able to help

Jan

 

[mezeta]

Oh dear there has been a lot of stressed people about RSPCA visits recently hehe. OMG you have nothing to worry about at all. The RSPCA are going to be so lucky to have you! I'm sorry I don't really have much productive to say because it sounds to me like you have it all covered.

As for your home visit. I was stressing like mad (as you know ) and I can honestly say it was fine, she was here for about ten mins just asked a few questions such as will you be keeping him seperate from your other rabbit, I just explained I have a seperate cage for him which she had a quick look at and I told her we would be gradually bonding them and thats about all she asked to be honest. It was over so quick.

You are going to be really good at this it will be good to have someone doing something for the rabbits, because it seems to be cats and dogs they make the most effort with (well it is at the shelter near me anyway) and you will have no probs with the home visit! Just let us know how it goes. And how your first day when you start goes :biggrin2:

Good luck and will be keeping my fingers crossed for you, Jess and Travis have their paws crossed for you as well!

Amy xx

 

[browneyedgal]

Great job Fluffball !

I will put some thought intothe Qnsyou propose and will IM you direct if I come up with any suggestions. After my earlier experience here in the forum, Iwillnotexpressmy viewsin the public postings again.