Pembrooke Has An Ear Tatoo?

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JjGoesBounce

JjGoesBounce

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Hi it's Jj!

Well some of you know Pembrooke my rescue bun. Today I was brushing her and found that on the inside of her ear (I was checking for mites because I'm overprotective) and discovered she has a tatoo? What does a tatoo mean?

It say W504Y in big black letters. She was at the SPCA for two months without anyone taking intrest in her or questioning for a rabbit similar to her.

:?:?very confuzzeled.



Jj??
 
Which ear is it in? If it is the left ear, then it would most likely be a breeder tattoo. Each breeder has their own system for the letters and numbers, so it can be hard to tell what the tattoo 'means'. If you could find the breeder, they should be able to use the tattoo to tell which rabbit it is, the parents and other stuff about the rabbit, but this is only if you can located the breeder.
A tattoo in the right ear is usually done by a vet or a shelter and can usually indicate the rabbit is spayed or neutered. These tattoos can be a bit easier to trace, but you may need to find the vet or shelter that did the tattoo.

Regardless of where the tattoo is or what it may mean, it is still a good form of ID and is generally unique to the rabbit. Write down the number and which ear it is in, take a picture too if you can. If she were to ever get lost, you can have proof of the tattoo to help get to back.
 
I think you have it backwards, my rabbits always have tattoos in the right ear, a tattoo in the right ear is used for identification and is required at rabbit shows, left ear tattoos are also used for register number, or the number used to register the rabbit with Arba
 
I dont know what the rules are really, but perhaps as you live in dofferent countries there are different rules?

Anyway, Pembrooke may have come from a breeder or shower that didnt want her anymore so was dumped? This happens a lot with greyhounds here is Australia it is very sad.
 
JjGoesBounce wrote:
Well it's in the right ear! So thank you all!
Jj
Click to expand...


I know breeders that will tattoo the right ear of a rabbit that they dont believe should be registered when they sell the rabbit for a pet. Keeps people from making up a pedigree and trying to have the rabbit registered. Usually just the word PET is tattooed into the right ear though. Its also possible that the breeder made a mistake and accidentally tattooed the wrong ear.
 
Tattooing the right ear doesn't prevent a rabbit from being registered or shown. I've placed rabbits at shows with the tattoo "PET" or "CULL" in the left ear ;) Judges don't pay any attention what's tattooed in the right ear.

The only requirement for show is that the rabbit have a legible tattoo in the left ear. It doesn't matter what's in the right ear, we can still fit a registration tattoo in there somewhere.

The number actually sounds like one from the ARBA registration series (they begin and end with letters and have 3 numbers in the middle.) You might try contacting the ARBA to see if they have that number on file and if they will give you any info on the rabbit/breeder. Although it's no longer common to tattoo the entire registration number in the right ear, some breeders prefer to have it done (we generally use the insignia of an "R" with a circle around it.)

Have you checked the left ear? A rabbit must have a legible tattoo in the left ear at the time of registration (although it's possible it faded).
 
pamnock wrote:
Tattooing the right ear doesn't prevent a rabbit from being registered or shown. I've placed rabbits at shows with the tattoo "PET" or "CULL" in the left ear ;) Judges don't pay any attention what's tattooed in the right ear.
ReallY! Oh cool! Can you enter a spayed rabbit in shows though?
The only requirement for show is that the rabbit have a legible tattoo in the left ear. It doesn't matter what's in the right ear, we can still fit a registration tattoo in there somewhere.
She doesn't seem to have a tatoo in the left ear and no visible marks of one.
The number actually sounds like one from the ARBA registration series (they begin and end with letters and have 3 numbers in the middle.) You might try contacting the ARBA to see if they have that number on file and if they will give you any info on the rabbit/breeder. Although it's no longer common to tattoo the entire registration number in the right ear, some breeders prefer to have it done (we generally use the insignia of an "R" with a circle around it.)
If I contact them and they find the breeder would the breeder want her back? Afterall she is only a recue and no one knows her past..
Have you checked the left ear? A rabbit must have a legible tattoo in the left ear at the time of registration (although it's possible it faded).
Click to expand...
Yep! No visible tatoo!

Wow this is amazing and all this from an ear tatoo!

Jj

Thank you so much for replying and it's very interseting to figure out bits of her past!

Jj

 
No - an altered rabbit cannot be shown.

The ARBA might not give out info, but it's worth a shot. It's hard to say whether or not someone might want her back - if this issue concerns you, I wouldn't pursue finding more out about her past.
 
Wow, what a debate! I've never thought an inscription would have so many rules to attend, and could change the life of a rabbit forever (like, not letting the bunny be shown anymore!)

But I feel bad for the rabbits.. why do they have to tattoo their ears permanently? Doesn't it hurt the poor bunnies? :(
 
hotmaildeal wrote:
Btw, Pam, you've seen rabbits tattooed as "cull"? Isn't that sad? (but also happy that they are still there..)
Click to expand...

Yes - breeders think it will deter people from putting those rabbits on the show table - but it doesn't. Remember that "cull" just refers to sorting from the group.
 
hotmaildeal wrote:
But I feel bad for the rabbits.. why do they have to tattoo their ears permanently? Doesn't it hurt the poor bunnies? :(
Click to expand...

Maybe the rabbits think their tattoos make them into cool, tough rabbits.

Seriously, it would need to be permanent so another rabbit couldn't impersonate the original rabbit. I don't know what the pros & cons are of tattoos vs microchips. All the rabbits adopted from the shelter where I got Honey are microchipped.
 
The expense of microchip readers would not be practical for breeders or for shows. Much easier to just look in the ear.
 
Breeders and exhibitors have to because it is in the ARBA rules. If the rabbit is not tattooed it will be disqualified from show. It does hurt just like any tattoo you or I would get but we make sure to keep everything sterile and bacteria free so it only hurts for a little bit until the tattoo is done. The rabbits are fine with it and people are always finding out ways to make it less painful. Also some rabbits have better tolerance to the tattoo just like people or at least they seem to.
 
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