What do you guys think about this?

[button+banjo]

Hi everyone,

I found this online (it is a set made for Wellie Wisher dolls (which are like American Girl dolls for younger kids) and thought....what is this telling kids about rabbit care?

https://www.americangirl.com/shop/ag/furniture-accessories/animals-extras/carrot-hutch-dng51

The description is "The WellieWishers play with this cute bunny every time they visit the garden! Carrot has a sweet embroidered face and soft fur. This set also includes a brightly colored hutch with a door that opens into a ramp, Carrot’s name sign to hang on the side, a bundle of pretend carrots with a food bowl, and a fun carrot-shaped water dispenser."

I mean, I know it's just a toy (and it IS cute), but. . . couldn't they have just made the bunny without the hutch? They don't sell cages with their doll sized cats and dogs....

 

[samoth]

couldn't they have just made the bunny without the hutch? They don't sell cages with their doll sized cats and dogs....

Yeah, this seems to be a self-reinforcing societal thing... at least in the US it is.

I'd wager that the corporate individuals designing, manufacturing, & marketing this stuff have never had a pet rabbit. Or perhaps they knew someone when they were young who had a rabbit in a tiny hutch: it looked cute when they visited, but never realized that bun was suffering a horrible life.

This image of cute little bunnies in tiny hutches with carrots is a fixed image within social consciousness, unfortunately.

This is where it's up us to smack some sense into these people, one at a time, by telling our stories to others and actually showing them what a pet rabbit truly entails

 

[Bellamy+Lilah]

Dogs and cats can be outside without really needing any protection from predators, however you can't just have a bunny free roaming outside as a pet without supervision or protective measures like a pet dog or a cat. Even so, as a bunny momma, the cage doesn't look very cozy and it looks WAAAY too small even for a toy representation. They could have at least had room to put a blanket or bed and a bunny toy or 2 inside the cage to teach kids they need interest and playtime too not just stay locked up in a cage to be looked at. A walking leash for the doll to walk their bunny would be cute too.

I think it could be perceived as good or bad. I agree they could've made the bunny without the cage and it would make more sense. I understand it also potentially projects the idea that bunnies always must be left outside while cats and dogs can live in the house, which is unfair. It would be awesome to see a free roaming bunny in the doll's house as a pet. People are always so obsessed with cats and dogs everywhere you go though and bunnies are grossly underappreciated in society for sure.

I always had cats growing up and never could really get emotionally attached to them much because they were so mean to me half the time and would go from 0 to homicidal in a split second. One second you are petting them and being nice to a half second later they literally are bringing blood.

If I had known how bunnies are back then, I wouldn't have ever had a cat. Bunnies are like constantly at aggression level zero.. unless they're being territorial or hit puberty but that's always with other bunnies. None of my buns have EVER tried to hurt me. If they ever do, it's only by accident, like if you are picking them up and they all of the sudden get scared and start flailing with their claws.

Bunnies definitely need more respect and attention in society as pets to be loved and cared for.

 

[button+banjo]

I think it could be perceived as good or bad. I agree they could've made the bunny without the cage and it would make more sense. I understand it also potentially projects the idea that bunnies always must be left outside while cats and dogs can live in the house, which is unfair. It would be awesome to see a free roaming bunny in the doll's house as a pet. People are always so obsessed with cats and dogs everywhere you go though and bunnies are grossly underappreciated in society for sure.

Bunnies definitely need more respect and attention in society as pets to be loved and cared for.

I agree with that ^^^ I definitely think cats and dogs (as carnivores) can defend themselves better outside. I know that many times it is unsafe for cats to be free roaming outdoors, it really depends on the situation though. I personally have 8 (fixed) outdoor cats and they have all been fine for years but I live in the middle of nowhere on a farm (back from the road) so that helps. My bunnies live on the front porch in a dog crate + x-pen (although I really wish they could live inside but we don't have enough space).

 

[button+banjo]

Yeah, this seems to be a self-reinforcing societal thing... at least in the US it is.

I'd wager that the corporate individuals designing, manufacturing, & marketing this stuff have never had a pet rabbit. Or perhaps they knew someone when they were young who had a rabbit in a tiny hutch: it looked cute when they visited, but never realized that bun was suffering a horrible life.

This image of cute little bunnies in tiny hutches with carrots is a fixed image within social consciousness, unfortunately.

This is where it's up us to smack some sense into these people, one at a time, by telling our stories to others and actually showing them what a pet rabbit truly entails

I totally agree.