Would this be a conflict of interest?

[Leaf]

I'm working on bringing Holiday and Fiesta home - I adopted them from Save A Bunny in California. They are splay legged babies.

The Humane Society of Missouri (St Louis) just had a ton of rabbits dumped on them.

I know the MO HRS chapter wont have room to take them all.

I know the HSMO doesn't have room to keep them all. They already have several adult rabbits available for adoption.

I know they do NOT adopt out pregnant (or possibly... suspected etc) animals, not even guinea pigs.

I also work hand in hand with the HSMO when dealing with particularly sticky situations I work for. Because of this, I have some great contacts and *may* be able to help with some of the local rabbits.

However, I have a lot on my plate just trying to get my two from California here.

Should I set back and let the HSMO situation ride out, or should I step in and see if I could have any pulled?

Finances here are so/so- I just spent a fortune on Coda so I know Ii couldn't take many in - but perhaps some.

I'm just really undecided right now. I don't want to make an unwise decision.

I really have no clue how the HSMO will handle the rabbit crisis. They're currently overflowing with dogs from a hoarding/neglect case and I honestly don't know how their focus will unfold on this.

I'm off work until Sunday night so I have time this weekend to bump around, plan and see what I could do but would it be the right decision overall?

 

[GoinBackToCali]

I think the fact that you are even mulling it over says volumes.

You should ultimately do what you feel is best and what works for you. Everything else will fall into place, and if it doesn't, well then it wasn't meant to be.

I usually go with this.. *If it's on my brain, it has merit..so just roll with it, and see where it goes.*

There's a line from Shakesphere in Love that I always quote when my husband asks *just how do you think your gonna finagle your way outta this one*

"I don't know, it's a mystery"


Zin

 

[TinysMom]

I'm going to share this as a breeder - someone who started out as a rabbit fan - and then got so many that it stopped being fun for a while.

a. Are you talking about taking in these rabbits and fostering them and then helping them get other homes? Or taking them all in and adopting them for yourself?

b. Do you have the funds for vet visits if need be? What about cages? Do you have space for cages?

c. Do you have time for the rabbits? Time to ENJOY them? Would you come to resent them because you don't have time for them and are already exhausted after work?

I'm not saying DON'T take them...I'm saying think these things through and then base your decision on the answers you come up with.

I could see you taking them in as fosters (I don't know how many rabbits you're talking about) but I'm worried that you'll burn out if you take in let's say 15-20 or so and have all those cages to clean, etc. etc.

I have lots of rabbits but I don't work outside the home the number of hours that you do....and that makes a big difference in what you can handle....

Peg

 

[Bo B Bunny]

This is so hard. I want to say TAKE THEM ALL!!! but we all know you cannot - none of us can save them all.

I think Peg has said a lot with her questions to think about.

Personally, I would say - definitely take ONE. Think things over and if you can take more.... then maybe do so.

However, you know there are going to be other things come up again - maybe more serious issues...

I know you decided not to take an English lop and breed....... but what if one comes up for adoption and you are busting at the seams?

If only I were rich...... I'd have a huge barn and hire others to come help care for them..... I'd rescue all I could! but still it wouldn't be enough......

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Dang Peg and her good point making....

Dangit dangit dangit..

 

[Leaf]

Good points -

I could easily handle one more to keep and that is taking Holiday and Fiesta into consideration. Two would be a stretch I'm not sure about just yet, but I'd have to really think about it before commiting to more than one.

As for space here - indoors... I live alone is a 4 bedroom house. I alsohave a barn and two sheds, one of which is empty - and the barn is in the process of becoming a ... I don't know - kennel typebuilding. I'm currently working with the city to have a rescue license so I can move animals from the pound with ease so the structure has to exceed (IMO) their standards.

My parents live 45 minutes from me - the property they bought was actually a puppy-mill site. THEY were NOT the breeders, but purchased the place and you would be amazed at the outbuilding capacity they have and kennels/cages/crates etc they have available.

One building alone, once cleaned and restored, has caging that is actually excellent for rabbits (but not for small dogs that lived in them) - we were going to facilitate that when the Ohio bunny postings came through - but they were placed locally afterall.



Eric (my SO) has his own home, with plenty of room. He's a pushover - and was a great influence on me when I actually started focusing on rabbits.

Financially standing, I wouldn't want to take more than one (or possibly two) because I have my work cut out with the two splay legged bunnies that are coming this way.

IF I were to take any (and this is why I havent driven out yet today) I'd be more interested in some of the rabbits they currently have. The HSMO is great, but in cases like this, in general, the *new* animals with more exposure are the ones that people focus on and want to be a part of... while the pre-existing animals get left behind, due to no fault of their own.

 

[Pipp]

IMO, as long as it'sa step up from theprevious home, bunnies can live very happily in a group in a barn. I've been thinking about that a lot the last few days, a friend just moved onto a farm andmay have space for fosters.

Unlikely to be the case here, but I keep envisioning a bunnybarn with a couple dozen spayed and neutered bunniesbinkying their little hearts out amongbales of hay. A big group or several smaller groups maybe housed in blocked off stalls.

With bales only costing something like $4,veggie donations like carrot tops from grocers, and large bags ofbulkpellets, not that expensive. Andin that situation -- lots of exercise, natural living and no craisins, they don't seem toneed a lot ofvet care.But if it gets to that,throw a rescue sign on the door, get discounts from vets and do fundraisers on a per case basis.

My :twocents

s

 

[TinysMom]

Pipp wrote:

Unlikely to be the case here, but I keep envisioning a bunnybarn with a couple dozen spayed and neutered bunniesbinkying their little hearts out amongbales of hay. A big group or several smaller groups maybe housed in blocked off stalls.

I love this idea and think it is great - of course - having the funds for the spays/neuter is a big thing. Also - in a case like this is it hard to keep an eye on every animal for things like fleas, cocidia, ear mite, etc. (Guess how I know?). BUT - it can work out really well and if you had a time every week or two weeks where you held each animal and checked on it - it could work


With bales only costing something like $4,veggie donations like carrot tops from grocers, and large bags ofbulkpellets, not that expensive. Andin that situation -- lots of exercise, natural living and no craisins, they don't seem toneed a lot ofvet care.But if it gets to that,throw a rescue sign on the door, get discounts from vets and do fundraisers on a per case basis.

$12 per bale here - and it is probably going to go up to $15 per bale soon. The lowest I've seen it is $8 per bale in the last 18 months.

I love your idea - I wish I could have the guts to talk to the grocers and see about getting donations (of course - I'm a breeder and that is different).

My :twocents

Here is my take on that suggestion - it is a good one. I have a number of does living together and they love each other and they live in the rabbitry on the floor and go outside to play in the fenced area. It is a blast watching them all together and seeing who is friends with who and then every once in a while there will be tiff and you get to see who doesn't like who, etc. etc.

But you'll have a different "connection" than you have with your own rabbits. They will look at you differently than your rabbits do. Its kinda like the difference between being IN a movie and interacting with your buns and WATCHING a movie and how the buns interact with each other. You sort of become the source of food and water and that's about it. Almost like a zookeeper vs. a pet owner.

With that said - the rabbits do seem to enjoy it. As I said though, the downside is that it is hard to maintain everyone unless you set up a time to check them regularly. (For instance - all the doe on the rabbitry floor are getting their flea treatment this weekend along with a check for ear mites, etc. I try to do this every so often).

Peg

s

 

[TinysMom]

GoinBackToCali wrote:

Dang Peg and her good point making....

Dangit dangit dangit..

Zin,

My points are because I have been at the point where rabbits were no longer fun. I've been at the point where I almost wanted to call the humane society on myself ~ because I felt like a hoarder (and in some ways I was) and because I didn't have the energy/time to take care of them.

When Amy came to visit me this spring - she really helped to open my eyes to the fact that I was in a DEEP depression since Ginger's death....and after she left and Robin wound up coming home - it got my butt into gear to get cleaning schedules set up (again) and getting things back to the way they used to be - and the way they should be.

I cut back on my number of rabbits and got on the schedule and I now enjoy my rabbits again...most of the time. It still gets rough at times.

I just don't want to see Leaf get to the same point - especially where she works so many more hours per week than I work.....and I work at home (in my jammies if I want).

Peg

 

[pamnock]

GoinBackToCali wrote:

There's a line from Shakesphere in Love that I always quote when my husband asks *just how do you think your gonna finagle your way outta this one*




Zin

It's "Shakespeare" - I hate to see the bard's name butchered LOL :wink

Pam

 

[NZminilops]

pamnock wrote:

GoinBackToCali wrote:

There's a line from Shakesphere in Love that I always quote when my husband asks *just how do you think your gonna finagle your way outta this one*




Zin

It's "Shakespeare" - I hate to see the bard's name butchered LOL :wink

Pam

Hehe! I was picturing an angry man standing there shaking a sphere myself .

 

[GoinBackToCali]

Wanna hear a really funny story? I am in love with Gerard Butler in 300, my husband is always angry. Well, he is always grumpy anyway... We have a next door neighbor that calls animal control everytime a pig gets loose. I begged him to wear a red cape and march around the pasture with a sword looking all angry. (Keeping in mind that at 45, my husband isn't in Adonis like shape anymore).

He said.. and I quote..

*NO.. I can just hear Mrs. White now... "Hello, Animal Control, one of the Pattie's pig's got out again, and he's wearing a cape, and he's really angry.. and OMG..HE HAS A SWORD!!!*

Not really relevant to the angry man with a sphere story.. but it is an angry man with a sword story..LOL

Zin

 

[Pipp]

LOL! I went to pull this 'cause i thought it was in the main forum.

I'll pull it anyway, what the hay.

Normally, this isn't the type of forum where people correct spelling, oddly enough I was about to post a 'rule' that said we really don't care if you can spell.

but then I thought about all the R U 2 stuff and went, nuhuh.

But in this case, I think the chances were pretty good someone was going to comment on that one! (Just unfortunate enough to be Pam!)

So stand down everybody.

sas :biggrin2:

 

[Leaf]

h34r2

At times I could swear I'm in the Twilight Zone. Anyone else hear the music?



Now when I head off to bed I'll most likely dream about spheres wearing red capesoinking out great quotes.



Or something.

 

[JadeIcing]

Eh I have to say there are certain problems I have that when mentioned I tend to shrivel up and close off. That is a BIG reason why I don't correct people.

Anywayz back on topic. Take only what you can handle emotionally, financially, and physically. The rest will work out how it should.

ETA: Lord the mental pictures and I thought I was damaged before.

 

[NZminilops]

GoinBackToCali wrote:

Wanna hear a really funny story? I am in love with Gerard Butler in 300

Hey! You leave MY Gerard alone!

:inlove: :heartbeat::big kiss:

And ah, I didn't even notice it said Shakesphere till Pam mentioned it, then when I saw it, I liked it :huh

 

[GoinBackToCali]

As I was saying, before it got pulled, and this will be edited for content, I actually spelled it correctly the first time, and my Firefox spell check corrected it for me. I went back and spelled it my way again, and Firefox fixed it again. So I left it.

I should went with my gut and spelled it my way. Being the owner of several Tudor discussion groups, going under the handle ElizabethanBard, I really should have known better.

Zin

 

[Leaf]

GoinBackToCali wrote:

As I was saying, before it got pulled, and this will be edited for content, I actually spelled it correctly the first time, and my Firefox spell check corrected it for me. I went back and spelled it my way again, and Firefox fixed it again. So I left it.

I should went with my gut and spelled it my way. Being the owner of several Tudor discussion groups, going under the handle ElizabethanBard, I really should have known better.

Zin

I am so going to hell for this, but it appears that you skipped a word between should and went....

:tongue

 

[Leaf]

Honestly, thank you all for your input and advice. I'm going to have a lot to think over as soon as I get some sleep!

It looks like travel arrangements are coming together for the California bunnies so that'll be my first line of business.

 

[Pipp]

Leaf wrote:

I am so going to hell for this, but it appears that you skipped a word between should and went....