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Why are they abandoned?
"The kids have lost interest," "We're moving," "She's chewing the
carpet," and even, "He costs too much to feed." Nearly every day, we hear
the many, many reasons people use to give up their pet rabbit. Fortunately, for those people willing to make it work, there are answers.
Rabbits can be spayed or neutered to enhance behavior, they can travel with you, and they
can be trained - or perhaps we should say, their people can be trained. Then, of course,
there are those rabbits who would be better off finding a new home - for their health and
safety.
If only people would take the time to learn about the needs
and behavior of rabbits before getting one, we would have far fewer abandoned rabbits in
our shelters.
San Diego HRS does not operate a shelter and we rescue
rabbits primarily from our local animal shelters. So, when we get a call from someone
looking to give up their rabbit, we must refer them to their local shelter, or instruct
them on how to find a home for the rabbit themselves.
You can help us educate others.
Education is the key. If you know someone who is thinking about getting a rabbit,
please refer them to our web site or have them contact us to receive care information.
Help them make the right decision prior to getting the rabbit, even if it means talking
them out of getting a rabbit. Of course, if they would be a good home, refer them to HRS
so we can help them find the right rabbit for their situation.
It's a 10-year commitment.
Along with education goes commitment. Getting a pet, any pet, should be a
lifetime commitment. Lifetime. That means "for the life of the pet," not just
while it is convenient. After all, would you leave your husband behind when you move?
Would you dump your kids when you run out of food? Animals depend upon us (presumably the
smarter of the two) to feed them, to provide shelter for them, to nurse them if necessary,
and to be committed to them for their entire life. They depend upon us and we should be
committed to providing for their every need.
We often like to remind people that when they are adopting,
it's not "rent a rabbit," but creating a new member of the of the family for the
rest of their life.
With your help and referrals, we will continue to make a
difference in the lives of our rabbit friends, and to do our best to educate our community
about responsible rabbit care and commitment. |
