Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Auctions & Raffles
What is the purpose of an auction or a raffle at a rabbit show? To make money for a club or organization.
What do people who purchase rabbits at auctions or raffles hope to get? A good bunny.
What are auctions and raffles often used for? A means to get rid of rabbits that don't sell.
Hmmmmm. Something in the formula doesn't add up.
I bought a rabbit when I first got into bunnies for $85. She was a grand champion. I was so excited. The person misrepresented her age (I should have looked on the pedigree and noticed the extra year) and misrepresented the productive life of a doe (I didn't know!). She also failed to mention that she no longer produced live babies. I spent months trying to get babies from her and then gave her away as a pet.
I later found out from the original breeder that she had been put into the raffle after she quit producing. She had been placed in the raffle with her pedigree. I believe there were two problems here. First, a rabbit that has stopped producing should not be placed into the raffle. I suppose she might have gone to a show-only home, but if there was a note to that effect, it wasn't mentioned. I think permanently putting that note on the pedigree might have worked, but perhaps not even that would have helped.
The other problem was the choices the new owner made. The things that were unethical are too numerous to list, but I'm sure you get the gist of it.
I cannot tell you that I never put a rabbit into the raffle that I wouldn't breed myself. It's simply not true. When I look back at rabbits I put in the raffle when I first got started, I cringe. Today, many of those rabbits would go to the processor. I hate the thought that someone is breeding them, especially with my name on them. But it was a learning process. When I first got started, I asked what I could do with rabbits I didn't want and couldn't sell, and the raffle was suggested. It seemed like a solution to my problem and I, in all honesty, did not think further than that.
Today, if I put a rabbit into a raffle, he or she has some redeeming requalities that, when bred with the right mate, could produce some nice offspring. No, they are not likely to grand a rabbit they get for a quarter! If I do not think that it has a reasonable chance of producing nice offspring, then I may put it in as a pet with no pedigree (some raffles do not allow pets, so be sure to ask). I do not put animals in the raffle as pets if they do not have a pet personality, however. I do not put in bad teeth, poor health, or other serious problems. And I especially do not put in does that will not have live babies unless that is clearly disclosed.
Auctions are very similar except that I know whoever buys an auction animal will pay more than $1 for it. It's possible that I may get 50% back as well. And the time and talent that it takes to put on an auction means that the club or organization is looking to raise some serious money on the rabbits, often for a good cause I can get behind.
Back when I was even newer at rabbits than I am now, I bought some rabbits at auction. I had a great time until I got home and found that one had butting teeth. I didn't notice them right away, but when they started to grow a bit, it became obvious.
(If you are thinking by now that I am gullible and made every mistake in the book, you may be right!)
Do I really have to say that an auction is also not a good place to dump unworthy animals? A rabbit with butting teeth that do not grow out of control may be petted out (though this rabbit was a doe, so that was two strikes against her in my book). She should not have been sold as a pedigreed rabbit.
If all breeders would view raffles and auctions as a chance to contribute to the organizations we all benefit from, I think that things would go better for everyone. Making such a donation should pinch just a little - you should be giving up something that you could possibly benefit from yourself if you wanted to put the time and effort into selling or breeding the rabbit.
Those of us planning to attend Holland Lop Nationals in Perry, GA, in April will have the opportunity to contribute rabbits to an auction. I believe the proceeds go to the club sponsoring the next Nationals. If you are going, please begin thinking now about a worthy rabbit you can contribute. There have been some lovely rabbits in the past, so I know that many, many of you already believe in donating rabbits with value.
I have already decided to part with my most productive brood doe at Nationals. It makes my arms go weak to even type the words. But I have gotten 8 show rabbits, including 3 that have granded already and others that should, plus a young litter too small to evaluate, plus babies in the nest box plus I hope to breed her one last time before Nationals. So it is time for me to move on down to working with the next generation.
She'll just have turned 2 years old by Nationals! Additionally, I will be breeding her to GC LL Brendan (out of GC Tunes Adrian 55 legs & FRR Carly). That combination has produced 5 show rabbits in 2 litters. I cannot guarantee babies, but I will breed her two weeks before nationals and palpate. If she's negative, I will breed her again just before I bring her. Most of her litters have produced 6 kits.
Get your checkbooks out.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun ¶ 9:36 AM
What do people who purchase rabbits at auctions or raffles hope to get? A good bunny.
What are auctions and raffles often used for? A means to get rid of rabbits that don't sell.
Hmmmmm. Something in the formula doesn't add up.
I bought a rabbit when I first got into bunnies for $85. She was a grand champion. I was so excited. The person misrepresented her age (I should have looked on the pedigree and noticed the extra year) and misrepresented the productive life of a doe (I didn't know!). She also failed to mention that she no longer produced live babies. I spent months trying to get babies from her and then gave her away as a pet.
I later found out from the original breeder that she had been put into the raffle after she quit producing. She had been placed in the raffle with her pedigree. I believe there were two problems here. First, a rabbit that has stopped producing should not be placed into the raffle. I suppose she might have gone to a show-only home, but if there was a note to that effect, it wasn't mentioned. I think permanently putting that note on the pedigree might have worked, but perhaps not even that would have helped.
The other problem was the choices the new owner made. The things that were unethical are too numerous to list, but I'm sure you get the gist of it.
I cannot tell you that I never put a rabbit into the raffle that I wouldn't breed myself. It's simply not true. When I look back at rabbits I put in the raffle when I first got started, I cringe. Today, many of those rabbits would go to the processor. I hate the thought that someone is breeding them, especially with my name on them. But it was a learning process. When I first got started, I asked what I could do with rabbits I didn't want and couldn't sell, and the raffle was suggested. It seemed like a solution to my problem and I, in all honesty, did not think further than that.
Today, if I put a rabbit into a raffle, he or she has some redeeming requalities that, when bred with the right mate, could produce some nice offspring. No, they are not likely to grand a rabbit they get for a quarter! If I do not think that it has a reasonable chance of producing nice offspring, then I may put it in as a pet with no pedigree (some raffles do not allow pets, so be sure to ask). I do not put animals in the raffle as pets if they do not have a pet personality, however. I do not put in bad teeth, poor health, or other serious problems. And I especially do not put in does that will not have live babies unless that is clearly disclosed.
Auctions are very similar except that I know whoever buys an auction animal will pay more than $1 for it. It's possible that I may get 50% back as well. And the time and talent that it takes to put on an auction means that the club or organization is looking to raise some serious money on the rabbits, often for a good cause I can get behind.
Back when I was even newer at rabbits than I am now, I bought some rabbits at auction. I had a great time until I got home and found that one had butting teeth. I didn't notice them right away, but when they started to grow a bit, it became obvious.
(If you are thinking by now that I am gullible and made every mistake in the book, you may be right!)
Do I really have to say that an auction is also not a good place to dump unworthy animals? A rabbit with butting teeth that do not grow out of control may be petted out (though this rabbit was a doe, so that was two strikes against her in my book). She should not have been sold as a pedigreed rabbit.
If all breeders would view raffles and auctions as a chance to contribute to the organizations we all benefit from, I think that things would go better for everyone. Making such a donation should pinch just a little - you should be giving up something that you could possibly benefit from yourself if you wanted to put the time and effort into selling or breeding the rabbit.
Those of us planning to attend Holland Lop Nationals in Perry, GA, in April will have the opportunity to contribute rabbits to an auction. I believe the proceeds go to the club sponsoring the next Nationals. If you are going, please begin thinking now about a worthy rabbit you can contribute. There have been some lovely rabbits in the past, so I know that many, many of you already believe in donating rabbits with value.
I have already decided to part with my most productive brood doe at Nationals. It makes my arms go weak to even type the words. But I have gotten 8 show rabbits, including 3 that have granded already and others that should, plus a young litter too small to evaluate, plus babies in the nest box plus I hope to breed her one last time before Nationals. So it is time for me to move on down to working with the next generation.
She'll just have turned 2 years old by Nationals! Additionally, I will be breeding her to GC LL Brendan (out of GC Tunes Adrian 55 legs & FRR Carly). That combination has produced 5 show rabbits in 2 litters. I cannot guarantee babies, but I will breed her two weeks before nationals and palpate. If she's negative, I will breed her again just before I bring her. Most of her litters have produced 6 kits.
Get your checkbooks out.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun ¶ 9:36 AM
