Thursday, February 16, 2006
Am I Responsible?
I got a telephone call last evening from the mother of one of my daughter's schoolmates. She had purchased for her children a pair of Holland lops at a fair show about three year ago. The buck was very sick and she was calling for advice.
He had diarrhea and was bony. I asked questions to see how long the rabbit had had loose stool, trying to figure out if it was true diarrhea or unformed cecal matter. Had he been drinking today? She had a difficult time answering the questions. She knew that half his water bottle was empty from the day before. She didn't really know when the diarrhea had started.
I told her what I would do in the situation and passed on some advice from other breeders that I had not yet tried. I hope that he lived until his vet appointment this morning.
By virtue of his having a vet appointment and her report of his feeding schedule, I could tell that she was trying to do the right things for him, but it was also very obvious that her children had lost interest in the rabbits and that they were receiving maintenance level care.
Finally, the mother asked me if I'd be interested in taking the rabbits. I told her that I was not, but gave her some tips on finding a new home for them.
I found out that she had purchased the rabbits from the Dixie Classic Fair from a man. Since I am obviously not a man, I know she didn't buy the rabbits from me, but I have sold two or three pets at that fair. It makes me wonder about the rabbits I've sold as pets. Are "mine" ending up the same way a year or two or three down the road, in the backyard, receiving minimal care, with no one paying special attention to them? She could have as easily said that she bought the rabbits from me.
It's true that I sell a lot fewer pets these days than in the beginning. The best reason is that the quality of rabbits in my herd has gone up and there are fewer pets. But I have also come to terms with processing rabbits that do not have the potential to become really good pets. I take fewer pets to shows, unless I know that I'm taking one for someone in particular. I prefer to sell a few very nice pets to a select few families who do their research, find out about my Hollands, and are willing to travel to my barn to pick out their pet. I sell to these families with confidence that the rabbits are set, living in the lap of luxury.
My conviction is that it is better to humanely put down a rabbit (especially if it can be used for food) than to pet it out to any and every person who is willing to take it Whatever qualms I may have had about that decision are now gone. The phone call yesterday was demonstration, once again, of what I know to be true. Bunnies are too cute for their own good! They sell themselves and foster impulse buying decisions. But the newness and excitement wear off if the owner isn't really committed to the rabbit.
Placing rabbits with really good pet families is one of the joys of breeding rabbits. I feel like a grandmother getting pictures of the grandbabies in my email! I can see the beginnings of love even before the families leave my barn. But for me, that's the only kind of pet sales I'm interested in doing anymore.
Recently on some of the online groups, the point has been made that rabbits are also meat animals and that there is no reason to ever have an overabundance of any meat animal as long as there are people who need to eat. Obviously, there are large groups who take exception to this idea, but I feel that an ethical end beats out of minimal existence every time.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun ¶ 11:39 AM
He had diarrhea and was bony. I asked questions to see how long the rabbit had had loose stool, trying to figure out if it was true diarrhea or unformed cecal matter. Had he been drinking today? She had a difficult time answering the questions. She knew that half his water bottle was empty from the day before. She didn't really know when the diarrhea had started.
I told her what I would do in the situation and passed on some advice from other breeders that I had not yet tried. I hope that he lived until his vet appointment this morning.
By virtue of his having a vet appointment and her report of his feeding schedule, I could tell that she was trying to do the right things for him, but it was also very obvious that her children had lost interest in the rabbits and that they were receiving maintenance level care.
Finally, the mother asked me if I'd be interested in taking the rabbits. I told her that I was not, but gave her some tips on finding a new home for them.
I found out that she had purchased the rabbits from the Dixie Classic Fair from a man. Since I am obviously not a man, I know she didn't buy the rabbits from me, but I have sold two or three pets at that fair. It makes me wonder about the rabbits I've sold as pets. Are "mine" ending up the same way a year or two or three down the road, in the backyard, receiving minimal care, with no one paying special attention to them? She could have as easily said that she bought the rabbits from me.
It's true that I sell a lot fewer pets these days than in the beginning. The best reason is that the quality of rabbits in my herd has gone up and there are fewer pets. But I have also come to terms with processing rabbits that do not have the potential to become really good pets. I take fewer pets to shows, unless I know that I'm taking one for someone in particular. I prefer to sell a few very nice pets to a select few families who do their research, find out about my Hollands, and are willing to travel to my barn to pick out their pet. I sell to these families with confidence that the rabbits are set, living in the lap of luxury.
My conviction is that it is better to humanely put down a rabbit (especially if it can be used for food) than to pet it out to any and every person who is willing to take it Whatever qualms I may have had about that decision are now gone. The phone call yesterday was demonstration, once again, of what I know to be true. Bunnies are too cute for their own good! They sell themselves and foster impulse buying decisions. But the newness and excitement wear off if the owner isn't really committed to the rabbit.
Placing rabbits with really good pet families is one of the joys of breeding rabbits. I feel like a grandmother getting pictures of the grandbabies in my email! I can see the beginnings of love even before the families leave my barn. But for me, that's the only kind of pet sales I'm interested in doing anymore.
Recently on some of the online groups, the point has been made that rabbits are also meat animals and that there is no reason to ever have an overabundance of any meat animal as long as there are people who need to eat. Obviously, there are large groups who take exception to this idea, but I feel that an ethical end beats out of minimal existence every time.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun ¶ 11:39 AM
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Hey Laurie,
I love this post! I totally agree that I would rather humanely euthanize a bunny than to sell it to people that will later become bored with it and neglect it! I wish more breeders would take this advice and not just sell pets to make a quick buck. I personally have raised my pet price to $40 just to make the rabbit non disposable to people and to make them think twice before they buy a pet.
Alison Fulbright
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I love this post! I totally agree that I would rather humanely euthanize a bunny than to sell it to people that will later become bored with it and neglect it! I wish more breeders would take this advice and not just sell pets to make a quick buck. I personally have raised my pet price to $40 just to make the rabbit non disposable to people and to make them think twice before they buy a pet.
Alison Fulbright
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