I hope that you have a policy of taking back pet rabbits that you sell. Of course, this email may or may not be from one of your customers. Either way, you can give him or her some sound advice:
- Post a note at the nearby vet offices. Most have a bulletin board. And people who take their animals to the vet might make good families for the rabbit.
- Place an ad in a free advertising newspaper.
- Post a note at pet supply stores that do not sell pets.
- Note that the cage and supplies are included with the rabbit.
- Do not release the rabbit. It has a poor chance of survival.
- Donate the rabbit to a zoo or raptor center. Make sure they know that the zoo will most likely use it for food. (Use this advice sparingly - some people cannot handle it.)
If you decide to accept the rabbit (whether or not you are the one that sold it), tell the family that you will have an easier time finding a new home for the rabbit if it comes with the cage and supplies. They have no need of them anyway and will probably donate them.
Quarantine the rabbit. Don't let a good deed ruin your herd.
I have had three Hollands that I sold come back to me. One was after a year and a half. She had turned out to be a very nice doe with an excellent head, so I bred her and she produced some nice kits for me. The next time it happened, I found a home for him the very next day. On the third occasion, I believe he was with me for a week or two, but is now producing babies for a breeder. He's a real sweetie.
So having rabbits come back to you isn't always a bad thing. In all cases, the rabbits were well socialized, having been in a herd of one with lots of attention, at least in the beginning.
Unfortunately breeders, rather than non-committed pet owners, are blamed for any rabbit that ends up in a shelter. You might consider the local political situation when you decide whether or not to accept rabbits that need a home, or whether or not to respond to such emails and phone calls at all.
I personally do not accept rabbits that did not originate in my herd. Rather, I try to advise the owners as much as possible about their options. I will accept any rabbit back that I've sold. I do not give refunds for rabbits that are returned.
Laurie Stroupe
The Nature Trail Rabbitry
Holland Lops Of Distinction
Precious Pet Rabbits
Pet Rabbit Care Information, Quality Pet Rabbit Breeders, and Rabbit Fun
