Want a rabbit, but I’m still unsure?

[Cassandra]

Some of you may know about my wanting to get a rabbit (badly). I’m still going back and forth, AGAIN.

So my first thought was to adopt a rabbit or a pair. But then my parents said no, and I had to think of something else to do. I know I want a rabbit badly but I can’t get any pet without my parents’ consent, since I live with them.

 

I’ve done a lot of research but I’ve never owned a rabbit. I thought instead of adopting, I could foster first. Well, I’m not experienced (AT ALL), so I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I’m too young to volunteer at any of the shelters in my area, so I’m really at a loss of what to do.

 

Here are my questions…

 

1.      Should fosters be experienced, or do you think it would be acceptable for a foster to have no experience at all?

 

2.      Since my parents would ultimately be responsible, would it be okay if I did the majority of the care and performed the majority of the tasks involved in fostering?

 

3.      Is there any way I could still help rabbits without fostering or volunteering, since I am probably unable/unqualified to do either?

 

4.      What are your thoughts/opinions about this situation?

 

Thanks in advance, guys. And sorry for all the questions and my annoying unsure-ness.

 

[mocha200]

will your parents let you foster?

[Beka27]

As far as fostering… technically your parents would be the ones fostering the rabbit, so they need to be ultimately responsible. I don’t think the lack of experience would be an issue per se, since everyone has to start off somewhere… but I would think your parents would need to demonstrate knowledge about rabbit care, housing, health… and do they know anything about rabbits? The rabbit would not be yours, so you’d have to answer to the rescue in terms of what type of care you are providing.

[Sarita]

First of all, as Beka said, your parents would be ultimately responsible as they would have to sign the fostering contract. I used to have a small rabbit rescue group that was set up on the fostering system and we only let adult families who had experience foster our rabbits and we screened, screened, screened just like a regular adoption. I would never ever consider letting a teenager or a child be the one responsible for the rabbit and the parents had to want the rabbit as well as far as adoption. After all they were the one’s with the money for the food, the vet bills, etc…

[TARM]

You should try talking to your local rabbit rescue group. My rescue doesn’t technically allow volunteers under the age of 18 but I got permission to bring two younger people. Bigsis7 was 13 when she was coming with me and my daughter is 11. Both are hard workers and they’re interested so the group made an exception. Of course if I hadn’t agreed to supervise it would probably be a different story but maybe there’s someone there who would be willing to take you under their wing.

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