Bad bunny vet on TV Friday!

[skunklionshow]

On the local news Friday, they had a bunny vet to discuss why rabbits shouldn’t be purchased as Easter gifts.  That part was ok, but then she started talking about rabbits as pets.  She said that they usually live 3-5 years!  Showed the pellets w/ all the junk in them (fruit & seeds) and said that this was the preferred pellet chow and that occassional veggies and hay are also needed.  Rabbits can be taught to use litterboxes…but this is a very difficult process.  There was also some odd info about cage info.  I was steaming through my ears listening to this. 

Living in Philly, we have one of the best veterinary schools in the country.  I was shocked that they didn’t get Upenn’s bunny expert to do this segment and instead a “random vet”.  She wasn’t even a HRS recommended vet.  I’ll likely be sending in a letter to the station this week.  This is why bunnies are considered to be “real pets” & are often given crappy healthcare!  MMMPH>>>>>>grunt grunt lunge (jessica style)!

[skunklionshow]

I found the link….ok so upon further review she didn’t necessarily say that litter training is so difficult…but according to her, my rabbits should be about dead by now!

Here’s the link:

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/myfox/pages/InsideFox/Detail?contentId=6019974&version=1&locale=EN-US&layoutCode=VSTY&pageId=5.2.1

[bunnytowne]

omg corn kernels raising daily!!!! and Occassional Hay!!!! awe. well at least they are speaking to people about daily care and not to impulse buy I just don’t know sometimes burns me up corn kernels  yes the food does look interesting and exciting but is it healthy. oh dear my vet even told me oxbow timothy pellets when they are reachign about 1 yr and timothy hay.

[Gravehearted]

I think you should write the station a letter and copy the vet on it as well – with some healthy and correct info about rabbits! Perhaps even get your local HRS involved, so they can get a more accurate segment on TV about house rabbits.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh my gosh, I am just agog. I hope there is something that can be done about this.

[kimberleyanddarren]

i think you should phone or send a letter to your local station, informing them how wrong they are and suggesting that they get someone on who does know there stuff! if she is saying all they need is the odd bit of hay odd bit of fruit and that cheap crap feed then people will see them as easy pets to keep.. and we all know how wrong that is!!!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

What a tool!! Do write and/or phone! *steaming alongside you*

[kimberleyanddarren]

yes keeps us posted if you do right!
maybe we should all like sign a petition and have it available so everytime we see something like this we can just automatically attatch it to show our support and stuff? i know alot of us write off about stuff like this and i forget who it was but someone was really annoyed with the state of puppies and bunnies in a pet store so they wrote to them and if they had a list of names of people who you could say ‘and all these people support me..’ they may take more notice i think this would be a good idea anyway.

[bunnytowne]

yes let us know about any petitions on this gee those poor buns on unhealthy diet eeeek.  and food sellers sell it darn. and it isnt’ good for the buns. grrr.

[kimberleyanddarren]

every bunny store i have ever been to used that crap, the woman i got hopscotch off was also using it!

[skunklionshow]

This tv station promotes itself as connecting w/ its viewers via viewer logs and email.  I will contact them and let them know what crappy advice this was.  I think I’ll work on that during my “lunch hour” at work.  I haven’t checked the stations viewer logs yet…I just can’t believe I was the only bunny person that was fuming!  I’m also going to look into getting my vet practice aboard.  I’ll let you know how it all goes.

[Gravehearted]

glad to heart you’re going to contact them, let us know if they respond

[LittlePuffyTail]

Maybe your bun would only live 3-5 years if you only feed the petstore crap! That petstore food makes me so mad because people assume, it’s got a bunny on it, it must be approved and good for them.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Let us know how it goes! I hope they are open to repairing the incorrect information.

[kimberleyanddarren]

yes have you had a reply?

[BunnyLugs]

As ever, if you want correct information on something in this world you have to find it out for yourself. Tsk!

[kimberleyanddarren]

any update skunklionshow?

[skunklionshow]

I did get a response to them last week….on Friday.  I haven’t heard anything yet, b/sides the standard…thank you for your interest in our story blah blah.  I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised.  Last time I contacted any of the news agencies was after my neighbor had gone missing for about 3 months.  After much back and forth w/ the police & nearly 2 months, they “searched” her home and found nothing suspicious.  Eventually she was found, about a month later, dead in her home.  That’s why I said “searched”.  I was so disgusted that I contacted the news agencies to report this and only 1 out 4 replied back.  I guess I’m just not completely hopeful that they care.

[Scarlet_Rose]

Oh how horrible! I know what you mean though. Most news agencies just really care about the story they are working on and they just put out whatever interests them and that they’re O.K. with. I bet they don’t like saying that they were wrong either.

[mattman0182]

I’m glad I did not see that before I got my bun!!!

[Kathy Smith]

In addition to contacting your local HRS, I would also contact The Rabbit Habit — they are a good rescue group and perhaps more “activist” than the HRS in that area.

Regarding the pellets … though I agree they are crap… when Oliver (ATB) came to me that was the food his mom (whose human daughter was severely allergic, which was why he came here) brought with him. I threw it in the trash immediately of course. But, in retrospect, Oliver was almost 10 years old … and at that time he was older than any rabbit who had ever been part of my family. Oliver lived to see his 13th birthday and remains the oldest bunny I’ve ever had. I’m hoping Chip will beat that record this coming October!

[Author]

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