Council bans retail sale of rabbits

[Andi]

From a Local paper in Richmond, B.C. Canada

 

Council bans retail sale of rabbits

Soon the only place you’ll be able to buy a bunny in Richmond will be the city pound.

By Matthew Hoekstra – Richmond Review

Published: February 03, 2010 1:00 PM
Updated: February 03, 2010 1:54 PM

Big and fluffy, it looked just like Peter, a childhood pet rabbit of Coun. Ken Johnston.

Only this one met its fate on Shell Road Trail at the paws of an aggressive dog. Johnston figures the confused rabbit was dumped on the trail by someone who once called it a pet.

It illustrates, Johnston said, the need to crack down on animal sales at pet stores. On Monday, council made its first move by unanimously voting to ban pet stores from selling rabbits.

“This is the first step toward a total ban on animal sales. The fact of the matter is I think that’s the right direction,” said Johnston.

Council earlier considered requiring pet stores to spay or neuter their retail rabbits instead of creating a ban, but it noted enforcement would be a challenge.

Once the new bylaw language is ratified, council is expected to consider banning the sale of dogs at retail stores.

Pet store operators met the plan with resistance, suggesting people will simply go outside of Richmond to buy rabbits.

Ernest Ang, founder of the Pet Habitat chain of stores, said his Richmond store hasn’t sold bunnies in the last three years, but said if someone really wants one, they should be able to buy it locally.

But the Richmond Animal Protection Society, which operates two local animal shelters, has spent “tens of thousands of dollars” caring for unwanted rabbits over the last few years, according to volunteer Christie Lagally.

She said most were originally purchased at pet stores and surrendered at the shelter. The society spays or neuters the animals and offers them up for adoption at the 12071 No. 5 Rd. shelter, charging $50.

In Richmond, unwanted rabbits have become prey for coyotes and owls, said Coun. Harold Steves.

“Rabbits really don’t make great pets.”

City council hopes other cities—and even the province—will get on board and introduce similar bans.

http://www.bclocalnews.com/richmond…80552.html

[Monkeybun]

rabbits don’t make great pets my ass. tell that to Moose, who is currently flopped next to my hubby!

[Andi]

Honestly, I kinda like the fact they say ‘they don’t make great pets’. You and I know they make great pets, for US, but so many jo-somebodys off the street have no clue what it takes to own a rabbit. And it’s them dumping them in parks, on the doorsteps of shelter in boxes, or making ads for them on craigslist. So let’s tell them “Rabbits make bad pets” and repel them. We’ve told them for years “Rabbtis are great pets”, and TV shows Rabbits are cute ‘cuddly’ kid pets, none of that has helped the huge amount of neglected and abandond rabbits all over North America. If someone wants a rabbit as a pet, lets make them think twice and do some research before bringing home a bunny.

[angelicvampyre]

I don’t like that comment either but I am happy for this outcome!

[Monkeybun]

Thats true, but I think they should say something more like “they make good pets, if researched about first. They aren’t like cats and dogs.” Ah well, at least they can’t be sold in Richmond now! Score one for the home team!

[Andi]

We’re hoping this will continue to other cities in the area, as the feral rabbit population in Southern BC is aweful. I just read about a 500 rabbit seizure from ONE home 3 hours from where i live, this is the second one from this same house, 2 year ago they took 200! (twice? what the heck?).

Though this ban is a step in the right direction, there is just so much more work to do. If any of you have experience with feral rabbit population and examples on how it has been handled in your area I woudl love to read about it, and pass it along to the organizations i work with. it seems the government here really has no clue (and many no compassion) on how to handle these sorta of situations. Example: one area did a spay/neuter and release, all those altered bunnies ended up getting killed by the non altered bunnies…. so that effort failed

[Monkeybun]

Theres been a couple incidents of rabbit hoarding here, and alot of bunnies are dumped at the local golf courses. The Rabbit Advocates, the rescue I help out with, is always getting calls about them. One rescue attempt at a golf course here resulted in over 750 rabbits removed from the site, not all of which survived due to injury or illness, but the remainder did find homes. Alot of fostering was done, so it relied on mostly volunteers. A few local vets also volunteered their services to help the poor things.

There was a hoarding problem that was taken to the courts, the lady that had the bunnies, 150 or so of them, was charged with animal neglect, and banned from owning an animal for 5 years, as well as 5 years probation. Stupid woman then broke into where the rabbits were being temporarily housed and stole back 100 of them. So.. she was then charged with 2nd degree criminal mischief and tampering of evidence.

Unfortunately, the rescue was just notified of another hoarder in salem, an hour away. 200 or so buns in this one.. poor babies.

[MarkBun]

I’d prefer that every news organization stated that rabbits don’t make good pets than to try and put a cavaet in saying you have to do research first – because we all know that 90% of americans do not read the instruction manuals for anything they get because they can figure it out.

Let those that really love rabbits realize that the news is wrong and let the clueless continue to think that if they adopt a rabbit, they’ll get rabbies.

[wiseleyd]

“Rabbits don’t make really good pets for those who do not want to spay or neuter, provide proper housing and food.”

[Cassi&Charlie]

Rabbits make awful pets! They’re evil if not spayed or neutered (IMO) and don’t obey orders, don’t love unconditionally, don’t like to be handled, will scratch if hugged.
My family cannot understand why I would love my rabbits as fiercely as I do…because they like dogs. They can’t see the value in a fragile, independent minded pet full of good (and bad) attitude. They, to me, will not make good rabbit slaves…and we all know that to love a rabbit, you must first become the rabbit slave 🙂
I wish that Australia would ban pet stores from selling pets. It’s terribly irresponsible to allow people to impulse buy a creature.

[Binkles]

Rabbits ARE terrible pets…if you treat them like pets. 

 

( LOVE this article, and I have to agree with Markbun about the ‘bad pets’ statement. It the easiest, most efficient, effective way of saying ‘stay away unless you mean business.’ )

[lashkay]

I fear saying “Rabbits make bad pets…if you treat them like pets” is going to encourage the using them chiefly for cruel experiments in laboratories, universities, and manufacturers places, of which the numbers are still staggering; using them as livestock in cramped cages with little human interaction except to monitor them for meat and fur; uncaring usage by men as come-ons to attract women; and all other manner of inhumane and uncaring usage. I don’t say that there aren’t caring and humane breeders who take good care of their animals within reason and breed for show, but even there, there are still those breeders who sell their baby rabbits who don’t measure up to show stock and injured rabbits, to snake owners for food for their reptiles. I refused to buy a rabbit from a breeder who I asked what they do with their rabbits that are undesirable for one reason or another and she said, “You’re not going to like hearing it…we give them away to a man who picks them up and uses them as food for his snakes.” Well, if she knew I’m not going to like hearing it, why does SHE TOLERATE herself doing to them what she does with them?
…I think a great slogan is critical. This needs to be carefully thought out and failure-proof to a high degree. It’s definitely worth our brainstorming. I fear rabbits’ reputation and image as cute and cuddlies that are NOT …as disappointedly discovered by impulse buyers who are not willing to invest true love for their rabbit and expect their rabbit to be a cute and cuddly living toy at their disposal is why they are confined to laboratories, etc.etc. It may be narcissistic for me to say so, but it takes a special loving, tolerant, patient person to have their love and affection reciprocated by a rabbit. A very unique population for a very unique pet. Ferrets are better off, because as cute and cuddly and affectionate as ferrets can be, they are carnivores and maybe for that reason are not the experiment animal of choice. When one thinks cute and cuddly one thinks: bunny, with its carrot. Let’s make sure magazines like RabbitUSA with their articles on affectionate rabbits in loving households don’t catch the attention of the idly curious impulse buyer who then thinks “…see, rabbits make great pets this magazine says, as well as we all know they’re cute and cuddly. Perfect. Let’s get one. It shouldn’t be too hard to care for and we can keep it in a little cage that won’t take up too much room. And it’ll be like having a living toy that doesn’t bark and we can hold and pet it all we like.” I fear this disastrous premise to buying a rabbit is all too typical. “A rabbit can make a unique pet, for those who are willing to be unique owners. Chances are, you don’t qualify, so give them the chance to be owned and appreciated by those who do.”

[lashkay]

I have thought this over and I have modified as the main thing I want to say to: “A rabbit can make a unique pet, for those select few caregivers who are willing to invest much time, patience, tolerance and unconditional love to the rabbit…the vast majority aren’t willing to make such an investment to this animal, so give a rabbit you intend to buy as a cute, live cuddly to pet and fondle, the chance instead to be properly cared for and fully appreciated by those who are willing to exact such an investment.” What do you think?

[RabbitPam]

I think what they’re looking for is a soundbite, so I basically agree with Mark.

If you can say something succinct, like “Rabbits are difficult pets” then it could work. Otherwise, word of mouth usually does the trick for getting good rabbit slaves to their rightful pet. And my family had the opposite reaction, after seeing me with my bunnies, they thought they make the BEST pets!

[lashkay]

Opposite of what? Your family is right on…they make the BEST pets…if RabbitPam and the denizens of the BinkyBunny Forum are the caregivers and owners. And countless other caring rabbit owners across the globe, granted. But that population such as yourself all invest time, patience, tolerance, and love that not every prospective owner has the least inclination to give as you do. My words were directed toward impulse buyers who are unprepared for the bunny who when it quickly becomes fearful of the owner’s wanting to suffocate it with hugs and petting responds the only way it knows how – by withdrawing, or if that doesn’t work, lunging and snapping. And the owner who hastily becomes disenchanted and detaches their affection for the bunny when its urine and defecation present an unwanted problem. And the upshot is that the cuddly little dirty bunny who isn’t cuddly afterall, gets driven to a park or golf course or left it on the steps of an overcrowded shelter. I personally pet and massage my bunny to a fare-thee-well but he pines for it and demands it of me because I indulge the bunny with unlimited patience and tolerance for its undesirable behavior and reward its good behavior such that it gives me almost nothing but good behavior and loves me for it and we have come to unconditionally love and respect one another. As I’m sure yours do.

I agree, it would be desirable to find a way to say it more concisely. For a soundbite. A challenge to be sure with the words I have chosen. But I agree it’s worth finding a way.

[Binkles]

Again, rabbits make GREAT pets as long as they’re not treated like pets. More like gods and godesses. (Or spoiled 2-year-olds)

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