how do shelters deal with agressive bunnies

[Laura]

Hi,

I have been here a few times with questions about my fosters.  I ended up having them for a few months because I wanted them neutered before going back to the shelter (because the shelter wouldn’t require them to be fixed before going to a home). So I raised the money and got them neutered.

Anyway, the problem is that I have an agressive one.  The momma had a litter of 3.  One is super sweet and loves to be petted.  One is the complete opposite, he bites and lunges.  The other is in the middle, good boy, but doesn’t like to be petted.

Here is my problem.  I have told the Humane Society about each bun.  Yesterday I asked them how they deal with agressive animals, and I didn’t get a straight answer.  So I offered that I could take him to a rabbit shelter (Rabbit Rodent Ferret in Seattle).  They thought that might be a good idea.

So tell me what are the chances of this guy getting into a home.  The advantage of taking him back to the Humane Society is that if someone is looking for a rabbit, they don’t have much to choose from and if the person adopting is properly informed of this little guy, he might be adopted.  At a rabbit shelter, well, people have so many other choices of nicer bunnies to pick from.

He was just neutered on 12/31, so the lack hormones over the next few months may calm him down.  But how much? I don’t think it will be enough to change his personality.  But, he does flop in his cage (isn’t that a sign of relaxation?), he does allow me to nose pet him.  Maybe if he had a friend he won’t be so agressive.

I am just worried about him, about all of them really.  Not sure if I can foster again.  I hate not knowing what kind of home they will go into. I don’t have a lot of faith in this particular Humane Society, they are not rabbit savy.  They are so great with their dogs and cats however.  I went to a dog training one night and I see the care and understand some of the employees have with the dogs (much more knowledge than I have for dogs). Too bad not all Humane Societies are run the same, I know some are very rabbit savy.

Thanks for your help.

Laura

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I think it all depends. Like if the shelter really deals with rabbits a lot-say a strict rabbit shelter-they may take extreme caution placing him. They may euth if they feel he’s a danger BUT i think most shelters and rescues realize a rabbit is not a doberman. If they don’t do a lot of rabbits they may just ‘whatever’ and not worry about it at all. I think it would totally depend on what the shelter is like.

[MarkBun]

I would say that you have a better chance at a rescue. Humane societies only like having animals that are people friendly. If they feel that the animal is too aggressive, they’ll just euthanize it. Some they will work with to try and socialize but there aren’t many rabbit saavy people working at the SPCA. But a rabbit rescue might be better. All the ‘aggressive’ rabbits at my rescue are complete bluffers when handled by an experienced rabbit person.

[Balefulregards]

It also helps if the Humane Society has a Rabbit savvy person in charge of the rabbits. The Ladies at my local SPCA were VERY rabbit savvy owners who not only screened the HECK out of the potential families and foster families, but did lots of follow up once Jackson was placed with us. I know that the rabbits there are rarely euthanized – these two ladies do lots of the hard fosters to re-socialize them or correct behaviors in their own homes.

While it isn’t a strictly no-kill shelter, I know Jackson had been there for a few months by the time he found us. Before these two women took over the rabbit section, they also did not require the rabbits to be spayed or neutered – Now EVERY rabbit adopted out is speutered before leaving.

But if the Humane Society doesn’t have a strong coordinator for the rabbits, it really is a toss up. If you are worried, I say go with the Rescue.

[TARM]

Be prepared for the rescue to have a wait list. It’s not a simple thing to find a rescue that has space. At my rescue our priority is to take in the rabbits who are in immediate danger of losing their lives. If we have to make a choice between an owner surrender and a rabbit who only has a couple of days left in a shelter…we’re going to save the shelter bunny.

As far as how shelters handle the rabbits…many shelters have network connections with other rescues, so chances are good that if you took the aggressive rabbit to the shelter and they couldn’t handle it they would send out a plea to rabbit specific rescues and one of them would most likely make room in that scenario.

Shelters that euthanize don’t do it because they want to. That’s a last resort.

Edited to add:  I just re-read your post and saw that you aren’t the owner, you are the foster…and in that case you don’t have a choice but to either give all of the rabbits back or adopt the one you’re worried about.  You could probably do that and then surrender the bunny to a rescue but adoption contracts, even from municipal shelters generally have a clause that you must return an adopted animal to them if you can’t keep it for any reason.

 

[Hedi]

One suggestion is to contact your local House Rabbit Society to see what they suggest or look online at http://www.rabbit.org. My local HRS manager took the time to work with me and even spent a lot of time between calls and emails making sure our rabbits at a Shelter over an hour from her HRS were being taken care of properly. HRS members definitely can be a huge help. And they dont mind helping you whether you are local to them or not. Heck..IVe even talked w/ the national HRS members and they were wonderful.

I used to volunteer at my local Humane Society and they didnt tolerate aggression in buns or other animals. But those that were aggressive at least 3 times a week we would get them out in a pen and just sit w/ them and let them eventually come to us and work from there socializing. Eventually the ones I dealt with got over their aggressiveness. They were aggressive because they were scared.

I know our Humane Society was very…uhm….lenient w/ rabbits. THey only accepted them because there were a few of us willing to “deal” with them. We were able to work with the rabbits as well saw fit and they would hold adoptions until we felt them were ready.

This biggest issue for you is to give the bunny back the way they are and risk them biting a shelter worker OR worse, adopt out and bite their adopter. Then they will come back to the shelter and will be much more likely to face euthenasia because of aggressiveness.

[Laura]

After the humane society wouldn’t give me any answers I offered to take him to a rabbit shelter and they said “okay, just let us know”.

They don’t deal with rabbits often, and are not rabbit savy. I have been trying to educate them, but it’s hard for one person, they need to hear it from others too.

This is my closest (an hour away) HRS: http://www.rabbitrodentferret.org/rabbitrodentferret.org/index.asp

[Sage Cat]

I’m very lucky to live so close to a fantastic HRS Rescue. They treat the more aggressive rabbits with such love and care that – as Marcus said – the rabbits turn out to be quite friendly in the hands of a trained rabbit person! They also go to great extent to make sure the potential adopters are well educated about bunnies before the can adopt.

However – as Tarm said – they can’t take rabbits unless they are in danger, because this rescue averages 130 rabbits at any time. That is a lot of rabbits! Instead the rescue will help people like you find a good home for the rabbit you are caring for.

It sounds like the Rescue would be better for you to get in touch with than continuing to deal with the Humane Society.

[Laura]

Here is a follow up on this very old post.

Agressive bun went to Rabbit Haven. I have visited him twice (hour and a half drive). He has bitten every employee and volunteer in contact with him. BUT he has a nice 2 story condo and separate play room. One employee spends a lot of time with him and “can see him change” before he bites. So if he is there forever it’s ok.

[jerseygirl]

It’s interesting to see this follow up.

Can you expand a little more on what the shelter worker sees before he bites or is this all you were told? I’m just interested to hear what the cues are.

[Laura]

Sorry I can’t, but I can ask her. She is super busy and may or may not get back to me.

They think his wiring is wrong in his head. I had him since he was 4 weeks old, so his biting is not as a result of abuse. Dosn’t matter if he is in his pen or out. Doesn’t matter who it is either.

[KatnipCrzy]

I wonder if a different environment- being a single bunny- could make a difference.  Have they tried to foster him to a different home to see how he reacts?

[Sarita]

Actually I used to help a rabbit rescue that put an aggressive bunny with another rabbit – it didn’t stop him biting people but he loved his girlfriend. Something to consider.

[jerseygirl]

Posted By Laura on 01/28/2011 02:58 PM
Sorry I can’t, but I can ask her. She is super busy and may or may not get back to me.

They think his wiring is wrong in his head. I had him since he was 4 weeks old, so his biting is not as a result of abuse. Dosn’t matter if he is in his pen or out. Doesn’t matter who it is either.

No need to go to any trouble. I was just curious.   It reminds me of another rabbit I know of that has episodes of aggression that come on.

 

[cactuspancake]

I just started volunteering at the rabbit shelter and they clicker train the “aggressive” bunnies and avoid triggering the behavior, for instance not putting your hand in the cage ever. Also my job is to clicker train the bunnies! XD I fell in love with all of them lol. This one rabbit got adopted three seperate times today lol people kept changing their minds about the wait times. I want to help the aggressive bunnies get adopted <3

[Laura]

She wrote me back! This is what she said: “I can tell when Calvin is on edge by his body language and the look in his eyes. The volunteers are not around him enough to pick up on this which is why they are scared of him. It feels like he reacts without warning but that is not true as I can feel the change in him. You just have to be in tune with the bunnies you are working with, especially difficult ones.”

OK, that probably doesn’t help you much.

@Katnip-they haven’t fostered him. He bit me a few times when he was with me, and bit many at the shelter.

[jerseygirl]

Thanks for that. : ) It does sound very similar to this other rabbit I mentioned. His owner picks up on the same things. Interestingly, he doesn’t attack his bonded mate but will attack other rabbits and people.
 

They think his wiring is wrong in his head. I had him since he was 4 weeks old, so his biting is not as a result of abuse.

It makes me wonder a little about the effects of E.C. (e. cuniculi) as that can have neurological effects. But from such a young age? I believe it can be passed from the mother in the womb (don’t quote me!) so they can have it from early age, just uncertain that neurological symptoms would present that young.
 

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