Support & Advice

[meg1]

Can anyone please advise me?

I run a small animal charity rehoming bunnies. I adopted out a bunny over a year ago to someone who I thought was an excellent knowledgable bunny person. This person has since proved to be a nightmare with regards to caring for the bunny properly. I have had the usual authorities involved trying to get the bun back, but this individual is quite clever and manages to “dupe” the authorities each and every time they visit.

I have seen first hand the conditions and they are not adequate by any means. I have never had to “repossess” a bunny before and wondered if there’s anyone out there with adoption/charity experience who can advise me what is the best course of action? I’m unsure if legally I have any rights at all in trying to get the bun back?

Thanks All

[Sarita]

Did you have this person sign a contract stating that you had the right to take your rabbit back if they did not live up to the terms set up for adoption?

Also have you asked the person if they would be willing to give the rabbit back to you?

[meg1]

The person did sign an adoption form, but this whole situation has highlighted the fact that we haven’t covered all our bases. Nowhere on our form do any of the conditions state that we reserve the right to take our animal back. It covers things like providing veterinary care etc but nothing specific like reserving the right. I’m unsure if the person in question would be willing to return the bunnies. There is a well known reputation that they are a volatile animal hoarder in the area they live (not locally).

So not only have we left ourselves open to something like this, it is also a potentially risky situation on a personal safety front too.
I don’t know what to do. I have been told to write it off as experience and not make the same mistake again, which I won’t. However if I do that I’m abandoning the bun to God know’s what kind of life. As all the relevant authorities have let him down, I can’t just leave him.

[Sarita]

Even if the conditions state that you would have the burden of proof before you could just seize the animal.

I guess my best recommendation is to consult a lawyer on your current situation and then ask them to help you fine tune your current contract and adoption form.

I imagine the authorities are facing the burden of proof as well – it’s not a matter of them letting the rabbit down. Have you seen for yourself the conditions these people live in?

[Beka27]

I don’t know what to recommend in this situation. I hate to suggest that there may be nothing you can do besides legal action, and I am concerned for this bunny (and any other animals that may be in harm’s way!) but I do hope you can take this opportunity to tweak your current adoption contract to prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future.

Another Forum Leader had a rescue a year or two ago, and she had an issue with a foster rabbit basically being starved. She was able to get the bunny back and rehabilitate him. That was a slightly different situation tho since the rabbit was a foster…

Are you comfortable telling us more info about the conditions and what specifically concerns you? Was there a clause in the contract regarding housing and diet?

[Deleted User]

I would try to get on the adopter’s good side for the bunny’s sake. Offer things to them such as hay etc. as if you just wanted to help out and reconcile. Then, once they trust you again, offer a free vet visit or nail trimming or boarding or whatever and use this occasion to assess the bunny’s condition. Then you physically have the bunny and can go from there. The rescue I volunteered for repossessed a rabbit similarly.

[Author]

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