To Rescue or Not Advice

[MooseMouse]

Hey everyone

I am in a bit of a sticky situation and i just feel like i need to get it out there and talk about it with someone.

I just bought a house in November and shortly after moving in a found a very young bunny in my yard he let me pick him up and bring him into my home. It belly was completely bloated and all 4 paws frost bitten and swollen. Since then He has made a full recover and found a spot at a local rescue.

The troubling part i am looking for advise on is that i discovered where this little sweet heart came from. He came from my neighbours house.

They have at least 6 other rabbits in a small X pen outside surrounded by tires and trash. The rabbits are mixed breeds and genders not neutered, some are even missing chunks of their ears. They seem to be feeding these rabbits bread buns and granola bars. There is some hay but its all soggy outside and the water bowl is frozen so they just have the snow to eat I live in Alberta the weather gets to -30 easily here. Luckily spring is rolling around and lately is has been more like 5 degrees (Celsius). I have been sneakily throwing kibble over the fence lately but i think its come to a point i have to decide to rescue or forget.

My dilemma is i just moved here bought this house and don’t want to make enemies. If i talk to the neighbours about the behaviour and it goes sour then they would know for sure that i am the one who reports them. If i just report them it will also be obvious being the new people on the block. If i do nothing.. those buns could get worse or who knows..

Anyways i just needed somewhere to share this experience that i feel very lost in and would love to hear if anyone else has had similar situations or anything

[Wick & Fable]

I think a conversation is where to start. Now the rabbits, while in a bad space, it sounds like they are surviving and are not in imminent danger (like they will all die tomorrow due to a purposeful act). Maybe spend a day warming up to the neighbor and just get to know them, and then the next time around, just be curious about their rabbits. Learn about their understanding and that can help cater your approach to education.

Regarding reporting them, well, what is the consequence of them knowing it was you, and are you willing to accept that?

The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.

[MooseMouse]

Thank you for the sound advice you are right now that spring is coming around they are more likely to survive the cold nights.

I have already contacted a rescue not to report but to see if my city even considers rabbits to be under the protection of  the humane society. If they don’t then all of the worrying it moot and cant to anything really haha.

But yes maybe just monitoring and finding an opportunity to talk to them might be the more proper route

Oddly enough just posting the situation on here has already made me feel better about the situation lol guess when you just feel emotional about something you just gotta get it off your chest!

 

[bunnytowne]

Yes talk with them feel them out. Maybe they dont even want the bunnies. You never know

[DanaNM]

I agree that getting some more info is a great first step.

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[prince dorian the bun]

I would reach out to the rescue, they may have people who are better at intervening. I would also check with other neighbors about them. Trash in the yard and that level of neglect of the rabbits makes me think they may not be popular in the neighborhood and had issues before. But maybe you can at least get a feel of what type of people they are and what your best approach would be.

[MooseMouse]

Sometimes bad things happen to good buns.

Update: A conversation was had this afternoon it was very calm and the neighbours speak kindly and just seem to be of a different age of bunny treatment.. especially since the conversation started because they ran over their own lion head in front of my house and just scooped it up in a garbage bag like nothing..

I offered them hay and kibble if they ever need any and that bread and granola bars isn’t exactly healthy for rabbits. They nicely said they have enough hay apologized for the rabbits in my yard and carried on like losing a pet was nothing and i returned inside and cried for the little body.  I get a little emotional about furry companions.

So hopefully our conversation will at least spark some change and if not after what i saw today i think i will be prepared to accept the consequences of reporting the treatment

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Oh no, they just threw him/her away? Without a tear? I cannot imagine that you’d feel so little for a rabbit.

I’m crying with you here, while cuddling my bun 😥 Buns deserve so much better!

Any progress in the situation btw?

[MooseMouse]

Yes actually there has been progress!

Last friday another one escaped from the neighbours yard and i caught the little guy. On monday he was brought in to the animal rescue for some immediate vet care.  I will attach a picture of him if i can he is super cute and i am sure will get fostered in no time!

as for progress after the neighbours noticed i caught a 2nd one of their buns they put the remaining 4 all in one small cage together, i took a picture of it because i was almost at then end of my stick with this treatment. And then pooof a few days went by and they were gone. I am hoping they are in a better place now and not just a different location of the yard..

We are extending our fence line this weekend and building bunny access tunnel into it so that if any more do escape they can have access to water and hay in a safe “tunnel/containment area”.

Below is a picture the rescue centre took of the second one we rescued we called him Koopa for being such a Troopa !

[Ellie from The Netherlands]

Awww, what a beautiful boy! He seems quite tame and relaxed in these pics, I’m a bit surprised he’s so calm after being in such a horrible place.

[DanaNM]

Oh wow! Poor little guy, that’s so wonderful that you rescued him. I hope they other bunnies were taken to a shelter and not something worse.

 

. . . The answers provided in this discussion are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. Seek the advice of your veterinarian or a qualified behaviorist.  

[Hazel]

Ugh, this is so sad. I hope they are in a better place now, but I don’t have a good feeling about it. 🙁  Could you ask them what they did with the others?

I’m glad you were able to rescue the little boy. Poor thing, all those scars on his face and his ear. It makes me sick how some people treat their animals. Why even keep them if they don’t care about their well being?

[bunnytowne]

Awe poor little thing. Run over not even buried. Ouch. If they didnt want the buns they could have gotten a good home for them. Oo the one you rescued is adorable. Lucky bun.

[MooseMouse]

Talking to them has proven to be a bit difficult. Its a mulit generational home and I have spoken with the daughter who is about 20-30 years old. But she doesn’t seem to want anything to do with the bunnies she just says they are her fathers. Her father just ignores me.

At first Koopa was super scared he even screamed when i picked him up to bring him inside. (he was in rough shape) After we brought him inside he had a large dog kennel to sit in with a x-pen to come out into. The first 3 days he only hid in the back of the kennel but on day 3 he started to wander out and if you were very quiet and gentle you could pet his head and a little bit of his back but his hesitation could have just been because he was in pain.

The first bunny we rescued we called him Edmund was super friendly he wasn’t scared of our dog and would follow you around everywhere! It was like he was just so happy to be warm! (He was the one we found out in -20 weather) His paws were frost bitten so he walks funny in a cute way. I will attach a picture of that handsome little fella too.  I think Koopa and Edmund are going to make some Hoomins amazing partners after getting to know them they just became such lovable guys who just wanted pets

 

 

[bunnytowne]

Oh poor widdle bun bun. So scared. He will soon come to appreciate a warm clean home and good bunny food proper for the wee bunny tummies. You sound like you have loads of patience in waiting for the scared bunny to get settled into his much improved home.

The other bun seems to have taken to his new home and the dog.  Thats great. Its so sad the neighbors don’t seem to care to learn proper bunny care. Frustrating I am sure. Hopefully they wont be getting anymore bunnies

[Author]

Messages