Pets at home store's pet rabbit u/d a reply

Just been into pets at home (I know, I know, but they sell the vetbed I want), and seen that they have a very gorgeous pet rabbit in store (i.e. not for sale, store's pet).

I am not sure how I feel about this.

She has a clean, decent sized enclosure with plenty of hay and toys She is in the enclosure they used to use for selling giants, which they now appear to no longer sell

But

She is a solo bunny.
She gets no natural light.
Her enclosure has a glass wall for people to see in, but she doesn't appear to have any hidey holes.
It is not clear how much time (if any) she gets out of his enclosure and if she gets any time outside.

I am concerned. I think I will have to write and ask for clarification on her conditions.

This is NOT me Pets at Home bashing.

Have any of you come across a store with a "store pet"?

Yes Sue, I have. It wasn't a bunny though. It was a cat! I found this rather disturbing since it was a predator animal and there were all sort of prey animals for sale. He couldn't get to them of course, BUT, I cannot believe he didn't taunt them.

One of the new, young sales clerks told me that it was kept there to catch the mice and rats that escaped from their habitats! Talking about eating one's profit!

It can't do any harm to write and ask. It would be lovely to think he goes home with a caring and rabbit-savvy member of staff each night...

Sparky wrote:It can't do any harm to write and ask. It would be lovely to think he goes home with a caring and rabbit-savvy member of staff each night...

That is a lovely thought.

I've seen a shop with pet mice who were primarily used for breeding.

I just sent this:

I was in the Gateshead store today, and I noticed that the store has a (very beautiful!) "pet rabbit" who is not for sale and I just had a couple of questions about her.

Firstly, as I am sure you are aware, rabbits are sociable animals, and are happiest when they have the company of at least one of their own kind. I wondered if there were any plans to bond her with a male (perhaps one of the lovely guys from the adoption section?) as an example to future owners of good rabbit care?

I also noticed that she had a good sized enclosure, plenty of hay and a number of toys, but given the site of her enclosure, she would not get much natural light at all. Does she get chance to have time outside at all, and a chance to exercise outside of her pen?

Finally, as her enclosure has a glass wall, she is obviously very much on display, but from where I stood, I couldn't see any little "hidey holes", and I wondered if there might be any in a section of the pen that could not be seen from my position?

Do you think that's alright? In the interests of fairness, I also complimented them on the care they give their small animals, as in my experience they are always clean, with plenty of hay, water, fresh veg and toys.

I will let you know their response

sounds perfectly reasonable sue,
i hope they reply assuring that the rabbit in question goes home every evening with a caring humum or hudad

It sounds good!

I'm looking forward to hearing their response!

Just had the following reply:

Many thanks for your email and my apologies for the delay in coming back to you.

I have received comments from the store in relation to the rabbit you have mentioned below, the rabbit is called Stella and is a pet that the store has to educate children on how to keep pets during various workshops with schools and scout groups. Stella is out most days and always on a weekend where she has a harness so that she can walk around the store. She was brought up with a dog in a previous home so is very comfortable wandering around the store. The store have previously had a hide box in with Stella however she did not use it which is why it was removed.

I hope that answers your queries however in the meantime if you have any more questions please do not hesitate to contact myself or store.

When I lived in the midlands, I used to go to Stapeley Water Gardens. They had a pet shop bunny called Clint Easter Bunny; he was white and wore a blue collar.

Hugs

JO xx

hmmm...I'm not sure if that really answers your questions...Does Stella get any time actually outdoors? or just outside of her pen around the store?

I would reply and explain that while it is good that they are looking to educate people, one of the main problems is that people often do not understand that rabbits need company, and that you feel it would be beneficial for owners to understand the importance of having two neutered rabbits living together.

x

SarahJane wrote:I would reply and explain that while it is good that they are looking to educate people, one of the main problems is that people often do not understand that rabbits need company, and that you feel it would be beneficial for owners to understand the importance of having two neutered rabbits living together.

x

I agree with this. well done you for writing to them - on the whole it sounds like they are trying to do a good thing.

hi - I've seen this same rabbit and been concerned as well for the reasons you describe. I'm really glad that people are investigating this - if you want someone else to get involved as well drop me a PM but I won't fire off any emails since I've seen someone else is looking into it!!

We asked this question in a Lancashire Pets at Home store about did the large giant bunnies get any excercise and we were told they run round the store when it's shut supervised

This one is a permanent 'store rabbit' Maysie she lives alone in one of those glass tanks, although as Sue says it's a big one, but she is under those awful lights they have in there

This was in the store I'm talking about she had babies in with her and they said she had jumped out of her pen into the male bunnies and got herself pregnant but the funny thing was they were big babies as if Daddy was the same breed as Mummy, she was also in a huge glass fronted case and people with dogs were looking at her and you could see she was scared and kids were knocking on the glass.

That certain PAH store must have been so glad when Mike and I moved to North Yorkshire as we were always complaining

Personally I don't think dogs should be allowed in the stores as we have seen lads with big dogs laughing as their dogs try to get the rabbits, it's not funny

I find it really strange they allow dogs too with all the small furries, a lot of dogs haven't been socialised with small furries which is fair enough if the owners don't have them, but not so far in a shop like that.

I agree with the dogs thing, Humum has been in there when there has been a horrible yappy little mutt and all the small furries are horribly distressed (as was Humum, she hates shrill yappy dogs, and hates the owners that let them stand there and do it even more )

I don't really understand why they let dogs into the small furry areas.