Same old sad story :(

I know many of you have experienced this, but I didn't realise how upsetting it is until it happened to me.
My best mate lives with a girl who I've got to know well over the years and we're friends in our own right. About 4 months ago, she took on her neighbours buns when they emigrated. A brother and sister, gorgeous fawn mimi-lops, unknown age, not neutered, or vaccinated.
She has had buns before and I thought they were really lucky going to her. The first thing she did was seperate them, her brother got the girl, and she kept Oscar, the boy, who's gorgeous, but I did try and talk her into keeping them together, to no avail. Oscar has a small hutch and run, and use of the garden when they're at home.
I talked to her about vaccs and neutering when they were first there, and gave her the vets details that we use, as they are very clued up on buns.
Whenever I've been round, oscar is sat in his hutch, looking bored. She doesn't feed him veg, just a carrot, which he doesn't even eat. I presumed that she'd had him vaccinated at least, until today when i was round there, and she told me that Oscars sister had died over the week-end of Myxi Having met this gorgeous bun, I was really upset and got cross, and said i didn't expect adults to ignore information on Vaccs, and that this life could have been saved for the sake of £20 at most etc etc.

I asked her if Oscar was vaccinated, and he isn't. Not only that, he hasn't even been to see a vet in four months for even a check up. The people that had him before never took him to te vets. I'm so gutted that this doe was let down so badly, and that my friend only now has booked Oscar in for vaccs because his sister died I urged her to get a book and read about hoe to care for him properly, and get him a friend. They are out at work all day and this little guy is in a hutch the size of Bertie's summer house hutch, with a small run, bored and sexually frustrated, and I want to bunnynap him and bring him home.

Sorry for the rant, I think she thought I was taking things too seriously, and I feel really upset at her for being so inconsiderate to this lovely little fella's life and needs.

Any tips on how to help her help him?

that is very sad - i hate situations like that - must be very upsetting for you. I would be livid and very sad.

i understand how you feel. I let my best friend have one of jellys babies, bcus she was such an animal lover, adored my buns, very clued up etc. i just thought she would have the BEST home.

she died at 18 months old, she was in a small hutch, not vaccinated, fed muesli and unspayed.

i was happy to behin with and was giving her advice and in the end i lost with her, and i was in the car with my mum and i said 'i just wouldnt be suprised if she died soon'

and she did. a PM was never done but she didnt care for her properly.

its horrible

Try getting her to 'think Bunny'

What does she think Oscar feels like, alone much of the time when he is by nature a 'social' animal.

I can certainly understand how upset you are


Sometimes I just despair at some peoples inability to comprehend the needs of Pet Rabbits

Jay, thats awful for the bunnies . Its annoying that so many people are like this though. I have no help really, maybe print her loads and loads of phamplets off, and post them to her in her letter box

How cruel to seperate them, it sounds like she doesn't really want him, would she give him up?

I don't know Theo, she seemed to really want him, her husband works away, and she's always badgered him for a bun, I think that she hasn't had one since she was a child, and doesn't realise what needs doing. I'm seeing my mate today who lives there, so I'm gonna try and go a subvertive route.

Sometimes subvertive works best. Can you print some info off from the RWA to give them too?

Good luck.

Well, if she wants to give the bunny up let us know, it sounds to me like a novelty thing and now she is bored

i hope you work something out.

Oh how desperately sad. That poor doe, separated from her live's companion, no doubt left alone and bored to tears in a small hutch only to die of an evil, awful disease

As for your friend, sadly people tend to shut down and switch off when you push too hard, but on the other hand you want her t see how serious you are bout this. I'd offer to go with her to a vet's appointment or something, just so you can make sure she goes. The vet will no doubt bring up vaccs, neutering etc but the important thing is to get into her head that a rabbit is not 'just an animal' - they need companionship and social interaction as much as we do.

It's SO sad when people really want a bunny but don't look after him or her properly. I'm sure it's not that your friend doesn't care but she needs some serious educating bless her.

Poor Oscar, let's hope life improves for him.

RIP little doe

That is so sad - poor, poor bunsters. Yes, we've all heard stories before but it never gets any easier.

I really hope you can get through to her. Maybe you could offer to introduce her bun to Bertie and let her see how much more fulfilled buns can really be? So many people just don't realise how much they need.

Poor Oscar.

Thanks for your replies folks, That story SJ, I don't know how I'd have kept my temper in check, appauling

I've sent a book over and am going to see Oscar at the week-end. Will chat about vets etc and see how we go from there. I did think about him meeting Bertie Kathy, but as Oscars in unneutered, I don't wanna put Bertie at risk of a fight, so when (if) he gets done, I'll consider that then.
My buddy said that there's no way Oscars going anywhere, so I will have to gently encouraging, and persuasive!

I'm gonna do my best to make this little guys life better

i think the saying to them how would they feel if they were a rabbit is a good way to approach it. being lonely and bored for 23 hours a day etc. Also sexually frustrated if not neutered. poor thing. keep us posted!