shall i take the rabbit to the blue cross?

[eragon]

last year we brought a rabbit for the younger kids in the hope that they would take on the responsibiltiy for caring for another living thing.
They are 16 and 14 years old and really wanted a pet. Old enough you would think for such a responsibility.

however if we the parents stop reminding them for even one day to feed and give water or clean its home they dont do anything at all.

every time we have gone out for the day, they just dont bother with the rabbit.
I have threatened to take away the rabbit (who is a rather friendly sweet thing who loves attention and is a fab pet really and deserves better owners) many times.
Today his water bottle was dry again, after hubby and I went out for the day, and its the final straw.
we have spent a lot on money on this animals home and built a large run filled with tunnels, runs and chews, and our willow tree provides great chewing/eating for him. So we have tried to provide a great home, for him.

AIBU?

rabbitrehome will give you a list of the rabbit rescues in your local area.
If he's a sweet tempered rabbit he should find a home quickly.

I would be annoyed at the DC and give them some sort of punishment, what dogsmom said is a good idea!

OP what part of the country are you in? Maybe one of us could give your bunny a new home?

i agree with SlightlySuperiorPeasant i think that if you buy a pet for a child, then it really should be a pet that you, yourself are happy to care for. They are children, and you the adult are responsable for them- therefor you are responsable for any pets that you buy said children!

I wouldnt let my DCs have a hamster because i dont like am scared of them and wouldnt be able to care for it if they didnt!

poor little bunny, i think that you really need to show it the love and attention that it deserves.

And i dont think the bunny should be put down either and i AM a vegan so apparently i am allowed to express this opinion

I'm slightly disgusted by two teens who think it is OK to neglect an animal. What a pair of selfish self-centred little twats they must be. Rabbits need a lot water and can die of thirst quite quickly, but maybe they were hoping that was the outcome.
This poor rabbit needs rehoming and sharpish.

your children are not 4 and 6 years old! why do you let them get away with such cruelty?
poor rabbit

YABU to want to rehome and add to the overrun rescue centres. You and DH need to look after it, get it out of its cage every day, feed, water and take care of it. You are the adults.

Don't mean to be horrid but do you not think it's a little too easy to say "children are not looking after the pet so I will just palm it off somewhere, ooh let's try a shelter" then the problem is easily solved and you don't have to look after it.

Do you have any idea how much it costs to just keep an animal shelter running? Why do you think most staff are either on minimum wage or volunteers?

I know you are talking about a rabbit and not a dog but there is a poster in our local dogs home stating 60% of bred dogs will end up in a dogs home at some point in their lives :( and that's just dogs from breeders, think about all the "accidental" puppies/other animals.

I imagine that by you handing the bunny in you are not going to be setting up a direct debit to the shelter to cover the cost of it's care?

there are tens of thousands of rabbits in 'rescues' (some of which are not as nice as they sound) waiting for homes.

if you hand in your rabbit, do make a hefty donation. my four cost £150 a month to keep between them, so lets say £500 or £600? that should cover one rabbit for a year, if s/he isn't ill in that time and allowing for bulk purchasing of hay etc by the rescue.

please pass on to all your friends and contacts that rabbits are not suitable pets for children, teenagers, or busy adults. the ideal rabbit-carer is mature, well-off, loving, attentive and at home all the time.

rabbits should be kept in pairs or groups, ideally in sheds with runs, not hutches. they need insurance because medical bills are astoundingly high (think, thousands).

I would hit the fucking roof with a pair of 14 and 16 year olds if they weren't maintaining the basic level of care for a small helpless pet.

My 9 year old has had guinea pigs since her 9th birthday (she's 10 in 2 weeks) and she pets, feeds, waters them every day, rain, snow wind or shine. She keeps them regularly cleaned out too. I sometimes help her,but if I didn't it would still get done. She has looked after them so well we allowed her to rehome some rescue ones, one was pregnant and we have ended up with 10. So that's 10 guineas she cares for daily to a high standard.

If they were my dc they would be facing quite a serious punishment.

You would be unreasonable to rehome your pet. It sounds like it has a lovely, spacious home and if your teenagers forget to give water/food, then really it is not beyond your own ability to provide it with food/water.

If you rehome your pet, it may well end up in a poky hutch which is far worse than being in a run.

I would seriously consider adopting a second rabbit so it has a companion. A rabbit sancturary will advise you on thisl.

Sorry, I think you took it on and you have a responsibility to look after it.

The rescues are heaving at the moment with cuter, younger baby rabbits that they will still struggle to find homes for because people are stupid and don't neuter their animals and don't take responsibility for the ensuing pregnancy. If the children are neglecting it, then you need to take up where they are falling short to ensure that this bunny isn't living a substandard condition.

I know you want to make a point about them caring for it, but if they still don't give a toss, you took an animal on which has a lifespan of ten years, and it's shocking how many of them are in homes for a few months or a couple of years and then cast aside, yours will just be another on in hundreds of them, and that is a shame as it sounds like they are well set up with you (barring having a neutered companion).

I care for four rescue rabbits, and babies, and temporary fosters to keep rabbits at home rather than have them re-homed because people don't want to pay for bunny boarding, or if they are in hospital etc. Give me a shout if you need some advice regards the bunnies care, please reconsider rehoming it, that sends a poor message to your teens that you will take their mess and get rid of it when it gets too much for them. Personally, I would cut their privileges and care for the rabbit myself, and if they come back and show an interest, let them earn it back. Then ask them how it felt to be ignored and have nothing nice, and say "that's how you make your rabbit feel when you don't look after it, I couldn't stop feeding you or cleaning you, but can you imagine how much worse that would be?"

I'd be denying them drinks too, to see how they like it. And when they moan, remind them of that poor thirsty rabbit.

Where are you OP? Are you willing to look after it or ensure they do?
As an adult who agreed to let them have this pet you can't allow it to be PTS.

Eragon, sorry but I agree with the majority of the other posters. YWBU to rehome the rabbit; your children wanted it and it's your responsibility to care for it well if they fail in their duties. Plus, if they were my children there would be repercussions each time they didn't care for the rabbit; they should not be allowed to shirk their responsibilities, they are old enough to behave in a more mature and empathic manner. I think they need a big lesson on responsible pet ownership and to realise that a pet is for life, not just until the novelty wears off!

And it may be shocking, but in many cases pets like these are better off put down than the life some of them lead when they aren't cared for properly. If you give them away here, you have to be cautious as small pets end up as bait in illegal dog fighting rings.

It's best advised to go through a rehoming charity, but they are all bursting at the seams here, so much so they are shouting out constantly for foster carers.

A few rabbits, including one of mine, have just been let out to die in the wild because homes couldn't be found, they can't survive long as domestic pets don't have the correct skills and even wild bunnies are out to kill domestic bunnies, never mind cats and dogs and foxes.

I adopted a bunny with claws so long that she couldn't walk properly or dig (which is her favourite thing to do). Costs about six pounds to get the vet to do it, and to be honest she was so docile, any imbecile could have done it - took me two clipping sessions to get them down, and one more at the vets before she has normal claws.

The neglect I've heard about, and the lack of space in homes, sometimes it's kinder because they won't suffer the way half of these animals have being mistreated, even in loving homes, who can't be bothered with vet bills or proper care and attention.

It'd be better if people could take responsibility, educate themselves, neuter their pets and stop breeding though. But that doesn't happen. :(

I'm getting more and more pissed off with irresponsible owners. I can't bear mistreated animals, who trust us for their food and water and care and who sit patiently waiting for someone to give a tuppeny toss for their welfare.
Admittedly all my animals have the life of Riley - but that was the commitment I made when I got them.
Rabbits also die of boredom, so not only it is thirsty, it's going slowly insane with lack of companionship and interaction.
My piss is boiling.

sorry but i agree with many posters, if your kids aint caring for it and you dont like the thought of the rabbit going thirsty - then give it the care it needs. sorry if its abit harsh but if you would rather see it gone because you cant be bothered then it makes you as bad as your teenagers.

It's too often you hear the same ''kids lost interest, now im lumbered'' story.

yesterday i found a fairly new rabbit cage near the bushes in the field. water bottle, treat hanging... just hope some didnt dump it with a rabbit....maybe because their kids lost interest!

tbh i took on a rabbit from a rotten pet shop because of the state it was in - not knowing anything about rabbits. ive been non-stop googling, mumsnetting for advice and paying out for rabbit accessories to keep it healthy/happy. rather it was me taking her home then some one walking in with a 5yr going awwww....

When children want pets no matter how old they are the adults have to take responsibility for the animals if you don't want the responsibility don't buy the animal in the first place. I have had many rabbits over the years and love them but they are not cheap pets to keep properly and vets bills can be very high. I have spent £545 on one rabbit who had teeth problems then an absess his mate cost me £250 as she went into statis and was admitted to the vets only to die the next day. My most recent rabbit had flystrike so nursed him through that to discover he had cancer so was put to sleep this month not before costing me £165.
All my rabbits have been friendly but they seriously do not make good pets for children.
My Dd is 4 and she asked for guinea pigs which I have now got she will be involved with their care but ultimately they are my responsibility.

Did you make a decision, OP?

I can't believe you have let your children get away with that level of neglect. They should be thoroughly ashamed of themselves. Disgusts me how people mistreat animals then decide to dump them on charities.