Violet Crumble
Active Member
Just joined the forum and I see this. lol. Not sure what to think but I give kudos the to mods and admin for allowing such good conversation.
I think Dixon has something here and is realistic in his/her views. Seems bright.
I suppose you could mince words forever but as one who has volunteered in a large metropolitan shelter for a few years and worked with major rescues in my area, been able to learn how it works, you'd be surprised how much a REPUTABLE breeder "selling" and a rescue adopting work very much the same way.
Someone gets paid. Rescues get free rabbits to sell (adopt) that are often already vet checked, and altered (or are altered afterwards for $50 by a charitable vet or agency) and they are sold for $75+ often the same day they are picked up for free from the shelter if they are already altered. Clearly, they made a $25 profit.
REPUTABLE breeders feed, play with, pay vet bills for two animals for 7 months to a year before they see offspring. Add on caring for the litter and parents for another 2 months and that is a LOT of money spent. Yet, a show exhibitor will often only charge $20 for a "pet" rabbit and as little as $60 for a rabbit that can win it's class in a national competition (like Westminster but for rabbits). I know both rescuers, pet owners, and show exhibitors and I have yet to meet any show exhibitor/breeder who made a dime off selling their rabbits. Most serious breeders spend thousands of $$ raising and showing their rabbits. No profit there - only losses (financially). Their only profit is bragging rights.
So, tit for tat.
And, yes, having temper tested, rehabbed, rescued, and worked tirelessly with literally tons of shelter rabbits, very few are good pet prospects. Doing adoption screenings I can say that even fewer potential adopters are good pet rabbit owner prospects.
eta: my apologies. I did not realize this topic was closed.
I think Dixon has something here and is realistic in his/her views. Seems bright.
I suppose you could mince words forever but as one who has volunteered in a large metropolitan shelter for a few years and worked with major rescues in my area, been able to learn how it works, you'd be surprised how much a REPUTABLE breeder "selling" and a rescue adopting work very much the same way.
Someone gets paid. Rescues get free rabbits to sell (adopt) that are often already vet checked, and altered (or are altered afterwards for $50 by a charitable vet or agency) and they are sold for $75+ often the same day they are picked up for free from the shelter if they are already altered. Clearly, they made a $25 profit.
REPUTABLE breeders feed, play with, pay vet bills for two animals for 7 months to a year before they see offspring. Add on caring for the litter and parents for another 2 months and that is a LOT of money spent. Yet, a show exhibitor will often only charge $20 for a "pet" rabbit and as little as $60 for a rabbit that can win it's class in a national competition (like Westminster but for rabbits). I know both rescuers, pet owners, and show exhibitors and I have yet to meet any show exhibitor/breeder who made a dime off selling their rabbits. Most serious breeders spend thousands of $$ raising and showing their rabbits. No profit there - only losses (financially). Their only profit is bragging rights.
So, tit for tat.
And, yes, having temper tested, rehabbed, rescued, and worked tirelessly with literally tons of shelter rabbits, very few are good pet prospects. Doing adoption screenings I can say that even fewer potential adopters are good pet rabbit owner prospects.
eta: my apologies. I did not realize this topic was closed.
