Abused Classroom Rabbit

[Alice the Mini Lop]

So this might be a bit long but I feel so need to say it all to get a better handle on the situation. Everyday for three hours I go to a different school for math and science. At that school, there is a separate preschool that has a class rabbit. This rabbit is an eight year old, arthritic, unspayed female. She lives in a tiny wire bottom cage with little to no hay daily. She gets unlimited pellets (bad brand) and little to no vegetables (no leafy greens at all). She is left at the school every weekend and during the breaks and summer she is given to a random high schooler that is a part of program that lets them work with the kids. The high schooler doesn’t need to go through any checks at all before taking the rabbit. During the school year, the rabbit is either kept in her cage or in a “puppy play pen.” In this pen, the rabbit cannot even stretch out fully, as when she does, she touches all sides of the “pen.” I am in belief that the pen is smaller than the actual cage. The rabbit has sore-hocks and a large open sore on her tail. I have pointed both of these out but they both go untreated. This rabbit also has behavioral issues linked to fear. She thumps and grunts at any approaching human and bites when cornered. When let out of her cage (which is not done often) she runs around the classroom in an attempt to find different places to hide. She winces when people trap her in an area. I have started to come in to bring the rabbit some vegetables. I have done this once. The teachers hate me, even though I have been careful to never mention anything that makes them seem like bad rabbit owners. Today, they locked the classroom door and didn’t open it until I knocked 5 times over a period of 35 minutes (even though they expected me.) They then told me to just leave. I honestly have no idea what to do now. I am worried for this rabbit, but I can’t help it if i can’t keep coming into the classroom. Does anyone have any ideas on what I can or should do?

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Report this to a local humane official, IF that official will be cognizant of the rabbit needing medical treatment for the sore on her tail ?

Sounds shy of intentional abuse to allow this rabbit to be kept as a pre-school classroom decoration and not provide medical care for sore hocks & the open sore on her tail.

- This type of treatment for a dog or cat would not be tolerated. Perhaps the school will relinquish the unspayed female to a rescue group, and acquire a dog/cat as a classroom pet?

Can you contact a responsible rescue and humane officer that is closeby to the pre-school? Keep in mind that some humane officers are less-focused on rabbits as legitimate pets.

What kind of school mindset is oblivious to a rabbit's language, and disregards proper treatment.

 

[Alice the Mini Lop]

Report this to a local humane official, IF that official will be cognizant of the rabbit needing medical treatment for the sore on her tail ?

Sounds shy of intentional abuse to allow this rabbit to be kept as a pre-school classroom decoration and not provide medical care for sore hocks & the open sore on her tail.

- This type of treatment for a dog or cat would not be tolerated. Perhaps the school will relinquish the unspayed female to a rescue group, and acquire a dog/cat as a classroom pet?

Can you contact a responsible rescue and humane officer that is closeby to the pre-school? Keep in mind that some humane officers are less-focused on rabbits as legitimate pets.

What kind of school mindset is oblivious to a rabbit's language, and disregards proper treatment.

I will look into contacting the humane officers. My only concern with that is if it doesn’t work, I might not be able to do what I can for the rabbit anymore and her conditions will worsen. And about them giving up the rabbit, I doubt they would do that willingly. Though I believe the rabbit has never even been to the teacher’s house in the couple of years they have had her (she was already three when they got her), from what I hear the teacher doesn’t like to admit when she is wrong. It would be a matter of principle to her. I also doubt that they would get a cat or a dog, considering that they would not be able to keep it at the school like they do the rabbit (though the rabbit shouldn’t be kept like that either.)

 

[CharlieRae]

How old are you? Are you an adult that can raise hell?
Personally, I'd steal the rabbit, but I'm 30 years old & kind of an A-hole like that.
Has this teacher been reported to the principal? Or anybody?

 

[Preitler]

Hm, I don't know how it is where you live, how your animal protection laws are. Here it would be enough to tell any police officer that there is something going on against the law, the guy at the crosswalk in front of the school would do, it would then be his responsibility to get things moving, they must not ignore it, but better note his ID. That would be what I would do, since even your Identity would be protected.
But I recon there are some differences concerning law enforcment, so that might not apply to your situation.

 

[Alice the Mini Lop]

How old are you? Are you an adult that can raise hell?
Personally, I'd steal the rabbit, but I'm 30 years old & kind of an A-hole like that.
Has this teacher been reported to the principal? Or anybody?

No sadly I’m only a student at the school, and while my parents care about my rabbit, they tell me someone else’s rabbit isn’t my business, so I don’t think I’ll get any support there. And though I’ve considered taking the rabbit, I’m the only one who has shown concern for it, so they would know it is me. On that note, no the teachers have never been reported. And just yesterday, they told me to stop coming in so I honestly don’t even know how to help the rabbit at all anymore.

 

[Alice the Mini Lop]

Hm, I don't know how it is where you live, how your animal protection laws are. Here it would be enough to tell any police officer that there is something going on against the law, the guy at the crosswalk in front of the school would do, it would then be his responsibility to get things moving, they must not ignore it, but better note his ID. That would be what I would do, since even your Identity would be protected.
But I recon there are some differences concerning law enforcment, so that might not apply to your situation.

I live in Michigan and the animal laws concerning rabbits are pretty loose here. From what I could dig up, they are currently breaking two of them, but due to the nature of the laws, the teachers could escape punishment with a simple lie. The laws in question are the refusal of veterinary care and negligence to the point of harm. They could easily just say they were planning on taking the rabbit to the vet at some point. It would be their word against mine, and as teachers, they would be believed. Also, just yesterday they told me to stop coming in, so I can’t take any photos of the rabbit as proof that things were untreated. I also can’t come in to help it anymore due to this. So I’m at a loss for what to do.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

What about a local shelter that is savvy wrt rabbit care? Humane officers like Preitler mentioned are a good point.
A situation arose a few years ago and the humane society person told me; roof overhead, food, water - nothing the shelter personnel could do.
BUT you were one step ahead with researching Michigan cruelty to animal laws and legislation. And the bunny's sores.
Are you in contact with Rabbit Rescues near the school location?

Document everything you did, copy the laws and have in hand. Document that teachers are refusing to let you get help or properly attend to the bun with the injuries.

Contact FB groups or rabbit rescue groups near the school location. This bun needs vet care by the irresponsible teacher who has the pet.
Sadly, she's likely to say "so what" and get another when the current classroom bun dies. Is there a way to contact media sources in your town? I know, this puts you at exposure to all types of backlash or negative slams. -- Why it's very easy to be angry with humans. -- IF a dog was a classroom item, with sores on his tail, and not provided with medical care, there would be Outrage.

So the teacher is preventing a student from voicing a concern? Refusing assistance? Get those laws printed out and go to caring humane people. Do you have a media contact? I know of some Facebook individuals who could lend more publicity and exposure to the rabbit's lack of care at that education place.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Go with cameras to the location, and have a Get-Action Media person and humane official (someone with clout, sad to have to say that) knock on the door with you? Go with a group and see if you all are turned away? The downside of this is someone could break in and steal the rabbit, or the teacher just decides to do away with the classroom object. After all, in her mind, it's a rabbit not needing attention or medical care and she's the boss. What a horrible lesson she's passing on to the students there...

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Large open sore on her tail? - What town or city are you in? Are you able to mention the school? Dunno if RO has a way to send PM's to members like Facebook?

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Heaven knows, the world and society needs more humans like you who care, want the best for the 3rd-most popular pet or 3rd most surrendered pet to shelters, right behind cats and dogs.

 

[JetFalcon]

I think animal control should do something. My xbox friends sent animal control to my house as a joke, or were overly offended because I told them my male rabbit liked to hump my hand.

Some police guard person came to my house, saying people on xbox live claimed I had sex with rabbits. Just told them they must have misunderstood.

I mean they even come take reports over stupid people on xbox live.

 

[Laura stone]

This thread has had me in tears I really hope that poor bunny is rescued soon. Keep us updated

 

[Leo the Lop]

As soon as your parents found out there is a creature of any type, human or animal, being abused/tortured, it became their business as human beings!

 

[Lauren Kiernan]

Have you considered talking to the principal or administrator and maybe bring some printed Information on decent rabbit care?

 

[Alice the Mini Lop]

Large open sore on her tail? - What town or city are you in? Are you able to mention the school? Dunno if RO has a way to send PM's to members like Facebook?

I don’t have Facebook but I do have an instagram where I can name the school (I don’t feel comfortable naming it on a public forum even though I have never seen any creeps on here). It is @alicetheminilop . I will continue researching the laws and print out the ones I believe they have broken. Thanks for all of the advice so far.

 

[Alice the Mini Lop]

As soon as your parents found out there is a creature of any type, human or animal, being abused/tortured, it became their business as human beings!

I agree. Sadly my parents just don’t see it that way. Especially my dad, who says the rabbit was “probably only $20.” When saying something like this though I do feel it’s important to mention that my rabbit gets free roam of my room and all of the hay and greens she can eat (greens are limited so as to not over feed lol). So they aren’t entirely bad, just not sympathetic to other rabbits.

 

[Alice the Mini Lop]

I think animal control should do something. My xbox friends sent animal control to my house as a joke, or were overly offended because I told them my male rabbit liked to hump my hand.

Some police guard person came to my house, saying people on xbox live claimed I had sex with rabbits. Just told them they must have misunderstood.

I mean they even come take reports over stupid people on xbox live.

Wow that’s crazy that they came for that. And even crazier that your friends would call them for such a stupid reason.

I am thinking about contacting the humane officers and while I believe they would come, I don’t really know if they would do something about it. Michigan as a state tends to consider rabbits as less then dogs and cats. Though I guess them not doing anything might mean that I have been wrong about this. Honestly that scares me a bit; because then I would just be known as the crazy girl who unjustly attacks teachers.

 

[Alice the Mini Lop]

Have you considered talking to the principal or administrator and maybe bring some printed Information on decent rabbit care?

I don’t know the principal of the school very well, but I do know that the staff at the school is very close. I honestly think the principal would just give the teacher a slap on the wrist at best, and then the teacher could continue to neglect the bunny. If I can’t find a more ensured way to handle this though, I will contact him.

 

[Lauren Kiernan]

I don’t know the principal of the school very well, but I do know that the staff at the school is very close. I honestly think the principal would just give the teacher a slap on the wrist at best, and then the teacher could continue to neglect the bunny. If I can’t find a more ensured way to handle this though, I will contact him.

At least it would be something. Maybe you could frame it as going to him first before contacting animal rights authorities. Some simple changes would improve the rabbit's life.