Buying vs. Adopting

[truvy]

As much as I believe in adopting from shelters, I feel like with animals in general, its the whole "chicken or the egg" thing. Pet stores will always supply pets, people will always give up their animals (resulting in a forever supply of shelter animals), breeders will always breed, and people will always own pets. That probably won't change. So yes, you can go adopt a bunny, but either way, the bunnies are living in a cage until someone rescues them. The only problem I have with pet stores is the abuse that goes on behind the curtain. If you've ever seen those videos of the people who "raise" the baby animals before they go to certain stores, I'm sure you were horrified. For that reason, I don't agree with pet store animals. But, no matter where an animal came from, it always has the potential to end up homeless or dead. It's up to the owner to save that animal, no matter where it came from. But obviously, the shelter animal will be euthanized first, so if you're looking for a specific order in which to save the animals, go to the shelter first.

 

[buns2luv]

"buying" (adopting) from a shelter and paying say $75 is actually paying for their spay/neuter as shelters get them s/n before adopting them out.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Pipp wrote:

Yes, the MAJOR difference is that a rescue bunny will be speyed/neutered, and this will stem the flow of unwanted rabbits.  The rescue rabbits also have a better chance of being healthy and socialized.

I am not sure how this will come across in text, so I just want you to know that I am only curious and don't mean to be condescending. Why do you feel that rescue rabbits have the highest chance of being healthy and socialized? And which group(s) of rabbits are you comparing them to?

 

[Watermelons]

buns2luv wrote:

"buying" (adopting) from a shelter and paying say $75 is actually paying for their spay/neuter as shelters get them s/n before adopting them out.

But rescues have deals with clinics, they dont pay what we pay, it might cost them all of 20$ to get a bunny fixed, if that, sometimes its free because its such a small animal, but this leads back to what I said, its not the best job. You get what you pay for. Another reason I would rather adopt an un-fixed animal so I know the job gets done properly.

 

[buns2luv]

We foster for a rescue and bring in lots of rescue buns to be neutered. It costs $200 to $400 around here to s/n a bunny. I have seen the bills each time we s/n a rescue bun and it is close to the adoption fee they charge.

 

[Marrie]

I know plenty of rescues that don't have deals with clinics on vet fees - they just aren't big enough for the clinics to want to enter business with. Some of them pay hundreds for vet care on an animal, then adopt them out for a fraction of the cost. Humane societies typically have low-cost spay/neuter and some shelters/rescues have deals that let vet med students do them for practice, but not all of them have that resource, especially not for exotics.

I know one lady in England who runs a rescue out of her home. She pays full price vet care and rehomes for free once they are healthy. If they are disabled or special needs and she doesn't find a home that can take care of them, she keeps them.

The rescue near me takes a loss on every rabbit adopted out - so does the shelter. But they don't care. Neither practices euthanasia on their rabbits either, though. And both have pretty low adoption fees.

But I will agree I don't really like the "low cost" spay/neuters either, my grandmother had to go that route for her dogs, there was a lot more worry and after-surgery care.

My area is thankfully cheaper for exotics care than most - $95 for a neuter, from a vet I trust.

 

[slavetoabunny]

Watermelons wrote:

buns2luv wrote:

"buying" (adopting) from a shelter and paying say $75 is actually paying for their spay/neuter as shelters get them s/n before adopting them out.

But rescues have deals with clinics, they dont pay what we pay, it might cost them all of 20$ to get a bunny fixed, if that, sometimes its free because its such a small animal, but this leads back to what I said, its not the best job. You get what you pay for. Another reason I would rather adopt an un-fixed animal so I know the job gets done properly.

"We do have a rescue rate with a vet clinic and we pay $65. Our adoption fee is only $55, so we actually lose money. Of course, we aren't in this for the money. I should also add that this is the best rabbit vet in town. I bring my own pet rabbits there. Just because the vet discounts for rescues doesn't mean you receive substandard care.

 

[buns2luv]

And the additional $ from the adoption fees gets kept for all the ill/injured bunnies. We just took one into rescue that needed it's rear leg amputated.

 

[annaszeus]

that is another reason I got my Zeus. I firmly believe in adoption and rescue and sorry but the poor baby sitting alone in a small cage on top of everything. I couldn't resist. The lady brought him back saying she didn't realize how much of a responsibility it was to take care of a rabbit. I mean come on. She honestly didn't need a pet to begin with.

 

[Yield]

[align=center]I have experienced my fair share of rabbits from shelters, and I have to say most of them are very great.

I also try to support adoption as much as possible. I usually get on a rant about rabbits and adoption to people and they're like ":rollseyes"

I mean, my three rabbits ranged from 20-35 bucks, and they came spayed/neutered. They haven't had problems aside from my own mistakes, and they're all pretty friendly.

I don't think I'll ever buy from a breeder (not because I do not like them, just because I don't really care about breed, only saving them and all.) I enjoy the feeling of rescuing rabbits. And they come fixed. That's probably one of the biggest things for me. I don't want any unspayed/unneutered bunnies. XD

Nobody take offense to this post. All my posts always come out offensive when I don't mean it that way

 

[TinysMom]

Katmais_mommy wrote:

SO sorry for the rant. This was just an opinion so please respect it and feel free to disagreeI'll respect your opinion too I'm sorry in advance if I have offended anyone, because it wasnt my intent.I truly love everyone on here and I've always appreciated everyone's advice on my posted topics. :biggrin:

I've somewhat enjoyed this discussion - but something that I think is funny is that folks will often say they'd never go to a breeder to get a rabbit....yet they seem to think nothing of coming on here and going to the rabbitry area and getting advice / input from the breeders on here.

:biggrin2:

I haven't gone through the list of names on here or anything like that to see whose gone to the rabbitry....

I just think its...interesting. I'll leave it at that.

Oh wait - that reminds me - I have some rabbits here that I "rescued" from the feed store because they were adopted rabbits that were dropped off...

Anyone want one?

:big wink:

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

buns2luv wrote:

And the additional $ from the adoption fees gets kept for all the ill/injured bunnies.

Similar to a shelter or rescue, reputable breeders aren't in it for the money either. Proper care of rabbits is expensive, I'm sure everyone here can attest to that!

Although rabbits are not generally spayed or neutered coming from a breeder, the money doesn't exactly go to a new iPod or a new car. The money from sales goes straight back into purchasing feed and equipment for the rabbitry. Actually, in most cases the rates are very low and don't recover the cost and time put into raising the rabbit.

The only reason I charge for my rabbits is, number one, so that I do have that extra little bit to put back into the care of my rabbits. But also because charging a sale/adoption fee separates the serious inquiries from the others. Anyone could decide they're interested in a free bunny, and they may even be a great home that treats the rabbits well. But usually anything with a free or low cost is not taken quite as seriously, so it may not be a lifelong or lasting situation, no matter how good the inquiry sounds.

In addition to that, many rescues and shelters do get pretty good rates for spaying/neutering if they have a working relationship with a local vet (prices around here are $200+). I don't really have that connection with a vet, nor do we really have a local rabbit savvy vet. So although I recommend spaying or neutering for pets, it's the choice of the new owner.

In reality, there are very few differences between reputable animal placement facilities (either shelters or rescues) and reputable breeders. We all have the same goal: responsible rabbit ownership. And we all just do our best to recoop some of our costs so that we can continue to improve the rabbit community.

 

[Happi Bun]

There is a big difference in the sense shelters and rescue want to stop adding to the already overpopulated numbers (hence the spaying/neutering before adoption) while breeders create more. However, I'm a firm believer that REPUTABLE breeders do not add to overpopulation. Irresponsible/Backyard breeders do, pet owners wanting cute babies or 'just one litter' fall into the category to me.

I have adopted three rabbits;

• Dunkin - From a friend who rescued him
• Amber - From a rabbit rescue
• Penny (RIP) - From a rabbit rescue

And I have purchased three rabbits;

• Dewey (RIP) - From a supposedly 'Responsible breeder' who turned out to be crap
• Felix - Was a breeder cull due to his color, was close to being snake food
• Rizzo - From a family who's daughter thought it was okay to put bunnies together

Sadly I have yet to meet a breeder in person that I believe to be reputable and responsible. I have had one bad experience with a rabbit rescue and countless with breeders. These are just my experiences. Pet Stores are a BIG TIME taboo to me these days. Needless to say any other bunny additions to our family will be from a rescue or shelter. Like other members, I like the feeling of saving a life because even if it's from a rescue, the now open spot of the bunny you adopted will be re-filled with a rescued bun.

:bunny24

 

[Nela]

I'm going to take a beating...

I take bunnies home because they 'feel right'. To be honest, I have bought from pet stores, adopted, bough from breeders, rescued myself, etc.

I agree that there are tons of bunnies in shelters and I agree that they need homes. I think, for me, when I check a shelter, I am looking for that particular rabbit that has been there for a long time and that no one seems to want to take home. I especially appreciate the difficulty in finding someone for a special needs rabbit. I think, that is mainly what I look for.

However, I wouldn't scold anyone for buying a bunny in a pet store. I think many pet stores have gotten a terrible undeserved reputation. Many owners truly love animals. I just wish they would do more to educate themselves and their customers. Some do and I have no shame in encouraging those businesses to grow. In any case, wherever the bunny is, the bunny needs a home.

I find it a bit sucky to deny a bun a chance at a good home because we don't want to encourage the pet store to be honest. It's hard for me to walk away, knowing what may happen. In fact, oftentimes, I feel more compelled to help the bunny at the pet store because I KNOW that that bunny is more likely to end up neglected and abandoned shortly after. The bunnies in the shelters, though not thrilled, are relatively safe. They've already lived that nasty experience and luckily they have fallen into the hands of people who care about them and who will work at getting them good homes. Normally, they are well fed, are indoors, and are quite loved by all the volunteers. Am I saying they should be left there? No of course not. However, I really wouldn't bash anyone for buying from a pet store. I would of course warn about the possible health issues that may come up. The risks of buying from a place that doesn't know what to look for, etc.

I also understand wanting to get a rabbit from a place where you can know of the bun's history. A proper breeder can offer that. A pet store and a shelter cannot. A proper breeder deserves to have their work recognized. A proper breeder strives to be the one selling rabbits, not pet stores so that buns aren't abandoned in shelters. Many of those breeders even offer to take bunnies back if owners change their minds along the way. A proper breeder strives to improve the breed and improve the overall health of a rabbit to the best of their abilities.

In the end, I am one of those who simply will not walk away from a rabbit because he or she is not in the 'right' place. The bun never got to pick where he or she ended up and I think it's just unfair to the bun. Call me silly but that's how I feel it in my heart.

Look when I got Ashlynn. I loved that lil girl from the moment I laid eyes on her. I knew I had to have her. I knew that she was the typical adorable rabbit that would quickly find a home, most likely as an impulse purchase. Sadly, she died a few days after I got her. I could cry and get angry and say never again, but in my heart, I know she didn't die alone. Even in the brief time that I had her, I loved her as much as I could love her. She passed with Smores by her side. She could have died alone but she didn't.

I'm pro adopting. I am. The first thing I suggest is for soemone to look in a shelter. I've adopted and rescued and I know that rewarding feeling and you can clearly see how life-changing it is for the bunny involved. There's no doubt about that.

However, if someone looks into a bunny's eyes and feels the need to take that particular one home, whether s/he be at a pet store, breeder,fair, etc. I have no problem with that. Whether you save a rabbit from the shelter by taken it from there or adopting it before it gets there makes no difference to me. In fact, it saves that bun the nasty experience of being neglected and abandoned.

Just know that if you adopt a bun, especially from places where they don't know or maybe even not care about what they are doing, you may be taking in more than just a bun as s/he may come with health/behaviour issues. I think in the end, that's what matters most. Knowing that it is possible and be willing to deal with it, for the sake of the bun. Not everyone can, and not everyone will.

So whilst we argue about the 'right' thing to do, let's not forget that in the end, any bun is a potential bun in need. No bun has a say in where he or she is at when you come along. You may be that bun's only chance at a happy home for quite some time. I wouldn't have the heart to explainwhy Ishould only adopt from the shelterto the bun staring back at me. That's what happens when my heart speaks louder than my head.

 

[JadeIcing]

Watermelons wrote:

buns2luv wrote:

"buying" (adopting) from a shelter and paying say $75 is actually paying for their spay/neuter as shelters get them s/n before adopting them out.

But rescues have deals with clinics, they dont pay what we pay, it might cost them all of 20$ to get a bunny fixed, if that, sometimes its free because its such a small animal, but this leads back to what I said, its not the best job. You get what you pay for. Another reason I would rather adopt an un-fixed animal so I know the job gets done properly.

I wish right now our rescue pays $84 for a neuter $87 for a spay. We charge $75 for an adoption fee.... Our adoption fee does not cover the full cost. Donations are VERY low.

Yes some places may luck out with paying a lower cost but not all.

 

[JadeIcing]

Ok so here is my take. I am very much about the individual rabbit but can I get a rabbit from a breeder? No not even from a good breeder. Why because the good breeders that I would look for I know will be responsible in who they let the rabbit go to.

Now a store? Can't say I won't do that again. Ringo, Connor, Elvis(someone dumped him there) and Wyatt are from a store. Ringo and Connor have had health issues. Ringo most of you know his health history. I always wonder about the rest of his litter. One baby in paticular. I wish I had taken them both.

Why because unlike the good breeder these bunnies are not as lucky. Yes some stores may do right by them but not all. So these bunnies are ones that I would buy for myself but not for the rescue. These are bunnies that would be mine.

Now do I go to breeders to ask questions? Yes because I respect the breeders I go to. Do I go to rabbit shows? Yes because I respect good breeders. Just because I respect you doesn't mean I have to buy from you.



Recap:

Adopting would be my first choice.

Buying from a store.... Depends the bunny because I don't believe smaller stores will ever stop selling bunnies. Why because so many still sell dogs.

Buying from a good breeder.... No because I know that this breeder will be selective in where the bunny goes.

Buying from a bad breeder... Never

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

Happi Bun wrote:

There is a big difference in the sense shelters and rescue want to stop adding to the already overpopulated numbers (hence the spaying/neutering before adoption) while breeders create more. However, I'm a firm believer that REPUTABLE breeders do not add to overpopulation.

Reputable breeders also want to stop adding to the overpopulation though. That's what makes each business no different from another. Breeders take great care in either placing their rabbits with good homes within the breeding community (yes, we screen breeders before selling to them too) as well as pet homes that will not use the rabbits for nondiscriminatory breeding. If neither of those outlets are possible, then the rabbits are often humanely euthanized to provide nutrition for other animals. So like you said, breeders aren't adding to the overpopulation. Even though they may be breeding their rabbits, very few (if any) of those will ever see a shelter or rescue. It could happen, but it could also happen that a rabbit that was adopted from a shelter ends up back in a shelter. All we can do is try our best to find the best homes we can!

 

[dainerra]

the only problem with buying from stores is that it encourages the "bad" breeders. It's the same with dogs. A responsible breeder wants to know and approve of the homes that their babies go to. When you turn them over to a pet store, the animal will go to the first person who hands over the $$.
When you purchase one of those bunnies from a pet store, you might be saving that particular bunny. But you are also encouraging the store to sell even more bunnies in the future. The breeder will get a call from the pet store and then buy and breed more bunnies. So, instead of saving one bunny, you (generic you) are insuring that there will be a dozen more bred to take its place.

 

[undergunfire]

I am always okay with a REPUTABLE breeder for ANY animal - and we always have different views on what is reputable to each of us. However, I'd prefer to adopt a rescue animal before purchasing one from a breeder.

Of all of the pets I love and the ones I have loved & lost, only 3 of them were from breeders....and all 3 were rabbits. Those rabbits were "culls" and may have otherwise ended up who-knows-where. I don't regret getting them. Will I get a rabbit from a breeder in the future? I highly doubt it, because I've learned that adopted/rescue rabbits are much closer to my heart. I don't plan to breed or show rabbits, so I am very open to the selection (and there are hundreds) of adoptable rabbits from rescues.

My kitties, rats (RIP), and dog are all from a rescue.

However, I'm hoping my next dog will be a Standard Poodle. I'll look in rescues first, but I'm preparing to find a reputable show breeder. I wouldn't mind spending $2k+ on a puppy (even though I'd prefer a retired adult). Why? Because I am looking to have a Std. Poodle for competition grooming (which I hope to do with my future). I need a dog that I know will have good temperament, health, coat type, and body type. This will be years of planning to find the right breeder (I've already been looking around for a year). I'd need to be completely comfortable with a breeder before I'd get one from them.

 

[hexi99]

i really cant say which is better or worse. it depends on the situation. for example i have a rabbit here named eclypse. my friend and i both wanted to get rabbits. she being a first time rabbit owner and i wanting to get another after i had lost my other two. neither of us can adopt from the local shelter because we turned them in on several occasions for people working there mistreating animals. so she and i placed an ad looking for a rabbit that some one needed to give up for whatever reason. we got an email a short time later from a breeder of holland lops. i had a lop when i was younger and i loved her to pieces she was mellow and funny. my friend lives farther away from this breeder then i do and seeing as i have had rabbits most of my life she asked that i go check out the place and talk to the breeder. as soon as i pulled into the drive way the breeder met me and showed me to where he kept his rabbits. he had been breeding and showing lops (holland and french) for many years.he had a lovely set up very clean all rabbit looked well cared for. he gave me a tour and a chance to meet several of his rabbit. they were all tame and when he would walk by they would rush to greet him. then he told me the story of eclypse. she was the pick of the litter and he held her back to show her and she did great for him. there was an accident and she ended up breaking a leg. he spent hundreds getting it fixed. the leg healed nice but was not lining up straight enough for a show so he decided he would find a good home for her. he asked me lots of questions which i was happy to answer and i asked him several. i spend over an hour there getting to know her before i took her. i called my friend back talked to her explained it all and she decided she would take her.well i have been taking care of eclypse for my friend as they had to move and she didnt want to take her before the move and stress her out. in my opinion the breeder that eclypse came from was a good person. he didnt breed to make money. he spent hundreds to fix her leg and only asked a 15 dollar fee because he didnt feel giving a rabbit away was a good thing. he said that if somebody wanted a rabbit they would be willing to give something back to the breeders so he could put it back into his herd and he felt that if somebody is willing to pay a fee they are less likely to abuse or dump a rabbit off somewhere.he also said if for some reason at anytime in her life it didnt work he would take her back. in my honest opinion he is a good breeder. i have had bad experiences with breeders in the dog world but my one rabbit breeder experience i had was wonderful. do i think all breeders are that way no,but i want to be fair and believe that not all are bad either. would i adopt a rabbit from a shelter/rescue sure,but i would expect the shelter/rescue to live up to my expectations. i have seen places that are excellant and a few that are not good just like breeders can be. i think it depends on a persons choice to get from a good breeder or a shelter. not all of us have the option to get from a shelter because they are to far or they arent a good place. i also think the word rescue can be many things.. for example my mini lop jack sparrow. the people that had him thought he was ugly and worthless and were going to dump him in the woods. another friend of mine picked jack up for me because if he wasnt picked up by a certain time he was going to be let go. when she got him she discovered his bottom teeth grown up basically into his nose and the top ones were so over grown they were cutting into his mouth and tongue. so she trimmed his teeth and fed him. to me that is a rescue. i dont think you have to be an offical shelter/rescue place to rescue a rabbit or any animal. i also have a couple small birds that were neglected and dumped at our local petco to be adopted out. i decided to take them because if they stayed there they wouldnt be talked to or get out of cage time. they charge adoption fees there as well and have you fill out a form. on occasion they will have a rabbit they host from the local shelter and help get it adopted. i think thats great because it makes people think different about shelters and pet stores.
sorry for babbling and this is a good topic glad to see people can respect each other and their opinions not all forums are like this one trust me.