Champaign, IL: Scary add on Craigslist, these rabbits need help

[gentle giants]

A girl thathas been emailing me about one of my rescues sent me a link to an add she saw on Craigslist. There are twenty rabbits, and they are wanting to sell them. Some of them look fairly healthy, but the surroundings are bad. I have no idea what to do. They are selling them for something like $5-10 each, with discounts if you buy more than one. I can't go buy any of these guys, i would only be able to take one or two, and I can't afford to buy them anyway. Please don't send angry emails to this person, as it could make it impossible for anyone on here to get ahold of the person.

This is in the Champaign, IL area, BTW. I am hoping someone here will know what could be done, I am almost afraid to call whatever shelter is closest for fear they would be put to sleep.

http://chambana.craigslist.org/pet/419126535.html

 

[undergunfire]

To be honest, I would call a shelter or the ASPCA or something to have them go and check it out.

If they are selling them for cheap, people could buy them for snake food. People could also come by and buy them and have them sit in a backyard hutch with poor care for the rest of their lives. They could also wind up at the shelter being euthanized.

To be honest again, I would much prefer them to be humanely euthanized than end up inside a snake or a backyard hutch with poor care.



But, let's just hope some rabbit people can step up and help out the situation :?.

 

[pla725]

Looks like a hoarding situation to me. The rabbits don't look like they are in good shape.

Better pics at this link:

http://www.freewebs.com/ibtcb2/centralillinoisrabbits.htm

 

[gentle giants]

I emailed Red Door about it, we'll see if they respond or not. I just really cringe about this, if I coud take any I would, but it's not liek I can afford to go buy any, even ifI had space.

 

[Pipp]

gentle giants wrote:

...They are selling them for something like $5-10 each, with discounts if you buy more than one. I can't go buy any of these guys, i would only be able to take one or two, and I can't afford to buy them anyway...

First question for me is are they spayed/neutered? I wouldn't pay for a bunny, ever, unless the money was going to cover incurred vet bills (or it was a currently operating rescue org).

I agree that this sounds like a 'rescuer/hoarder' with a heart bigger than their resources (or their brain). I doubt they'll argue much re: giving them up to a confirmable rescue situation for no fee.

undergunfire wrote:

To be honest again, I would much prefer them to be humanely euthanized than end up inside a snake or a backyard hutch with poor care.

:shock: If somebodythought that here, Dill would be dead! (And Darry, Sugar and Sekura!)

They were in this shedfora couple of years...

 

[undergunfire]

Pipp wrote:

undergunfire wrote:

To be honest again, I would much prefer them to be humanely euthanized than end up inside a snake or a backyard hutch with poor care.

:shock: If somebodythought that here, Dill would be dead! (And Darry, Sugar and Sekura!)

They were in this shedfora couple of years...

I wasn't trying to be harsh when I said that :?. If no one came along to rescue them, they still probably would have been sitting in those cages.

I mean...I would much prefer the shelter or the ASPCA to get involved and see what they can offer the bunnies....rather they end up living a horrid life somewhere.

Do I make sence? I really didn't mean to say that they shouldn't be given a chance.

 

[gentle giants]

It doesn't say that any of them are neutered or spayed, some are obviously to young. It does say that some are littertrained, which surprised me. The cages kinda make me cringe, thay are all bent up and rusty looking. I don't know what to think. They don't look underfed, and some probably look bad because they are molting, but still, a bad situation.

 

[tonyshuman]

i agree. doesn't look like humane conditions to me. see that one with all the poop just piled up in a gross mushy mess in the corner? def try to get animal control involved.

 

[pla725]

If you look closer it looks like the person is using regular crystal-type cat litter. It looks like it has been cleaned in a while. This screams for the SPCA or Humane Society to step in and take these rabbits.

 

[Pipp]

undergunfire wrote:

I wasn't trying to be harsh when I said that :?. If no one came along to rescue them, they still probably would have been sitting in those cages.

I mean...I would much prefer the shelter or the ASPCA to get involved and see what they can offer the bunnies....rather they end up living a horrid life somewhere.

Do I make sence? I really didn't mean to say that they shouldn't be given a chance.

Yeah, but when do you determine that they'll never get a chance? I agree with the snake part, but you never know when somebody's going to come along and give them the best life on the planetfor the rest of their years.

And as for the disaparaging remarks being made about these bunnies' conditions, don't lose sight of the fact that THIS IS AN AD ASKING FOR HELP!

If you read it, it indicates they are not the original property of the person placing the ad, this person is stepping in to help! To call the Humane Society or vilify them in anyway means that maybe the next personWON'T try and help. Then you'll have a 'freesnake food' ad in the local feed store that no one else will ever see,just to avoid being make out to be the devil.

The animal rights school of thought has its good points,but in so many ways, well-meaning people are their own worst ememies.

Gentle Giants posted because she wants to work WITH this person to help therabbits, not againstthem.That should be the first effort.

sas :?

 

[pla725]

I understand that the person is trying to help out. I commend them for that. But who is say that the rabbits are not going to go into even a worse situation. Perhaps someone can help with screening potential owners.

 

[Pipp]

pla725 wrote:

Perhaps someone can help with screening potential owners.

Yes, this would be helpful! (There's a generic adoption form I think pinned on the top of the Rescue Me forum that includes all the right questions to ask). So would alterting the area rescues and generally trying to find adopters and foster homes.



sas

 

[Haley]

Oh God, how sad do they all look. I immediately thought of Dill sitting in that nasty cage.

But sas is right, calling the ASPCA or Humane Society wont do much good for the bunnies. These people are obviously trying to find them good homes ASAP. From what Im hearing out of Chicago, bunnies are being pts left and right due to overcrowding. No shelter is going to take any of these guys unless they just take them to put them down.

The best thing we can do is spread the word, so if anyone in this area is looking for a bun or knows of a no-kill shelter who can take one or two, that would be most helpful.

 

[AngelnSnuffy]

Don't know how much help it'd be, but worth a shot I suppose. I can make some calls tomorrow from work. My work's home office is located in Champaign (not really related to this, but the calls won't be second guessed), actually. I can see if there is any rescue who can take these guys or a couple that can take some:?, maybe even Bloomington, they aren't that far. Little over an hour away from Champaign.

I'll do some checking.

There's also Tazewell County shelter here, who is no kill, I bet they're full, but I can see with them also, a transport would be needed in that case.

 

[binkies]

Poor things. They all look rough and in dirty conditions, but the first lop on the freewebs site makes me cry. You can easily see ribs.

 

[MsBinky]

Looks like someone got in way over their heads :?Or was someone trying to breed and then decided to turn away from it?

Either way, these lil guys need help. I'm really in love with one in particular and they all look like they desperately need some extra love and hugs. So sad. I am glad that someone is trying to help.

I think the reason why they might be asking for the price is because we always say not to give bunnies away for free. If the bunny isn't sterile, I guess it wouldn't make much sense to ask for a big amount. I guess, a small fee is just to encourage people to adopt and agree to spay/neuter and have the vet take a look.

I know I would probably do that if I came across so many and wanted to rescue them.

I really hope they get the help they need.

 

[Leaf]

I would easily be able to place the Flemish Giants and the Jersey Woolies, and one of the little Mini Rex looks almost identical to my Bumble Bee.

Unfortunantly I'd be coming from the Springfield, Mo area since I'm working on site for the next week. If I drive 174 miles to just outside of St Louis, Mo according to google maps I'd still be just over 3 hours away.

If anyone here who is IL is able to help with the rabbits at all I have a very good friend looking for Flemish Giants as pets. She bought one almost 7 years ago from a lady in IL and fell in love with the breed. She says she can't find any locally anymore but I know she would adopt, I've already emailed her about it.

With the exception of a few hours today (12pm-3pm) I'd be able to travel and wont mind doing so. I'd be available all day Saturday as well, and Sunday, for the most part.

I'd be more than willing to take several in (keep in mind the Flemish wouldnt be staying here) until I could get them fixed and placed in appropriate homes.

I work with a local pound and we're doing a fall event at a local feed store on October 18th which will include animal adoptions. If anything works out soon and I can get surgeries done or at least scheduled -I have several avenues available in order to help out.

 

[tonyshuman]

i just wanted to explain why so many people think this is an animal welfare situation. we maybe can't help these rabbits ourselves (ie live too far away, have no more room for bunnies in our homes, can't afford to buy/care for them), and when we see animals we love in a situation that clearly isn't ideal, we get mad and think someone should answer for it (legally). (it's good that we trust the legal system in place for protecting animals--i bet some of us watch animal cops on animal planet!) i'm not saying that we shouldn't help this person, just trying to explain the mindset that led some of us (at least me) to post that these bunnies need help from the authorities.
what about rabbit rescues in indiana, iowa, missouri, etc that are closer to that part of the state? anyone have connections there?
also, i could maybe take one, but my budget is pretty tight and would be concerned about paying for medical expenses. plus it would have to be a temporary home because i haven't cleared a 2nd bunny with the landlord yet.

 

[naturestee]

Just a thought, if you are interested in a second rabbit and are interested in any of the buns in Soulmate Rabbit Rescue, adopting one of those would open up a space for one of these needy buns. It might be easier that way since the SRR buns are already vet checked and will be spayed/neutered before adoption.

I think this is a good way to do things for anyone who wants another bunny and wants to help buns in situations like this, but doesn't have the money/time/whatever to care for a potentially sickly rabbit. Every rabbit adopted from a rescue opens up a spot for another bun in need.

 

[NunYa]

Actually the original add has been removed from the actual site but there is a new one:

http://chambana.craigslist.org/pet/428211416.html



I agree maybe a person should have asked questions before jumping to conclusions as it said that the org poster was only posting for someone else who had rescued them.Nasty attitudes never help when trying to save a pet.