Our sweet lop-eared rabbit, Boaz, passed away a month ago. It was quite a shock since he seemed fine in the morning, meeting me for a carrot, and was gone in the afternoon, looking like he was sleeping peacefully. We mourned his passing, but thought that we really needed a bunny in our menagerie. It is so easy to check Craigslist.com and several pet stores still carry rabbits -- and you can get a baby, sigh. However, there are always rabbits that need adoption at the Humane Society or at several rescues. What to do...
I went by the Humane Animal Welfare Society (HAWS) in Waukesha. That is where I found Boaz a few years ago. I walked along cages and most of the rabbits ran to the far side. Boaz had come and leaned into my hand -- it was love at first sight! None of the bunnies were THAT friendly, but one white bunny with pink eyes did hold still and let me pet him. It turns out that he had been there for almost a year. According to HAWS, people don't like white rabbits with pink eyes. Poor baby.
I dragged David in and we spent an hour with 'Downy.' He hopped onto our laps (we were sitting on the floor) and he liked being pet. He was a little up-tight about being handled, but by the end of the hour he had relaxed a lot. So, I filled out the paperwork while David snoozed (he can snooze sitting upright in a chair -- amazing!). And the next day, after HAWS checked up on us, I was able to bring 'Downey' home.
He has settled in quite nicely and is less jumpy every day (at first he was startled when we walked into the room, when we opened the cage, etc.). Now, we just need to think of a name...
It isn't always easy to decide to adopt rather than to buy. On Craigslist.com it drives me crazy when the 'seller' is 'rehoming' a 6 week or 6 month old 'pet.' It sounds like the pet has not yet been 'homed'. It is sad that there are so many people breeding or buying animals that they have to find home for in a few weeks or a few months. It is important that you know what you're getting so your new pet doesn't end up on the list!
If you do adopt, it is okay to look for a pet that meets your criteria. Our criteria for a rabbit is one that likes attention and is healthy. When I was looking at Border Collies I was able to find one that had quite a lot of training -- he passed his Canine Good Citizen and Therapy Dog International tests within a month of coming home with me. There are advantages to adopting an older pet, too. They are less likely to do the puppy dog chew or to piddle on your floor. There are a lot of great animals out there that need homes. So, do your research about the animal you are thinking about so you will know what to expect in temperament and size (yes, German Shepherds CAN get up to 75 pounds, Border Collies ARE hyper, cute little chicks grow into messy chickens, etc.) and think about adopting.
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