I wasnt going to tell you guys but cant keep it in.

[sasvermont]

Hey folks, let this poor girl do what she wants with her pet if it is not working for her. At least she didn't turn it out on its own, outside, like many people do. Lots of folks return pets to shelters. Do you think dogs and cats never get returned....surely they do.

Believe me, you don't want to get bunny bites too frequently. They can be mean little critters at best, when they get angry. I have two that are gentle but they can kick up a storm and BITE. I haven't had too many bites, but the time I did, it wasn't fun. I, too, would have given the bunny a second chance and allow someone else to work with the bunny and find just the right home. Sometimes the bunnies just don't like the new home.

Goodness, be kind to this person. She did the right thing - she took it to a shelter. As far as them giving her another bunny - maybe they should have looked a little closer at the first mean bunny before they sent it to a new home.......

Bunnies can be gentle, sweet things and then NOT.....

I love my bunnies and often wonder why I have the two because they are so much work and are not very friendly. I have two rescue bunnies - and I guess they were not socialized nicely when they were little. They are safe, happy and vetted - the best I can do. Would I give them to someone else? Yes, but only if they could love them more than me!

Let's be kind here.

And by the way, not all shelters are kill shelters and in fact the shelter in my area (South Burlington) is wonderful, clean, organized and fully staffed. Any pet would have a good chance of moving on, if they ended up there. I think most people think of shelters as being miserable places. They are often not, and are much better than the streets.

[bckrazy]

This is a really sad situation, I wish you and your family the best.

These kind of situations are WHY cuddly little baby bunnies are not right for most people... they're sweet enough when they're little, but can develop aggression and/or shyness, and the only instances I've seen of this have been directly related to abusive or neglectful homes (and homes with very rough young kids). NOT saying that this happened to Roxy - it could've even been her previous home. But, just a few scary experiences could have definitely caused her aggression.

Spaying/neutering will not cause aggression, it will definitely subdue it. If a bunny feels secure and content, they will not be aggressive in almost any case.... so, their personalities CAN change. One of my best friends is in Bun rescue, and I've fostered 2. Both of them were super shy and showed some aggression when they first came in, but both totally changed within a week. One of the boys (Munch) I ended up keeping, and he was never a super cuddly bunny but he loved to hop up on my bed and hang out with me and he never once bit or scratched me... even though he came into rescue biting at everyone. Bunnies are seen as much more disposable than dogs and cats, which is sad because they are intelligent and they can be trained. I hope your new boy has a happy life, and I hope Roxy finds a forever home! It's really sad seeing all of your pics of her with sweaters and harnesses on looking so cute, she doesn't APPEAR very mean at all... a really mean Bun wouldn't for a second let anyone put a parka on them.

[jesse_3]

sasvermont, I just want to ask if you have read the other thread about this? - and have you read this whole thread in it's entirety? I am not trying to argue with you at all, I am just wondering.

Buttercup123, I know that you are not getting much slack from us, but we do not think that you should have really given up on her that quickly. You did get a lot of good, educated ideas that could have worked, but we won't know that now. You didn't try absolutely everything you could, and it doesn't sound good when you say that Teddy has problems that you can work out. We are very concerned that you will just give up on him too. I don't think that we are trying to sound mean or cruel, we are just frustrated, upset, and disappointed. I hope that I have not made anyone mad by saying this, and if I am wrong, please correct me. That is just what I have gathered through reading through the posts.

I really do hope that you can work with Teddy, and I sure hope that you will love him as much as possible. Good luck...
-Stephanie

[carole]

Well said.

[sasvermont]

Stephanie, I did read most of the threads. Most of them were horrible to the author. The bottom line is that we are dealing with a kid here and people are being rather mean spirited. She took the rabbit to a shelter, plain and simple. Isn't that what people do with pets that are not working for them? Most people, anyway. I have done it in the past. Am I sorry, no! Would I do it now, now that I am older... no, I would re-home the pet. I have grown up and learned a lot. It takes time.

She did the right thing by taking the bunny to a shelter.

[dab_20]

Stephanie, I did read most of the threads. Most of them were horrible to the author. The bottom line is that we are dealing with a kid here and people are being rather mean spirited. She took the rabbit to a shelter, plain and simple. Isn't that what people do with pets that are not working for them? Most people, anyway. I have done it in the past. Am I sorry, no! Would I do it now, now that I am older... no, I would re-home the pet. I have grown up and learned a lot. It takes time.

She did the right thing by taking the bunny to a shelter.

I think it's weird how you guys give her a break just because she's a 'kid'. I am younger then her, and I would never take my rabbit to a shelter... I have been acctually yelled at by PTers when I first came here... but I can understand why. We aren't giving her a hard time... only the facts.

[dab_20]

sasvermont, I just want to ask if you have read the other thread about this? - and have you read this whole thread in it's entirety? I am not trying to argue with you at all, I am just wondering.

Buttercup123, I know that you are not getting much slack from us, but we do not think that you should have really given up on her that quickly. You did get a lot of good, educated ideas that could have worked, but we won't know that now. You didn't try absolutely everything you could, and it doesn't sound good when you say that Teddy has problems that you can work out. We are very concerned that you will just give up on him too. I don't think that we are trying to sound mean or cruel, we are just frustrated, upset, and disappointed. I hope that I have not made anyone mad by saying this, and if I am wrong, please correct me. That is just what I have gathered through reading through the posts.

I really do hope that you can work with Teddy, and I sure hope that you will love him as much as possible. Good luck...
-Stephanie

Well put, Steph.

[My Peanuts]

Hey folks, let this poor girl do what she wants with her pet if it is not working for her. At least she didn't turn it out on its own, outside, like many people do. Lots of folks return pets to shelters. Do you think dogs and cats never get returned....surely they do.
.

Because a lot of other people do it that makes it right? She bred this bunny and dumped her at a shelter after she wasn't willing to work with her for more than two days. She is adding to the already huge problem. Age is not a factor. If you're old enough to be on this board you're old enough to know right from wrong. The majority of this board is about taking animals OUT of shelters, not the other way around. If this was a dog or a cat she bred and dumped I'd bet those sections would have ripped her apart even more.

I doubt this bunny was even as bad as she says since I've seen pictures of her dressed in clothes. A vicious bunny isn't going to let you do that. Let's look at the big picture. She went to a shelter saw a bunny she liked, which she posted about. Roxy probably nipped at her a few times, but it wasn't an issue enough to even post about until last week. She dumped poor Roxy and got the new bunny.

[sasvermont]

Well, say what you want, she should have taken it to a shelter or rehomed it if she didn't want it. I feel as though pets deserve their best chance in life. If she was unable to take care of it or didn't want it, then the animal is better off in a new home. It will adjust.

People eat rabbits you know.

I won't go on and on with this. I think you guys are being way over the top of this bunny situation......as much as I love bunnies, they can be a bit much to handle.

I know that the majority of you think this child did something horrible. I don't think that .... and thus ... we do not agree.

No more from me.

You guys can book it out with someone else.

[My Peanuts]

Well, say what you want, she should have taken it to a shelter or rehomed it if she didn't want it. I feel as though pets deserve their best chance in life. If she was unable to take care of it or didn't want it, then the animal is better off in a new home. It will adjust.

People eat rabbits you know.
.

First of all, what does eating rabbits have to do with this conversation? People do a lot of things to rabbits that have nothing to do with this situation. If you are saying things could have been worse, then I agree, but it's really irrelevant to this discussion.

Secondly, when someone gets an animal it's for that animal’s entire life. The mind set when getting a pet should be, “this animal lives X amount of years so I should be prepared to have them that long.” It's not for a few months or years. It's a commitment. If, for a GOOD reason, the commitment cannot be fulfilled it is the owners responsibility to re-home the animal. Shelters are for people who can't be bothered to re-home and want someone else to take on their responsibility. Thank God there are shelters out there, where would poor Roxy be without them.

The fact that this girl is young makes it even worse. Thinks of all the animals she can do this to throughout the course of her life. Most of us have broken the chain of animal neglect, but she is a strong link still as far as I'm concerned. There are so many homeless animals and she bred this bunny and threw her into the mix. By bringing another animal to a shelter she is taking up more space and another rabbit or possible Roxy will need to be euthanized. I honestly don't know how she sleeps at night.

It's you're prerogative to stick up for this girl, but what we are doing is not wrong. We have to be the voice of the defenseless animals otherwise neglect and abuse will never stop.

[beeniesmom]

Roxy probably got aggressive because she was tired of you dressing her up.

http://petoftheday.com/talk/showthread.php?t=96018

[Alysser]

I KNOW your sick of hearing it but, that is the disgusting. Im *not* trying to be mean or anything but I feel I have to say something to get it off my chest. I've been staying away from this thread but now I am stating my opinion.

Sunny, my old budgie, had an abusive home from the start. I was told he was stuck in a cage all day with cats running around and he was standing in his own feses(sp?) for about 5 years. Then from there the same thing happened with about 4 different owners. I really don't know if I believe this but that is what I was told. He supposedly was from a bird hoarder and had a horrible life for most of his life. Some how, he wound up at Petco and they told me not to get him for this. I don't really know how he got there. The workers said he was brought their by his owner. Anyway, he had *very* bad problems. Biting,pooping everywhere,a nd squawking at night. He was completely horrific and I don't even know how many times my parents threatened to get rid of him. Finally, he was changed. No more problems after a very long year of training. But I didn't give him to the shelter because I knew they would put him to rest and I couldn't bare that. He was the sweetest bird when he was trained. He died a year or two after I got him. I miss him alot but as you can see I didn't and wouldn't give up on him.

What really takes the cake is the fact that you got a new bunny. Your parents wouldn't replace you if you were bad. It's basically the same thing. I really hope, for Teddys sake, your new bunny doesn't become aggressive. If he does, work with him instead of dumping him at a shelter. PLEASE! Minor issues like his are easily taken care of. But with aggression the key is paintence. I don't care if you hate me after this and you call me stupid names. It *won't* affect me in anyway.

Good luck to Roxy and you.

[buttercup132]

Do you guys REALLY think that the shleter would let me do something THEY didnt agree on!!?? I sure dont. As for the litter training "problem" its easy to solve all I have to do is put his poops inside the litterbox..its TOTALLY different to Roxy's situation!
This is the last time I'm replying to this because it has turned into a fight and I dont want people getting mad at each other for the other person agreeing/dissagreeeing.
Whats done is done I'm not going back on what I think was right. I was just SAYING what had happened I DIDNT ask for opinions and I'm pritty sure I asked for NO fighting but I guess that went in one ear out the other...

[K9soul]

I have to say, it seems odd that this bunny was THAT horribly aggressive, and yet not a word was ever said about a problem with her until 2 days before she went to the shelter (at least as far as I saw), and as someone else mentioned, I've seen pictures of this bunny dressed up and in outfits and such before (including in the siggy), which does not fit this present description of a "bunny terror" that is now presented.

It's really not for me to judge, at least I really try not to on these situations, but if things are the way they appear, who ever made the decision to get rid of Roxy has a lot to live with.

[catnapper]

Well, I've been watching this since the beginning and I just wanted to pop in here too.

Here's a few observations:
Her MOM is who we should be bashing here. As a parent, she should have said "If you cannot work with Roxy, then what makes you think you can work with a rescue bunny with an unknown history?" Mom should have flatly refused a new bunny. Yet mom drove her to the rescue. How is that teaching her responisbility? How is that teaching her to respect her mother? I saw the out and out disprespect she has towards her mom's authority. I saw what she wrote about not caring what mom thinks, that its HER choice... well, unless I am mistaken, she's a young teenager (maybe 15?) and needs to grow up a lot. Mom has made her into a selfish little girl. Mom needs to be a parent instead of a friend who allows her daughter to follow every whim. We really can't blame Buttercup for something the mom allowed to happen.

Now, as for Buttercup, SHE needs to take responsibility for her actions with Roxy. She needs to stop and think WHY Roxy changed from a sweet bunny into an aggressive one. Maybe all those cothing changes for photoshoots made the bunny fear her? I have the feeling Roxy gave her PLENTY of warnings before it got to the point of aggression, and she ignored the warnings just like she ignored the good advice everyone posted. Its sad that she only wants a perfect bunny but will not follow good advice on how to work with the bunny who just a few months ago WAS the perfect bunny.

All that said, I know nothing of bunnies. I see them hop across the yard and the cats meow to them. But using what I know about basic animal behavior (it almost assuredly can also be applied to bunnies) a domesticated, loving bunny won't turn aggressive over night. It needs weeks of exhibiting a fear behavior before it resorts to aggression to get its fear across to you.

I hope I am wrong.... and if not, I hope she learns from the mistakes she made with Roxy.