Help me think this one through

[ladysown]

I had this proposal sent to me last night by a lady I had spent about an hour on the phone with.

She has a bright daughter with cerebral Palsy, very routine oriented, who would like a bunny for a pet. Her daughter needs a wheelchair to get around, and uses a bliss board to speak.

This is what she wrote

I'd also like to propose something to you...

What if we came for a visit and could pick our bunny out, pay you for the bunny in cash and would you consider allowing us to bring one of your sweet bunny's home (so my daughter doesn't come home empty handed) and so she could practice being a responsible bunny owner? We would promise to take REALLY REALLY good care of your bunny and return the bunny upon picking up our own baby doe.

Think about it. I DON'T want to stress out the bunny, so if you think it would be too traumatic then its ok... I completely understand. But if you have a light coloured doe of any breed that is friendly and sweet we would love to borrow her for a couple weeks.

We would feed her and clean her cage and love her everyday she was here with us.

Hubby says....unless they are willing to pay the replacement value of the rabbit they borrow we should say no.
I've mixed feelings about it as she sounds good, and semi-knowledgeable on the phone, no alarms went off.

So talk to me about the pros and cons about doing so.

 

[LauraNJ]

I wouldn't do it. What if something happens to yours or it gets exposed to something from them or someone else visiting? Plus that is stressful for the rabbit.

I would suggest the Mom comes alone to pick out which they want then they both come to take it home. Or you let them pick first at 8 weeks old so the girl gets to pick but I wouldn't do a foster type thing like that.

Kids get attached very quickly to pets. I think there would be a good posibility that giving you back yours would be very difficult for the girl. I understand what the Mom is trying to do but I think in the long run it will make it harder for her daughter which I know isn't her intention.

 

[GlitterMomma]

Kids get attached very quickly to pets. I think there would be a good possibility that giving you back yours would be very difficult for the girl. I understand what the Mom is trying to do but I think in the long run it will make it harder for her daughter which I know isn't her intention.

I agree, Mom has good intentions but children do get attached quickly and special needs children even more so, which could just cause more heartache and problems. I am a Mother of three special needs boys and our middle son has cp. Maybe she could check into fostering a bunny that needs a home or see if where she lives has any rabbits for pet therapy.

 

[Bad Habit]

I might do it, if I had a kit that didn't fit them as far as their colour/gender preferences, but was old enough to leave. I know you do a lot of rescue type work, so maybe if you have a rescue rabbit that would be okay?

I wouldn't send one of my personal rabbits. If I had a rabbit that wasn't essential to my breeding program, or that I wasn't attached to, I would do it. I would make the mom sign a contract, though, to be on the safe side.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

What if we came for a visit and could pick our bunny out

I think they would be better served by YOU picking the bunny out. Both mom and daughter will probably base their decision on visual appeal, and I know that you evaluate temperaments thoroughly, and that is most important for a child with special needs.

I agree, Mom has good intentions but children do get attached quickly and special needs children even more so

I agree, and think it would be more stressful for her in the long term.

 

[GlitterMomma]

Yup I agree you know your buns better and would be able to know which one would be better suited for the young girl.

 

[Miss M]

I think they would be better served by YOU picking the bunny out. Both mom and daughter will probably base their decision on visual appeal, and I know that you evaluate temperaments thoroughly, and that is most important for a child with special needs.

This is true, but I think the mom at least should have a little say. I know some kids on the autism spectrum consider certain colors "bad", and will proceed to have a bad day if they see the color.

I have no idea if anything like that could come into play with CP, but just wanted to throw that out there.

 

[Ivory]

I'd do it.

Rabbits are great therapy.

 

[Secuono]

I don't get why she can't just wait for their rabbit to be ready.

 

[Ivory]

I don't get why she can't just wait for their rabbit to be ready.

Did I miss something? Is this bunny she wants still not old enough to wean?

If so I change my stance. Don't do it.

 

[ladysown]

she is interested in two bunnies.

One for the visual appeal...it's an orange kit, female, ready to go end of the week.

The other which I KNOW will suit her better as it's a very quiet kit (which is what they want), off of a VERY quiet unassuming doe, is quite young yet and the kits from this doe mature later so it's hard to sex them properly until they are about six-seven weeks old. They are fairly small in build too, so they won't be leaving here until the beginning of June at the earliest.

I do know that colour factors into it as anything black is out, anything that is dark is a no go. Needs to be a kit with softer colours and solid. My recommendation to her is a tort kit out of Chinpinny. BUT she wants a female kit as well so that's it's a bit of a waiting game.

She may just need to be a bit more patient as well.

Her preference is to come out this week to get the kit or to at least put a deposit down on one.

 

[LauraNJ]

Oh, if she is buying 2 and 1 is ready to go at the end of the week then they should come then that way they can take the 1 home.

When I was breeding dogs I always put away my pick pups (that I was running with for the show ring) and I always choose pups matched to family. If I had a couple pups that would work then I would give the 1st family a choice between the ones in question. I would give my honest assessment of temperment, energy level, etc to help them decide.

I guess my point is that is you feel certain kits would not be a good fit, I would have them in another room when they come. I would just have the ones that are appropriate for the family available to them.

I think it is great they are getting 2!

 

[ladysown]

I should have made myself more clear.

She is only buying one. One potential (that meets her requirements) is ready to go now, the other is ready to go later.

She wants to come NOW to check them out and if she accepts my recommendation and takes the kit that will be ready end of May, then wants to take one of my KEEPERS home with home to for her daughter to love up on until her bunny is ready to go.

Everyone has given me much food for thought and a good way to basically say, I don't think overall that her proposal is a particularly beneficial one for her daughter or for my bunnies.

 

[ottersatin]

L S,
my opinion is: DON'T DO IT!
What are you teaching a child if:
She must have something now/immediately?
Have the child wait until the Rabbit/bunny
they are getting is ready to go home with them.
The choice is yours to make, but I believe
you will making a big mistake for you and your Rabbits.
Yeah, they might love the loaned rabbit,
they just might love it to DEATH!
As always, JMPO.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Wyldrose]

I would tell her to use this time to do as much rabbit research as you can. Get everything set up and ready to go.

You can always learn new things about animals. The internet can be a valuable resource for information.

 

[GlitterMomma]

If the Mum would like to ease her daughter into having a pet rabbit she should contact some of the shelters where they have adoptable pet rabbits or rescue place and see if they would allow her to come love up on them and stuff. Good for the buns and good hands on education for the girl. http://rebeccasrabbitrescue.weebly.com/

 

[Teddy2511]

Out of curiostity...
What was decided?