Question about rules on cutting hair

[JMae]

Hey guys,

I recently purchased some Rhinelander rabbits and I am really happy with them! Unfortunately when I picked them up and brought them home their rump's were matted and one of the boys in particular was very matted close the skin and had a pooey butt (pooey butt has since been resolved I suspect it was a diet too low in fiber). The Matting was so bad in one spot that I absolutely had to cut it out with scissors. I do want to take them to a show because they're really nice rhines, but since the hair has been growing back, the ends are blunt where you can tell it has been snipped. Does cutting matting out of hair break the rules since they state that the spirit of the rule is to keep people from doing actions that deceive? I'm wondering whether me chopping off that knot of fur was technically a broken rule or not. What do you guys think?

 

[Alaska Satin]

Hey guys,

I recently purchased some Rhinelander rabbits and I am really happy with them! Unfortunately when I picked them up and brought them home their rump's were matted and one of the boys in particular was very matted close the skin and had a pooey butt (pooey butt has since been resolved I suspect it was a diet too low in fiber). The Matting was so bad in one spot that I absolutely had to cut it out with scissors. I do want to take them to a show because they're really nice rhines, but since the hair has been growing back, the ends are blunt where you can tell it has been snipped. Does cutting matting out of hair break the rules since they state that the spirit of the rule is to keep people from doing actions that deceive? I'm wondering whether me chopping off that knot of fur was technically a broken rule or not. What do you guys think?

I would not expect that to be a problem, though that kind of decision is entirely up to the discretion of the judge. As you already know, the point of the rule is to prevent someone from hiding a fault or DQ, so a rabbit with fur that's been cut to maintain the rabbit's health and cleanliness, not plucked to disguise something, is not usually thrown off the table. Some rabbits come with "trims" courtesy of a next-door neighbor with barbering habits. Anyway, the judge may comment on it, but most of them will have had enough experience to know what they're looking at in this case.

 

[JMae]

I would not expect that to be a problem, though that kind of decision is entirely up to the discretion of the judge. As you already know, the point of the rule is to prevent someone from hiding a fault or DQ, so a rabbit with fur that's been cut to maintain the rabbit's health and cleanliness, not plucked to disguise something, is not usually thrown off the table. Some rabbits comes with "trims" courtesy of a next-door neighbor with barbering habits. Anyway, the judge may comment on it, but most of them will have had enough experience to know what they're looking at in this case.

Thank you! That's really helpful!