What to do when your rabbit is being resold?

[sassafrasshat]

Last year I sold a beautiful pet rabbit to someone and found her listed on kijiji today. She had a distinct mark which is visible and the name of the rabbit is the same, and the post is by the same name of the person who bought it. I have absolutely no doubt that this is my rabbit. I have a policy of will always take back a rabbit with no questions asked but generally no refunds on the sale (more explanation in comments), but I expect people to reach out to me, not me scouring kijiji ads and asking for rabbits back if they are posted. I just accidentally stumbled on the ad. Also the person also has it listed for more money than they paid for her... What should I do in this situation? Reach out and offer to take back the rabbit (not paying)? Ignore it? This person also has a second rabbit (not from me) that I dont see any posting for, and can be seen in the background of the photos. The reason in the post for selling my rabbit is that they are moving. Maybe they just want to keep only the other rabbit they have because they had her first. idk. It is an uncomfortable situation for me and I could use advice.

 

[Jackrabbit]

I wouldn’t mind, especially because the person PAID you for the rabbit and you have to take into consideration all they spent on the rabbit. Also the rabbit might have a potential issue so I wouldn’t take anything back not even it was free they could be carrying diseases. But it’s totally up to you I also happen to have seen some of my ex rabbits for sale on Craigslist about a month ago and for a LOT more than what I sold them for, I didn’t care.

 

[sassafrasshat]

That is true. They paid for her: they own her and can make the decision to resell, for any price.
As far as diseases, I have a quarantine area for any new rabbits so it is less on my concerns.
I just feel awkward knowing about it. I always have the assumption in the back of my mind that not everyone will keep their rabbit, but I haven't seen posts so never had to address these feelings.
Thank you for your thoughts!

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Hang on I'm a little confused so I'll see if I can get this right

Are you saying that you sold a rabbit to someone and you saw an add of them selling it again?

 

[Kàåáy]

please consider reiterating what your post said; no refunds on the sale... you may be uncomfortable since that isn't responsible from a sellers perspective.

so long as an animal is not being harmed then the life of the animal has been invested into; as such the new owner has the right to up sell from that condition. this is the perspective of a different seller.

 

[Mutt-Dad]

In this situation, if you wanted the rabbit, it would be fair that you pay the owner what they are asking. It is their rabbit after all.

 

[sassafrasshat]

Hang on I'm a little confused so I'll see if I can get this right

Are you saying that you sold a rabbit to someone and you saw an add of them selling it again?

Yes.

please consider reiterating what your post said; no refunds on the sale... you may be uncomfortable since that isn't responsible from a sellers perspective.

so long as an animal is not being harmed then the life of the animal has been invested into; as such the new owner has the right to up sell from that condition. this is the perspective of a different seller.

OK let me clarify. If it's within a week or so and they can't keep my rabbit due to allergy, not getting along with their pets, other unforeseen circumstances I do offer refunds. That policy is more for people who "get bored" of owning a rabbit. My time is worth more to me, so having to go meet them twice because they decide theyre done with owning a rabbit. If I was selling show rabbits and charged a whole lot (in my area, people are charging $150-$400 for those), then I'd offer partial refunds. But I'm selling pet quality, only the ones that are tempremented to be pets, and I charge $20. I've only had one person give back a rabbit, and she only bought it for a photoshoot for her instagram...So I don't offer refunds after that.

I agree, the rabbit seems to be in good health and not suffering. That perspective is helpful, thank you.

In this situation, if you wanted the rabbit, it would be fair that you pay the owner what they are asking. It is their rabbit after all.

Thank you for your thoughts. These perspectives really make me feel less anxious about the situation. All I want is best for my rabbits. I might reach out, she was a favorite here and I'm sure would make an excellent mother like her mother was.

 

[sassafrasshat]

Thank you to everyone for their advice and input. I guess I am overreacting about the situation! It calms me knowing others have had this happen and most seem to generally agree that this is okay.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

.... Just buying a rabbit for Instagram is the dumbest thing I've ever heard

 

[Rabbits by Accident]

.... Just buying a rabbit for Instagram is the dumbest thing I've ever heard

Actually my husband suggested we should rent rabbits out LOL for people who want to see if they want to buy one.

 

[ladysown]

I've rented rabbits out before to people just like that. They pay full purchase price and get half back upon return. Rabbit needs to be returned hale and hearty in order for the refund to take place. of the 10 times I've done this, only three rabbits have been returned.

If the rabbit is pedigreed, they get the pedigree after the one-week trial period. I did this after someone sold the pedigreed rabbit to someone else while it was in the trial period for more than they paid for it. I thought it was a "set up" situation but couldn't prove it.

 

[KelleyBee]

I’ve accepted that once a rabbit is paid for and taken outside of my care, I am hands off. In both cases when I purchased my trios, each previous owners tried to tell me what to feed, when to breed, when to breed back, etc. I was made to feel as if the rabbits were not really mine. I am a well read person and know there are many feeding strategies and more than one way to determine if a doe is mature enough for her first mating, etc etc etc. So, my approach in sales is to say what I have found works for me, but always end by saying “it is your rabbitry and you must figure out what works best for you.” Then I alway stress self-education thru numerous resources, not just YouTube and social media, but thru printed books, etc. This approach has made selling the rabbits much easier and peaceful.

 

[hotzcatz]

Once a rabbit is sold, it's not your rabbit anymore so if they want to sell it for twice the price, well, then good for them, I guess. Hopefully the newest owners will take good care of it.

I've never gotten back any rabbits that were sold, although one was loaned out until the baby rabbit they were getting was old enough to go to a new home. The loaner rabbit came back with fleas, so I've not loaned any more rabbits out. Also, considering herd bio-security, it's best not to have rabbits coming back after they've left the premises. There was the other herd bio-security risk when a baby rabbit was fostered here. Turns out the wretched thing brought syphilis into the herd. No good deed goes unpunished indeed! That took five weeks of penicillin shots to the entire herd (over two dozen rabbits at that time) in order to get rid of it. So consider herd bio-security and keep all incoming rabbits in quarantine and limit the incoming ones if possible.

If it was a favorite rabbit of yours and you regret selling it, then buy it back from them at their listed Kijiji price. Or do the same breeding again and get another rabbit like the one you sold.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I don't think I could ever loan out a rabbit. It just sounds so irresponsible.

The closest that I would come to that would be breeding their Doe(s) with my Buck(s) and even then I would be with the rabbits

 

[ladysown]

there are justifiable reasons to loan out rabbits.

1. not sure if they are allergic and I have neither the time or desire to sit around with people for an hour for them to test out allergy issues. So bring the rabbit home, see if allergies flair up, if not WOOT WOOT pet bunny has a home. This has been the bulk of my loan-outs. I've had two returned.
2. not sure if a bunny is just the right pet for them. One return.
3. photographer wanting bunnies for a photoshoot. These always come back but I really don't consider them returned loans, more like bunny rentals.
4. parents wanting to test the commitment level of their children. the children have always proven out their commitment.

I do not
1. loan out bucks to breed someone's female rabbits. I've had people say "I have two girls that I'd like to get litters from, can I borrow a buck for a month?"
2. loan out rabbits to people who already have a rabbit.
3. lend out my bucks "services" or that matter, my does "services".

One time, and ONLY one time, I loaned out a pregnant doe to a young lady wanting to be a vet and who wanted to experience baby bunnies. I was supposed to get mom and babies back but they ended up giving away most of the babies to friends.... and I had to fight to get mom back. That was not our written agreement but it wasn't worth going to court over. Told her she ruined it for any other people to borrow a bunny under such conditions again. That apparently made me mean and unfair, but my rabbits... I want them cared for well under the terms I set out for them.

 

[kthomestead]

Once someone owns the rabbit they can do what they like with it but I'm sure it not a nice feeling for you.