WV Rabbit Raid

[Prisma]

In Wallace, over 200 rabbits, numbers include all ages of rabbits from babies to adults, were taken from "bad" conditions. I do not know exactly what they are calling bad conditions other than what has been said. Person was confirmed and what was going on. The cages had been setting un-cleaned for the winter, what exactly shape that leaves them in I do not know there were no pictures of them in those cages. I feel violated, sick, and upset. It was some one I knew and had dealt with before. Not once did they ask for help, not once did they say any thing about problems, or any thing like that. I'm not saying cages filled with poop and horribly conditions are OK, I just want to see what happened for myself to see what they are calling what and all for sure. This person signed over all rabbits after a buyer had been to the home and didn't like the conditions. ACO felt it was emergency, I guess, they way things were handled. Most look to be in good condition. There has been information of sick rabbits coming from this same person for the last month or so as well other wise. This happened this evening and they said they planned to finish removal Monday or Tuesday, they are giving these rabbits away to any one who wants them by what the report says. The facebook page has started with anti breeder anti meat anti feeder comments and bashing plus call for the shelter to bring in more shelter/rescue help, how horrible the rabbits must be inbreed/health wise because of a breeder, breeders are the population problem, breeders need to be regulated and if sell pets sell only fixed ones, etc.

Besides the normal precautions and care, and waiting, what can one do? I don't want to be a target, but considering I do not know what information was turned over or what was said I am not taking this lightly. I also see this as a spring board for legislation, is that just over kill? I realize that really no matter what an anti-breeder/meat/etc is going to have issues no matter how good the care or conditions are. As far as laws go, I'm well within the limits and requirements for my area.

Link to FB:
https://www.facebook.com/KatieAndersonWboy12News

Press Release:
http://www.wboy.com/story/25167407/auth ... son-county

 

[Zass]

I don't know any details but...the rabbits in the photos have REALLY clean feet, and they claimed basically all rabbits were in good health?
The fur on the angoras and lionheads isn't matted.
Not one dirty neglected rabbit cage photo to generate sympathy?

 

[Prisma]

Exactly, not debating filthy cages/poor care is bad as far as that goes...the person and the others I talked to wouldn't lie about this but there just isn't any pictures to see it for self and to see what exactly they are calling "bad". Its disturbing. There's not one really sickly looking one in any of the pictures or video, same on the facebook page as well. There is nothing about warrant that I could find either, person didn't mention it either. So I do not know what happened with due process even signed over, for what reason/cause there was no answer to that by the person or found, as far as that goes. Cages pictured with them setting in rows is this person's, if not its awfully strange as same style/build. <br /><br /> __________ Sat Apr 05, 2014 1:03 am __________ <br /><br /> Very strange, I looked back and couldn't find any thing asking for any kind of donations either for them. They aren't spay/neutering them, which for shelters/rescues is a requirement in WV as far as I know. Its a free for all, I do not understand that. I do not understand how the "adoption" process is going to work either, some of those rabbits are not old enough to leave mom and survive. Some are pregnant and close. IF they were healthy I don't see a problem with placing with 4H, FFA, breeders, or even meats/feeders.

 

[Audrey]

Shady, really shady! Some of those cages looked REALLY small, maybe that was part of the problem or something.

 

[margali]

I wonder if they were seized just because of how many rabbits were there? FB and news both spoke about "hoarding" rabbits.

They could have also been "bad" conditions if cage dimensions are smaller that APHIS requirements. If that was pee soaked straw I would have thought the rabbits would be pee-stained...

 

[ckcs]

It certainly brings up a lot of questions to me. If you are going to seize 200 rabbits It would be prudent if you had the ability to take care of them after you seized them. I didn't notice anything about the owners being warned about the conditions. Makes sense to me that you should identify the problems and give the owner some time to correct the problems. Especially since by the AC's own admission the rabbits where for the large part healthy. Clearly AC is not able to handle the rabbits which is evident by the fact that they are giving them away, with no regards to them possible pregnancy. In general deplorable conditions will show up on the rabbits. Matted fur, severally stained feet and body parts, sores on feet, weeping eyes from high ammonia level and so on. I'd like to have seen some evidence that these things were going on. I gather there were some (maybe many) inadequate cages for the rabbits. This is a legit concern and would need to be addressed. From what I have read the rabbits are going to be worse off with AC than they were with the owners. As for the facebook comment, typical clap trap from ARA and uneducated people.

This picture looks pretty sad http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews ... .image.jpg

 

[Prisma]

After talking to a rep and trying to find out some things, its still very vague. Was told can't share pictures and what was taken exactly due to pending charges. Rep cited the number a was too large for person to provide good care and that cages where in bad shape still. Asked about records they took and if they'd contacted any one person had purchased from, was told it was the rescue's issue and that there were 20 left but expected 200+ come Monday/Tuesday. I don't understand that either considering news says about 100. From a different source, was told person is going to be allowed to keep 12...now I don't see how that is if they were surrendered.

 

[Sagebrush]

It all sounds extremely hokey to me. I have often seen in hoarding situations that they allow the owner to have 1 (possibly 2) of their pets back. BUT they have to be fixed, and have regular checks done on the home to make sure that everything is still clean and cared for. I am not an ACO, just work with them occasionally as a volunteer.

 

[Zass]

What seems strange is that some of those rabbits, like English lops and angoras are VERY EXPENSIVE and require some rather specialized care. A diet change, uneducated owners....I feel really bad for those rabbits.

I can agree that there may have been too many...and that cages may have been too small and needed cleaning. But.. since they were pretty healthy, wouldn't it have been for the best to take them a few at a time, and take the time to spay/neuter/educate the public?

 

[DogCatMom]

What seems strange is that some of those rabbits, like English lops and angoras are VERY EXPENSIVE and require some rather specialized care. A diet change, uneducated owners....I feel really bad for those rabbits.

I can agree that there may have been too many...and that cages may have been too small and needed cleaning. But.. since they were pretty healthy, wouldn't it have been for the best to take them a few at a time, and take the time to spay/neuter/educate the public?

Yes, but...that would be way too logical, I guess. :angry: The whole thing--no photos, healthy-looking and good-coated rabbits--just sounds "way weird" to me as well as the rest of you. No warnings? No way to make things right? TWO HUNDRED RABBITS WITH NO HOME??? :evil:

 

[Prisma]

After calling, checking, and looking for more information the news replied. Still couldn't get any thing from officers or the rescue though as pending charges supposedly wouldn't allow. Still no word of if they had a warrant or not. Bunny World Foundation is being said to have pictures of the horrid conditions they were in, there was a post about a breeder they were casing or rescuing from of a white rabbit with poo and bad eyes and others (might have been here too) and Netherland Dwarfs mainly in dirty cages. It was confirmed all you do is go in sign waiver and get your rabbit(s). Out of what they took yesterday, 6 were left at about noon, this is first hand knowledge not here say. Rescue was friendly and didn't have a problem with them being looked at and over, 2 were possibly ill though breathing heavily and pregnant doe, but considering the stress that this has made them go through who knows if its not related to that or not for sure. They were in good flesh condition and not matted or look like they'd been sitting in dirty cages though. The antibreeder/meat/etc comments are still flying of course...

 

[Zass]

It almost looks like they are trying to disperse the rabbits quickly for a reason...

 

[ckcs]

What seems strange is that some of those rabbits, like English lops and angoras are VERY EXPENSIVE and require some rather specialized care.

I thought this too. Both those breeds if they lived in horrible condition would exhibit obvious signs and would not appear healthy at all.

One of the posts on facebook said that one rabbit had pooh removed that weighed more than the rabbit. I don't believe that for a second. If any of the rabbits were that neglected as a whole they wouldn't have been described as healthy. The fact that they have rehomed 90% of what they have taken in so so far is highly suspicious. I'd assume unhealthy animals aren't being rehomed which makes me think they were in good condition to start with. I'm sure a lot of breeders just got some free additions to their rabbitry.

 

[Zass]

Could the goal be to have the rabbits completely dispersed before the court hearing?

"Facing charges" isn't anywhere near the same thing as actually being found guilty.

 

[ckcs]

It almost looks like they are trying to disperse the rabbits quickly for a reason...

Maybe since the shelter can't handle them, they are concern someone will arrest them lol. Are there animal control controllers lol.

 

[Zass]

Yeah ASPCA. They go into overcrowded shelters and euthanize most the animals. The rest they disperse cheaply and with less restrictions then shelters usually have....Maybe that's just in my state?

 

[ckcs]

It will be interesting to see what happens Monday when the bulk of the rabbits are taken in. 200 rabbits is an awful lot to take care especially if you are not properly setup like say Grumpy is. One the reporter pictures I noticed a photo that showed about 10 cages most seemed to have multiple rabbits in them. I wasn't sure if the shelter put them together to save space or the original owner housed them that way. The cages in that photo appeared larger than some that I have seen in other photos. I'd like to have seen photos at the rabbitry. I don't buy it is because of pending charges.

 

[grumpy]

Did y'all see how tame all of those bunnies were?

What the %^%^% caused this to happen? A complaint? City ordinance
violation? WHAT??

Sure makes a person "gun-shy" about posting any more pics on their operation.
I think I may take a chill-pill for a while.
Lord help those that show up on my property and attempt to "RESCUE" any of my stock.

It's got to be some form of health violation or ordinance violation about the
numbers allowed. None of it makes very good sense. I watched to news feed
and it didn't seem those rabbits came out of "dirty" conditions.
They were too clean. It's crazy and spooky that the authorities
can do this without due process.

The do-do would surely hit the fan......I'm too damned old and set in my ways
to have some knuckle-head "tell" me what "they" are gonna do on "MY" property.
Rabbits aren't the only "items" I have stashed down in my barn. :evil: :evil:

Grumpy.

 

[Audrey]

If they threatened the owner with "Surrender them or be charged" and so he surrendered them, then he is no longer the owner and there isn't any chance of him getting them back through court anyway, he legally signed them away, so the aspca is free to disperse them as they wish.

 

[Random Rabbit]

Couple things i read ( on several FB groups)...

The person evidently had sold a rabbit that was ( or got) sick... the buyer reported the person.

The animal control offered the rabbits FREE... to anyone that showed up with a box or carrier. Starting at 10 AM... by 11 AM there were only 7 left.

A person i know from that area... had sold rabbits to that person... Never got a call that there were any problems either. They would have gladly taken back the rabbits sold.

..................................

Why bwf would get involved is beyond me... they are a Los Angeles based group. I could more believe hrs being involved.

bwf had picture plastered on their page of Filthy ( i mean disgustingly Filthy) rabbits from a situation they were involved in out there. How the two re$cues are being conflated is confusing