I used to have two bunnys years ago Pippin a silver fox and Merry a netherland dwarf. Pippin was the most amazing lad ever and he loved his mum! Merry was a grumpy wee madam. When Pippin died I was gutted but I still had Merry and then when she died I was totally heart broken. Merry wasnt well for maybe a week before she died and the vets hadnt a clue what was wrong with her. She had stopped eating and they thought she maybe needed dental. She was booked in for the monday but died screaming in my arms on the sunday night. After that I said I would never have another rabbit but now seeing how many cases of neglected bunnys we are getting at the rescue centre this last wee while, I am considering offering a home to a couple of buns. I think I may foster to begin with. That way I know I am helping the rabbits but dont have to go through the heart break of losing them.

Think I need to start doing my rabbit research as I although I have owned rabbits before, I am not sure I was the most clued up

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I can see you're thinking about the fostering, but won't it be a sad thing when you have to give those back? Even if they're only with you for 6 months it's still time to bond with the bunny. I'm just saying because alot of people find it hard fostering, treating it like your own and then having to give it up. Can you say goodbye to say 2 foster rabbits every year compared to saying goodbye to 1 pet rabbit every 10 - 15 years?

I foster for YSA, I cope OK with it because for me it's about something different than having a 'part-time pet'. Don't get me wrong I love them like my own but for me it's about giving them the best care I can before it's time for someone else to love them forever. Mum and Grandma get really upset everytime we have to say goodbye to a foster, in fact they both still miss Ben and Hovis who we had just over a year ago. I think really it depends on your attitude going into it.

YSA only foster out piggies/bunnies that are really aggressive, skittish, long-term recovery or a settling period after new bonds. I know it depends on the individual rescue policies but I'm just giving an example.

I'm not trying to tell you not to do it but with breeding, fostering, rescueing etc. I think you need to be able to know all the reasons not to do it before all the positives of doing it. That way you know before-hand what to expect.

If you think of all these things and still feel that it's what you want or something you need to do even, then go for it. It can be very rewarding and I wish you luck.

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Adopted by:

Ginge - Abby guinea piggy
Bubbles - English crested piggy
Mackenzie - English crested piggy
Skit - Standard (but cute) piggy
Max - Ragdoll x cat
The Rainbow Fish
Rest in peace my lovely furfamily that are no longer with us.

Thanks

I have been fostering for years, but have only ever fostered 1 rabbit. We had her here while she recovered after having her teeth removed and had to be syringe fed.

I had a really hard foster not that long ago. I brought home a bearded collie in February of last year and I had him for maybe 2 weeks before he found a home but he was then returned to the centre and I again fostered him. We had him till November. Giving him up was really hard but I feel like I gave him the next best thing to a forever home until he found his. I am hoping I will be able to do the same for some buns x

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I think fostering is a wonderful thing, and it really helps rescue centres get the very needy rabbits off the waiting lists. The rescue centre I volunteer at has 50 or so rabbits and a never ending waiting list usually around the 100 mark.

If I had the space I would happily take some foster bunnies in but I live too far away from where I volunteer and rent a property with a small garden.

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I am terrible when my pets die. I cried when my fish died a year ago. I still can't help getting more pets though. The way I see it is, I may get distraught when they die but at least I've given them a good life and it makes it a little easier to cope. The only people that don't get upset when their pets die are people that neglect and don't spend enough time with them. At the end of the day pets become family.

I understand where you are coming from though. I had one of my rabbits suffering in my arms. It turns out he had 'floppy rabbit syndrome', where he was temporarily paralyzed from the neck down. I was so upset I didn't bother with his carrier, I just ran into the vets and all I could get out through the tears was "He's turned into a beanie baby!" But at the time I thought he was dying and felt useless. Luckily the vet had heard of beanie baby teddies, knew what was wrong and started treating him straight away.