Rabbit rescue
New home for 45 rabbits at Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf
With their long ears, sweet snub nose and gentle eyes, they are real heartbreakers and look very cute. They are considered to be very social, easy to care for and inexpensive. So it’s no surprise that they are among the most popular pets in the world. That’s right, we’re talking about rabbits!
They are often the dream of all small children and who doesn’t know the situation in which children beg their parents for a pet of their own. Many parents give in and so rabbits move into the new home. The classic choice is two rabbits, a cage that also fits into the children’s room and where the rabbits will spend their future lives. However, many of the new pet owners soon lose interest and the once much-loved animals soon become a burden and are often abandoned. Many of these abandoned rabbits have already found a new home at Gut Aiderbichl.
Even we were not prepared for the enquiry that reached us in March. Animal welfare activists phoned the Gut Aiderbichl administration with an unbelievable enquiry. Years ago, we had been made aware of a “breeder” who was keeping an unknown number of rabbits in catastrophically poor conditions. Some of the rabbits were in the cellar, in small cages. It took a long time, but now the animals were about to be confiscated. Gut Aiderbichl immediately pledged all kinds of help, including taking over the neglected rabbits. Because only together would it be possible to do justice to this extent.
On 26 May 2021, the time had come. Together with the responsible authorities, animal welfare activists were able to free more than 400 neglected animals from their ordeal. 130 rabbits had already been voluntarily surrendered by the “breeder” in advance.
“Many of the rabbits are sick, have a cold and one of them is missing her ears. We also found dead, partly half-decomposed baby rabbits,” said an animal rights activist, describing the situation in the house. The animals were given neither fresh water nor food. They waited for their fate in dark and dirty cages. It’s hard to imagine how many innocent rabbits lost their lives in this house – how much these poor rodents had to endure…
Almost 550 rabbits and guinea pigs now have a chance of a new life. And 45 rabbits moved into Gut Aiderbichl Henndorf on 4 June 2021.
It was an unusual situation for the rabbits, who previously had no opportunity to hop around freely. Suddenly they had food and fresh water at their disposal and finally had room to move around freely. What a special feeling that must have been for the sensitive animals.
It was now our job to treat all the sick rabbits, look after them and feed them up. Unfortunately, for some of the rabbits, all help came too late: the neglect had taken its toll on them… For the rest, we want to keep fighting and do everything we can to give them a good future. We want to give the rabbits the love they have been denied for so long, so we are looking for a “special foster place” with a family for some of them.
But what kind of space do we want for our rabbits?
- A place where they can move freely and also have the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air, sun and grass
- A place that is familiar and experienced with keeping rabbits
- A place that looks after the animals with respect, love and care
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Would you like to give our rabbits a home for life? Then please send us a short message to: tiervermittlung@gut-aiderbichl.com We always place the rabbits in pairs and would be delighted to receive a few personal words from you.
These points are very important for all interested parties and future rabbit owners:
- Rabbits are social group animals and must never be kept alone
- Rabbits need plenty of space and regular exercise. A standard cage can never be the right habitat for these active animals. If you decide to keep your rabbits indoors and allow them to run around, you must expect damage to the furniture.
- Cleaning the enclosure and free-range area is always time-consuming – every day and for years.
- Whoever decides to give a rabbit a home today is making a decision for the next 10 years, or longer – because that’s how long they can expect to live if kept well.
- Rabbits are flight animals and very sensitive to stress. Anyone who wants a cuddly toy will unfortunately not be happy with a rabbit.
- Rabbits are crepuscular and nocturnal animals that are particularly active at these times. The nocturnal gnawing, scratching and knocking noises are therefore part of keeping rabbits.
- The rabbits’ diet must be species-appropriate and varied. Hay must always be available to the animals. Green fodder, vegetables, fruit and branches from fruit trees provide variety. The care of the rabbits must also be guaranteed when they are on holiday or ill.
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