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Forum DIET & CARE Microchipped

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    • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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        Hi there I rescued my female american sable rabbit from a rescue group 14 months ago. When I recieved her they told me she was microchipped. They didn’t tell me anything about the microchip and didn’t say if I had to go take care of it. I don’t know anything about microchips so I let it go. I was reading something about microchipps and they said if your pet has a microchip to make sure that it is your name and don’t assume the vet or rescue group took care of that. My rabbit never goes outside and is an indoor rabbit. I am wondering if I should contact the rescue group and ask them about it or should I contact my vet and ask them about it? thanks


      • Sarita
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          See if your vet can read the microchip and see if it’s changed. If not, ask the vet’s office what you should do – if you can change it or does the rescue have to change it.


        • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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            thank you


          • jerseygirl
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              It’s just a matter of changing details on a data base somewhere isn’t it? I don’t know a whole lot about them either.

              Though she doesn’t go outside, there are no guarantees in life. It’s not likely but possible any number of things *could* happen where your rabbit was loose outdoors. i.e. natural disaster, home break in, someone else in the home being less diligent about doors or the rabbits were being looked after in someone else home and somehow got out. Since she’s already got a chip, may as well have the correct info on it. : )


            • tobyluv
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                When I adopted my last bunny from a shelter, they told me that he was microchipped. They gave me papers to fill out and send in with payment to activate the microchip, and said that I also would have to pay a yearly fee. I kind of set the papers aside, and planned to decide later if I wanted to activate the account, but I never did anything about it. My reasoning was that he is safe inside the house, although I know that there is always a chance of an accident if he is being transported to the vet, or a chance of something happening at home on the rare occasion that I’m not there. I work at home and I very seldom go out. I’m sure that it would have been the smart thing to do to activate the microchip, but I decided not to.


              • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                  Ok. Thanks for your story. When I adopted her they never gave me any papers and told me nothing about it. I no nothing about microchipped and never heard anything about it till I got her. I guess it was partly my fault and partly there fault. I guess I should have asked them about it and they probably should have told me about it. My other rabbit I have isn’t microchipped. So if something would happen. Nobody would no he is mine. My rabbits never go outside except to go to the vets office and for my female it is once a year for her check up. thanks so much


                • CapnRis
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                    The SPCA shelter here, where I got Rory as well as one of my cats, microchips most of the animals they put up for adoption, and when they’re adopted, updates the information right there at the desk, and there was no charge or anything involving it. I’m just glad that my pets can be identified as mine, so I would strongly suggest ensuring that your rabbit’s chip is up to date with your info; otherwise it’s just a little piece of silicon and metal stuck in her for no reason.


                  • Beka27
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                      If it’s already there, I would update it. Might as well use it since it’s been placed. I don’t think microchips are a bad idea at all for those who choose to do it.


                    • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                        I went to my vet today and asked them if they could scan my bunny to see what appears on teh microchip. The vet tech said that when they scan it a number pops up and they have to go to a file system and look up the number to see who owns the rabbit. She most of the time if the rescue group is a reputable rescue group that if it is microchipped to them they have on file that she belongs to me so they would contact me.


                      • KatnipCrzy
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                          I would make sure the microchip is registered to YOU and not the rescue. What if the rescue adopts out 100’s of pets a year- that is a lot to keep track of. And the rescue would be the legal owner and may or may not decide to contact you to find out why your rabbit was loose.
                          I worked at a Humane Society and vet clinic and is was always sad to get in a microchipped pet that could not be tracked down- due to owner not registering, large rescue group having to search records going back several years, etc. You want your bunny home ASAP in case of mishap- then register.


                        • BinkyBunny
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                            Vivian was microchipped by the Humane Society, and there was a company “Home Again” that was connected to the chip. The humane society passed the papers onto the second rescue group (SaveABunny) that took Vivian in. (and from where I adopted Viv from). It’s too bad that the rescue group you adopted from did not have the papers to help you change the information, so hopefully the vet will be able to tell you which company to contact to update the information with. It normally costs around $10 to renew.

                            I do think it is important to update the information because even if your bunny never goes outside, there are all kinds of other situations, fire, home invasion, freak issue where your bunny escapes, and if you live in an area that has storms, floods tornadoes, earthquakes, it’s amazing how many animals survive through tragedy, yet then are lost.


                          • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                              ok thanks so if i take her to the vet they said if they scan it it would be a number then they would have to go a program to type in the number. Do you know who i would contact to change the information and would i have to contact the rescue group?


                            • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                                I am very unfamiliar with rescue groups and this was my first adoption through a rescue group. I have some questions and was wondering if all rescue groups were the same.
                                1. When I adopted my rabbit the contract said that if I can’t take care of her I have to return her to the rescue group. Are other rescue groups like this?
                                2. They will do drop by visits to my house. Do other rescue groups do this?
                                3. The rescue group said nothing about her microchipped and I am taking her to the vet to see who she is microchipped to. Will the rescue group get mad that if I change it? thanks for answering my questions


                              • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                                  I just wanted to share some information with everyone. I went to the vet today to scan my buns micro chip to see if she was microchipped to me or to the rescue group. I contacted the avid the company  of the microchip. They told me that she isn’t even registered to the rescue group. She was registered to a humane society a few hours away. I am going to update the information. This was surprisingly shocking to me. I thought she was registered to the rescue group. If she would ever get lost they would contact the humane society which would have know way of getting incontact with me. Thanks for all the help everyone has giving me.


                                • Zombie-Sue
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                                    Personally I think that microchips are kinda silly. Dogs wear collars (and it shouldn’t be too simple to slip out of them if it fits properly, but I guess stranger things have happened) and cats should be kept inside, unless they are outdoor cats, in which case they’ll just come home anyway xD Rabbits of course need special care to not get eaten or loose outside.

                                    Nonetheless, my adopted rabbit has a microchip. I made sure it was up to date just in case–if he did somehow get loose, I’d hate for them to contact the rescue shelter and then the shelter decides that I abandoned him!

                                    They updated his chip when I adopted him and the vet double-checked it, no problems. I’m glad you got yours fixed (: I hope that you never need it though.


                                  • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                                      I hope I don’t need it either. I am glad i checked into it because if she did ever get lose she would go back to the humane society that it is registered to and that is not where i purchased her from. They would have know way of getting incontact with me. I am glad I am doing it! thanks


                                    • Beka27
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                                        Even if it was registered to the rescue group, if THEIR info changes, they are not calling and changing the phone number or address on hundreds or thousands of animals. AND… shelters/rescues, especially privately-run rescues, do close. So if their number is disconnected and your animal gets lost… there isn’t anyway to find out who it belongs to. I’m not sure how much info you can provide for the microchip but maybe if they have a line for notes/additional info you could list the Rescue name and phone number. So there are two ways of getting ahold of someone.

                                        It is normal for rescues to require that you return an animal to them if you are unable to keep it for whatever reason. Altho you adopted it, they have a vested interest in the animal since they provided care for weeks, months, or years and they spay/neutered it… They don’t want the animal to end up in a kill-shelter or loose in the streets.

                                        As far as drop-in visits, that’s a little bit odd to me. I know home visits prior to adoption are normal, and maybe at a certain point after specified in your adoption contract (like 3 or 6 months) to make sure everyone is adjusting well, but just at random times until… when? Forever? Rescues don’t have that kind of time and resources to do random visits like that, maybe unless they suspect there is a problem.


                                      • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                                          Thank you for the information. I don’t understand why rescue groups really have to visit your homes later on. What puzzles me is when I adopted her the rescue group said they rescued her from an abused home and had her for a year and 1/2 and no body wanted to adopt her. Then when I found out yesterday that she is microchipped to a humane society not the rescue group it puzzles me. I asked the people on the phone the company of the chip and they said I don’t need to contact the humane society or the rescue group they said the rescue group has nothing to do with this microchipp seeing that they never updated it. The lady is mailing me papers and said to change all the information over to me. It also puzzles me why the rescue group never changed the information to them. There is alot of unanswered questions that I guess I will never no. I am just happy i found out this information and can change it to me. The rescue group also told me they would mail me a paper from the vet saying she was spayed they never did that either. My other question is are all rescue groups like this? Is every rescue group on the up and up? thanks for your help


                                        • Beka27
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                                            I’m not an expert on rescues and their day-to-day operations, but like with any type of business or profession, you have the good and the bad. It doesn’t take much for a person to start taking in animals and call themselves a rescue. It’s more work to become a legal non-profit organization, but really, anyone can “rescue” animals and rehome them. This is also why I said in my previous post that rescues close. If someone is fostering animals out of their home or working in conjunction with a larger shelter, at any point, they might break ties and close their doors. It is expensive to run a rescue because the incoming funds never cover the outgoing expenses so unless there is a partnership with an established group or enough publicity/events to bring in donations, rescues close within a year or two. Humane societies/shelters are typically the first stop for bunnies but they don’t always have the resources to care for them, so rabbit-specific rescues step-in and take the animal. They can usually provide proper care and since they are more familiar with the needs of rabbits, they screen for the right adopters.

                                            None of us can speak directly for the rescue you went thru as far as their protocols and policies, and I personally wouldn’t be comfortable doing so. What matters at this point is that you have your bunny and are providing the very best care. If you are concerned about some of these things when you choose to get another bunny in the future, you may decide to go with a more official rescue, for example a chapter of the HRS or a well-known group like Save-A-Bunny.


                                          • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                                              thank you so much beka i am going to do that next time. Actually the humane society where my rabbits microchip is linked to i went to there website and they have on sundays all summer long you bring your rabbit and let your rabbit play with other rabbtis and can even set up blind dates. I am not going to do that right now because i have a 2 bunnies 1 is currently ill so i don’t have the funds to take in another bunny. my current bun who is microchipped they say she had a bonded mate and split them up because the family didn’t want her. so some time in the future i will take her on a blind date and maybe get her a new mate. so she can be happy. thanks for all your adivce. I was at an event for dogs and that is where i saw my beautiful girl sunshine. I have heard rescues are the place to go but like you said they all have good and bad ones. thanks again have a great day


                                            • BinkyBunny
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                                                Posted By kamdynandsunshinesmom on 08/19/2011 12:57 PM
                                                 my current bun who is microchipped they say she had a bonded mate and split them up because the family didn’t want her.

                                                That is so very sad. It’s hard enough for them to be dealing with the stress of being in a shelter, and then to be separated?? .  What a bummer.  That happened to Jack at Animal Care and Control.  (They don’t do that anymore and will not separate pairs unless they are fighting).   


                                              • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                                                  yes it was very sad I wondered why they seperated them. The rescue group told me they rescued her from an abused home who kept her outside fed her when they thought about it didn’t really bothered her just let her sit in her hutch all day. Then I find out this week she isn’t even microchipped to the rescue group she is microchipped to a humane society. So now I don’t know if the rescue group really rescued her or what happened. Personally I would never split up a bonded pair. I rescued her to bond with my current male rabbit. She loved him he hated her and now he is diagnosed with cancer and doesn’t want nothing to do with her. So they are not bonded. I thought maybe since he is sick he would want a mate I guess not. They say mates are good if your rabbit is sick. I guess my male rabbit just loves his mother. I guess hes a mommas boy! Lol


                                                • jerseygirl
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                                                    Posted By kamdynandsunshinesmom on 08/19/2011 07:03 AM 
                                                    The rescue group also told me they would mail me a paper from the vet saying she was spayed they never did that either.

                                                    That is also concerning in my opinion. They really should have followed up on this.  Just so you can have piece of mind for her health but also,  if your planning to get her a friend in the future. When you pay an adoption fee, you really are entitled to proper history and vet records in my mind.


                                                  • KatnipCrzy
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                                                      Your rescue group could have taken her from the Humane Society. Humane Societies and other shelters often contact breed or animal specific rescue groups to take animals that they have in their possession- to make more room for other animals coming in. Sometimes deals can be made between them- especially if the original shelter has a vet on staff- that the Rescue group will take the animal if it is spayed/neutered/vaccs, or whatever either for free or a small fee to cover the cost so that the animal is that much closer to be ready for adoption.
                                                      I volunteer for Aussie Rescue- and I have picked up a dog to transport that was accepted into the Aussie Rescue program from my local Humane Society. I relayed a $50 (reduced fee) and they neutered, microchipped, and had the dog completely UTD on vaccines. I had nothing to do with the “bargaining”- but often rescue groups would be unable to take a dog due to A) funds or B) no foster home. So if funds were the issue the shelter could have been willing do what they could to save a great dog- otherwise Aussie Rescue goes to a regular vet- just like you and I, and they may or may not get a discount.


                                                    • KatnipCrzy
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                                                        I would follow up on the paperwork if you can.  EDIT: keep in mind that rescue groups are often staffed by individuals that get no pay for their work and have to allocate their time for all the animals in need- so it might be possible it was overlooked.

                                                        Often rescue groups have these rules for the people that have “slipped thru the cracks” in the screening process for adoption. It is unlikely you will ever see someone from the rescue group at your home. I have rescued animals and adopted them out personally- and I have NO DESIRE to ever do so again- the nicest people that promise to take care of the kitten, keep her indoors, get her spayed, etc- never would have guessed that they would not follow thru. Year later I saw a kitten of that kitten in for a wound to the eye- because they were going outdoors. So those clauses are for legal rights for the animals protection. People are dishonest and know what the “right answers” are to get the pet they think that they want. : (
                                                         


                                                      • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                                                          Thanks I do understand what you are saying. The rescue group did tell me that if I do take her outside that it had to be under supervision. She really never goes outside because she doesn’t like it. I would personally never leave her outside unatteneded she is never unattended i am always with her. Some people I know would do that. My thing is I know rescue groups are busy with lots of animals but they want you to be on the up and up with the rabbits and yet they didn’t have her microchipped to them. This has been my first experience with a rescue group. So I am just learning about them thanks


                                                        • Stickerbunny
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                                                            It’s hard to get everything done at a rescue – IE: right now in town the dog rescue can house 52 dogs. But it is just purely volunteers, taking care of 52 dogs. Filling out paper work to get a microchip transferred to them is probably pretty low on the priority list compared to grooming, feeding, socializing, trying to get them out for adoption, vet visits, etc. Most rescues are just mainly a few people who do it full time, with part time volunteers helping out. Someone may have even taken the paper work home to get it done and just forgotten about it and lost the papers in a stack of their own bills or something.

                                                            As for the spay papers, have you called and asked them to send them? 

                                                            I can’t imagine taking care of 30+ rabbits like a lot of rescues do, even with a few volunteers helping out – my two are hard work enough, even with the boyfriend to help!


                                                          • kamdynandsunshinesmom
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                                                              No i haven’t because they said they would mail them to me and they never did. Its not a big deal because I am sure she is fixed. I don’t think the rescue group would lie about having her fixed and they haven’t contacted me which is fine and this rescue is really busy.

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                                                          Forum DIET & CARE Microchipped