Found a stray rabbit…

[Huckleberry]

 I found a rabbit in my yard. He is clearly a house rabbit because he has been neutered, his nails are trimmed and he is very tame. His feet dont show any signs of being kept in a cage. He is a pretty thin but looks to be in good health. No flea dirt, no scrapes, cuts or anything else. 

I am going to call the pound in the morning to see if anyone has reported a missing rabbit and hang posters that only say “Found rabbit, call …” so that no one can claim him for meat. I am keeping him in the bathroom and Huckleberry is staying in her room tonight. I am washing my hands when I leave him. 

Are there any other precautions I need to take? Is there anything I need to do? He has been here for an hour or so and has not gone potty yet. I gave him water, kale, pellets and hay. Am I doing everything I need to for him? 

He is super cuddly…. but seems to be a cimber…. I had to bunny proof the bathroom to extreme heights. 

[Huckleberry]

 

Here he is! We are calling him Tom Sawyer until we find his owners. He keeps jumping up onto the bathroom sink. I hope he doesnt hurt himself…

[bunnyfriend]

Awhhhh he is so lucky you found him! It is possible that whoever owned him may have just dumped him ): I don’t understand how anyone could just do that and not care that the rabbit doesn’t have the all the same skills that wild rabbits do. I think you’re doing as much as you can do right now, just keep an eye on him (and the potty stuff)

[BinkyBunny]

Oh…he is just beautiful. It would be hard for me to believe that someone dumped him when he looks fit and his nails are trimmed, he’s neutered, as well as he seems well socialized. Doesn’t seem to fit a profile of someone that would dump a bunny….but ya never know. In the meantime, I think trying to locate the owner is a good idea. Ya never know….bunny could have escaped out a door, out an open window (especially if he is a jumper) and someone could be just heartbroken, so hopefully an owner will be found.

In the meantime, I agree that he is one lucky bunny to have you take him in and take care of him until you find out what is going on.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I agree with BB, that would be weird for someone to care enough about their bunny to neuter him and then dump him. Hopefully he just escaped and his owners will be overjoyed that you found him.

He’s a beauty. Love his colouring.

Along with washing your hands, I would recommend changing your shirt if you are handling him. Can never be too careful.

[bullrider76543]

Wow he is beautiful, its hard to imagine he had been lost for very long and still be that healthy. I cant believe someone could have just abandoned him, that is just horrible. Tom is sooo lucky to have found you. Prayers for both of you.

[longhairmike]

you can post FOUND RABBIT flyers elsewhere but just don’t include the description,, require that THEY describe him when they respond.
unless theyre 100% on the description, tell them sorry.

[Sarita]

He looks like a Flemmie. He’s gorgeous. longhairmike gave some good advice about the poster. If he’s neutered and his nails are trimmed, he’s probably been taken good care of – I think washing your hands should be enough.

[bullrider76543]

He is just magnificent, I would sooo keep him lol. I have wanted a flemish forever.

[bwild]

I really hope that you find the owners! It sounds like someone really cares for Mr. Sawyer and is probably very heartbroken!

[Joyfull_music]

I agree that is seems unlikely that someone would invest so much time and care into a rabbit, and then just let it go. So he may be an escapee. But then again a couple years ago my sister found two kittens, a brother and sister, with clean fur, not too skinny, no fleas, no parasites, and freshly trimmed nails. We put up flyers and a thing in the newspaper where she found them, but they were never claimed. So we decided to keep them. But I still wonder sometimes if they were somebody’s pets and that person just never saw our attempts to find their original home.

And I also agree Tom is very lucky to be found by a compassionate, bunny savvy person.

[Stickerbunny]

Call the shelters, vets, pet stores etc and let them know you found a lost rabbit – that way whatever the owners contact trying to find their bun, they may get your information. Post up flyers around. Post on craigslist (I know, but people do check there).

Let them describe him, down to every detail – color, neutered or not, etc. He’s gorgeous and got a nice mixture of colors, so really only the owners should know exactly what he looks like. You could also take him to your vet and see if he has been microchipped.

[Huckleberry]

Oh boy… am I in love… it is going to be hard to give him back to his owner if we find him/her. I called the animal shelter today and left a description for them. They said they will put a “found” notice up on their board there. I have not put up posters yet but I will before the day is over. I have had so many errands today. Thanks for the advice, longhairmike, that was exactly what I was planning to do! I dont want him to go up for meat or something, we have a lot of “that’s dinner” minded people around here.
I really wish I could just keep him, but I know that if it were my baby, I would want her back.

[Sarita]

You may be surprised that his owners don’t come forward. One of my friends found a darling little rabbit in her driveway and did exactly what you did but no one claimed him.

[kralspace]

Sarita’s right, that’s also how we came to have Dammitcharlie, too. Neighborhood kids found him running downtown and went to every house on our side of town trying to find the owner.

dittos to washing the hands, just don’t be surprised if you bunny takes a sniff and bites you! Your girl may be jealous of you handling another bunny…lol

[Huckleberry]

So far, she hasn’t noticed. She was upset that I wouldn’t let her out to play last night though.
He is so adaptable! He just flopped, tooth purred and then stretched his head back to scratch it on the corner of the bathroom cupboard….. still no call….

[Sam and Lady's Human]

You can try your local radio station too

[Eepster]

has he pooped yet? If he doesn’t soon you may need to take him to a vet. Of course while you’re at the vet you could have them check to see if he’s chipped.

he’s lucky he found you. One of my biggest fears is that if Porky got loose no one would bother to try to catch him b/c he has the same coloring as the local wild rabbits and I don’t think most people would notice the he’s slightly larger and plumper than wild bunnies usually are.

[Huckleberry]

Oh yeah, he pooped all over the place.

We found the owner. It is a soon-to-be art student that lives with her family. They have 4 rabbits, 3 hamsters and an array of other animals. They live three houses down from mine. His name is Igor. He is home now!

Now I have a lot of poop to clean up and another bunny to apologize greatly to. Huckles is grumpy about being locked in her room for two days.
Thank you all for your help!!!

[Sarita]

Any idea how ha may have escaped? Do they keep him outside?

Yep, you got some explaining to do to Huckleberry LOL.

[Huckleberry]

They said that he was outside in a hutch and they think his cage didnt get latched well. They usually keep him inside but had him out for the nice weather. I told them to tell their daughter I work in the art library, since she will be an art student soon and to have her stop by if she ever wanted to chat about bunnies.
Apparently, he was bought at the same store Huckleberry was and around the same time. I think they easily could have been siblings! They looked so similar. Huckles doesn’t have any brown but they have the same black steel fur and huge ears and feet. His head was shaped different than hers though. It was longer and more angular.

[Stickerbunny]

Glad you found the owners Happy ending for him!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

In general pets are considered property=so you need to post that you have him. 14 days minimum but free legal counsel could advise you to the laws in your area. AFter you’ve past the time you need to offer back to owner, you can keep him or rehome him. But in the eyes of the law you must treat him like property first. I’d be super cautious about ensuring you document your attempt to find the owner if you are going to keep him, you don’t want someone claiming him later. Likely no one will claim him but just in case
PS he’s Gorgeous! And super job rounding him up!!

[BinkyBunny]

 KK — Huckleberry found this bunny’s owners.  Yeah!   But that information you gave is important for all us to know.  Thank you! Also, sometimes things can vary county to county a bit, so it’s good for anyone who is in this predictamet to double check what with their local Animal Care and Control states about the details of time and effort needed to locate owners. 

[RabbitPam]

I know that my local Animal Control shelter, the main one, posts both adoptable pets on line and has a separate page where LOST animals that have been brought there are posted with their pictures. It was good to see that page online, since I would check there first if I had a lost pet – they are the most likely to be called by someone who found it if it wasn’t taken in.

You did a kindness for him and your neighbors.

[Huckleberry]

Thank you for all your kind words.
KK, that was something I hadn’t really thought about. I mean, I knew he belonged to someone, but I never thought at it as a legality. Thanks for that heads-up! BB is right, its something we all need to be aware of since we will all at some point stumble across a cuddly that we just never want to let go.
I kind of miss him. It has made boyfriend and I really consider getting a second rabbit once we have a better place for buns.

[Sarita]

The pets as personal property does vary from place to place but nevertheless you just want to do your due diligence as you did – after all you did not steal the rabbit, you found him. The owner must also do their due diligence in finding the pet.

I know for insurance purposes your pets aren’t considered personal property under your personal homeowners insurance (at least in Texas and insurance laws vary from state to state).

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

*Smacks head* Duhhhh this is why I should not be on so late!!

 

KK, that was something I hadn’t really thought about. I mean, I knew he belonged to someone, but I never thought at it as a legality. Thanks for that heads-up! BB is right, its something we all need to be aware of since we will all at some point stumble across a cuddly that we just never want to let go.
I kind of miss him. It has made boyfriend and I really consider getting a second rabbit once we have a better place for buns

I just know quite a bit about stray-owner-etc as I find SO many stray dogs and had to really figure otu how to find owners and what laws were in rehoming if I couldn’t etc Found a dog just today actually! That’s really neat you might be looking for another bunny to love!

 

The pets as personal property does vary from place to place…I know for insurance purposes your pets aren’t considered personal property under your personal homeowners insurance (at least in Texas and insurance laws vary from state to state).

It depends on what part of the law you are talking about-I’m not sure what laws are in play for insurance, but in criminal law, (the ones I’ve looked up)they are property and this is why many animal abuse cases don’t go through, the grisly being that if they were done in by owner and passed away, then that’s his property and as long as they didn’t suffer for x amount of time-sadly that’s legal across most of N. America. This applies in theft and in finding property, I’ve extensively researched for US (and some Canadian) friends who found dogs and wanted to keep them so at least in the states I looked up (California, Michigan and one other) they were property in terms of finding them-criminal law etc. But in the US it seems things can vary-I guess it’s tricky state to state so much!. But again-my ‘expertise’ in the stray thing is mostly for Canada and especially here; and things change-I think I looked up the Michigan one years ago…

[Author]

Messages