Name
Phone Cell:
Address
email: Date:
Thank you for taking the time to answer the following questions completely and honestly. By knowing a little bit about you and the rabbit’s future home, we can help ensure that everyone is prepared for this happy event, and will have many years of health, safety and loving companionship. Please note that H.A.R.E., Inc. serves only Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties. We do not do long-distance adoptions due to logistical and safety concerns.
Before you complete this form, please notice that most of our rabbits listed for adoption are available in PAIRS. It is very important to understand the reason for this. Please read the following short article: http://rabbit.org/faq-should-i-get-a-second-rabbit/. Except in unusual circumstances, we adopt out single rabbits only to homes in which our rabbit is to be bonded with a resident rabbit. If you have questions about this policy, or if you think you can provide a great home for a single rabbit, please feel free to contact us.
This form is formatted so that your answers will appear in BLUE. Please answer in the spaces provided.
Part I. Living with a Rabbit is not like Living with a Cat or Dog
Many people mistakenly believe that a rabbit is a “low maintenance” pet or a “pocket pet” suitable for children.
One of the missions of the House Rabbit Society is to help dispel these myths. Rabbits require specialized care, a proper diet suitable for a hind-gut fermenter mammal (please see http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/diet.html), and a veterinarian who knows the unique needs of a rabbit. Rabbits are highly social and thrive on interaction and free running time. It is important for the potential adopter to understand the nature of a rabbit before adopting.
1. Do you have a copy of (or have you read) The House Rabbit Handbook by Marinell Harriman?
2. Are you familiar with The House Rabbit Society? (www.rabbit.org)
(If you answered “no”, please visit the HRS web site and read the articles linked here: http://rabbit.org/category/house-rabbits-101/ before proceeding.)
3. Why are you interested in adopting a rabbit? What do you like about them?
4. Have you lived with a rabbit before? If yes, what happened to him/her?
5. If you have never lived with a rabbit, what experience with rabbits do you have?
Part II. The People Who Will Be the Rabbit’s Family
Many people are surprised to learn that rabbits are usually NOT a suitable pet for a child. Small children can be too rough, and an older child has only a few years before other interests, high school, and college eclipse the rabbit. This means that a rabbit should be adopted as the family companion, not just for a child who may lose interest, or be unable to care for the rabbit in the long term, as rabbits can live 10 years or more. An adult should always be the primary caregiver of all pets.
1. Do you own or rent? If you rent, has the landlord given permission for an indoor rabbit?
2. Have the person or persons in authority in the household given permission for you to keep a rabbit in the house?
3. Please list the names and ages of all family members who will interact with the rabbit(s):
Name: Age:
Name: Age:
Name: Age:
Name: Age:
4. Are you aware of any animal-related allergies in any of the family members listed above? If any of the family members above turns out to be allergic to rabbits, what course of action will you take?
5. Are there any smokers in your household? If so, is smoking allowed indoors?
6. Who will be the primary caregiver of the rabbit(s)?
Part III. Other Animals in the Household
While rabbits can be great friends with dogs, cats, guinea pigs, and other animals, the safety of that friendship for all concerned depends on the personality of the animals involved. A dog or cat with a strong hunting drive is probably not a good match for a rabbit, and only if the animals are kept strictly separated should a rabbit adoption be considered. This means keeping the rabbit visually protected, too, since the sight and sound of an aggressive predator can cause health-threatening stress.
If you have a cat—even a friendly, calm one--please note that rabbits are extremely susceptible to infection by the microorganisms normally present on a cat’s claws and teeth. Even a small scratch or puncture wound can be fatal, sometimes as quickly as 12-24 hours.
1. What other pets have you had in the past? What happened to them?
2. What other pets do you have living with you now?
Type of animal: Sex Please circle one:
neutered spayed intact
neutered spayed intact
neutered spayed intact
neutered spayed intact
neutered spayed intact
3. If one of the pets listed above is a dog, on a scale of 1 to 5, please describe the dog’s level of obedience training, with 1 being the BEST TRAINED and 5 being the LEAST TRAINED. Please describe its age, breed and temperament.
4. If you have a cat, does it have a strong prey-capture instinct?
5. Are you willing to be vigilant for any sign of injury to the rabbit (which can be extremely subtle), and are you willing/able to monitor contact between the cat and rabbit and contact a rabbit-savvy veterinarian immediately if the rabbits shows any sign of having been injured by the cat?
Part IV. Rabbits Love Romping!
Rabbits are intelligent, social, and active. They need space to move around, even when confined. (A pen or cage smaller than 36” x 36” x 36” is too small, even for a small rabbit.) These questions are designed to help you determine if you have enough space and time for a happy rabbit.
1. Please describe where will the rabbit live (size of hutch, running area, etc.):
2. If you plan to keep the rabbit in a hutch, how much free running time can you provide per day?
3. Your house may need to undergo some special "bunny-proofing" (such as protecting electrical wires from gnawing teeth) before the rabbits are allowed to run free indoors. Are you willing to take time to do such "bunny proofing?"
4. Would you be willing to allow one of our volunteers help you design a “bunny safe” environment in your home?
Some rabbits, like any companion animal, can be destructive when bored or not given enough attention. Would destructive behavior (such as furniture chewing, carpet digging, less-than-perfect litterbox habits etc) be a reason for you to give up the rabbit in the future? Please feel free to explain your answer.
5. Do you have any specific requests/requirements about the rabbit(s) you adopt?
Part VI. Veterinary Care
Veterinary care is a necessary part of living with a companion animal. Although rabbits do not require vaccinations, they do need regular (usually annhual) veterinary check ups. An office visit may cost anywhere from $40 - 80 (depending on the veterinarian and clinic), and should be done by a qualified veterinarian experienced in rabbit medicine. Chronic or serious medical conditions, which are more likely to arise as the rabbit ages, can cost hundreds of dollars, just as they can for a dog or cat. A well cared-for rabbit may live 10 years or more.
1. Are you willing/able to make the financial commitment necessary to provide quality veterinary care for the life of your companion rabbit(s)?
2. Do you already have a veterinarian who takes care of your companion animals, and whom you would like to take care of your rabbit/s? If so, please tell us who it is:
3. If you do not yet know of a veterinarian who is experienced with rabbit medicine, would you be willing to allow us to refer you to the best rabbit veterinarian(s) in the area, and to use his/her/their services?
Part VII. Adoption Fee and Bunny Back Guarantee
Our adoption fee helps us defray the costs of spay/neuter, medical treatment, food, and care of our rescued rabbits. Our adoption fee is $80 for a single rabbit, and $150 for a bonded pair. All H.A.R.E. rabbits are spayed/neutered, which costs $200 or more from most veterinarians. Our adoption fee helps defray this cost, and you won’t have to worry about the surgery.
Toys, fresh hay, quality fresh vegetables can cost about $10-15/week/rabbit. A baby gate (~$30), puppy pen (~$100), or indoor hutch ($150 - $300 or more) are going to be needed to keep bunny where s/he belongs.
1. Do you feel that you can comfortably manage the initial expenses of an adoption fee?
2. Do you feel you can comfortably manage the expense of enrichment, food, and housing for your rabbits?
3. If you adopt a rabbit/s from the House Rabbit Society, will you agree that if, for any reason, your rabbit adoption does not work out, that you will NOT turn the rabbit/s over to a pet store, animal shelter or other person or organization, but that you will instead contact your H.A.R.E., Inc. rescuer for assistance?
I certify that all the responses to this adoption questionnaire are correct and true:
Name/electronic signature Date
PLEASE EMAIL THE COMPLETED QUESTIONNAIRE TO:
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