Duncan’s owner reached out to us for help in rehoming him because she was worried about his safety. Their family had welcomed a new dog into their home and she had witnessed the dog biting Duncan’s ears through the bars of his outdoor hutch.
Duncan lived outdoors for three years because of mis-information his family received from the breeder they bought him from. The family had asked the breeder about bringing him indoors for the winter and were told that since he had been living outside, that bringing him indoors would kill him. That is untrue and, in fact, domestic rabbits in New York should only live indoors, for their own health, safety and comfort.
Duncan’s story may be sad, his pictures tough to look at, but we hope sharing his experience can help others, human and rabbit alike.
Here are four lessons we would like to share from Duncan’s experience:
- Do your own research. You can’t always trust that you’ll receive the best information for proper companion rabbit care from pet stores and breeders. The best resources for rabbit care are rescue groups like LongIslandRabbitRescue.org and rabbit.org.
- You should always supervise your rabbit’s interaction with dogs and other animals. Rabbits are prey animals and even the gentlest dogs may exhibit predator behavior in proximity to a rabbit. Keep all animals safe by introducing them slowly and intervening quickly at any sign of aggression. Situations can quickly become scary… or fatal.
- Domestic rabbits should live and play indoors only. Housing rabbits outdoors is no longer considered safe in our environment and climate. From weather concerns to wild animals and parasites, rabbits housed outdoors are subject to many dangers, some scary and some deadly. Outdoor play time poses the same risks as outdoor living and is never recommended for domestic rabbits.
- Seek immediate veterinary care from rabbit-savvy veterinarian. When Duncan’s family contacted us, they reported that their new dog was seen biting Duncan’s ears. When we took him into our care two days later, his ears were evidently chewed, more than just a little bite, and had since healed, although permanently damaged. Duncan was likely scared and in pain when the incident or incidences occurred. Contact a rabbit-savvy veterinarian at the first sign of any injury, accident or illness.
We are grateful to Duncan’s original family that they reached out to Long Island Rabbit Rescue Group for help. Since coming into our care, Duncan is thriving in the safety of his foster home and surely loves the air conditioning during our recent heatwave!
Not every pet is right for every family or every environment. We hope that Duncan’s story prevent another family from facing the distress and prevent other rabbits from injury and the perils of outdoor living.
Official Press Release: 4 Things We Can Learn From Duncan
