We will provide pictures and videos. To arrange pickup we can meet you at a public location. Unfortunately we do not allow visitors to our facility.
We Are A CLOSED Rabbitry!
There is a growing trend of telling buyers to ask to inspect the breeder’s breeding facilities, that a breeder must allow buyers to see where the rabbits are kept and if they are not allowed it must mean the breeder has “something to hide”.
The fact is there are good, valid reasons why breeders refuse to allow people into their rabbitry. The following are some of the reasons why a breeder will maintain a “closed” rabbitry. None of these have anything to do with providing inadequate care. Often the irresponsible breeders allow buyers to see where their animals are kept. They think everything is fine, when it isn't.
Valid Reasons For A Closed Rabbitry:
-Unruly Children & Liability
Most people don't think that their kids are a problem but many breeders have had bad experiences with buyers and their children disrupting the rabbitry. Rabbits can be easily spooked resulting in injury or death. Having children running, yelling, etc is not ideal.
In addition to the risk of injury to the rabbits there are liability issues. Suppose a person gets injured in the rabbitry? Rabbits can bite & scratch, in addition to the hazards of someone mis-stepping, slipping, etc. Most insurance companies do not cover rabbtries, and they will not cover people who have buyers come onto their property to purchase an animal.
-Risk of Disease
Breeders have no control over where a buyer has been and what infectious agents they may be carrying on them. So allowing someone into the rabbitry puts every rabbit at risk. If a breeder brings rabbits to a buyer separate from the rabbitry they can better control and minimize disease risks with quarantining any rabbits that come back unpurchased. The US has had several outbreaks of VHD (Viral Hemorrhagic Disease), a foreign animal disease that will kill every rabbit on the property if just one rabbit becomes infected. In addition to VHD there is also Pasteurella which is extremely contagious, and does not always shows symptoms, so the buyer may have come in contact with an infected animal without knowing. Those are just the two worst, most common that a breeder needs to worry about.
-Buyers wanting a rabbit that is not for sale
The buyer sees rabbits they want but they are not for sale. Perhaps there are younger babies not yet ready to leave or the breeder doesn’t know if they will be for sale. Maybe they fall in love with the best breeder/show rabbit. It is better to avoid "temptation" and show the buyer only those for sale vs letting them into the rabbitry.
-Risk of strangers
Every buyer is a total stranger, no matter how much correspondence or how many conversations a breeder has with them. Think about it, would you allow a stranger to “inspect” your home? Besides privacy issues, there are serious risks that breeders face letting buyers into their homes or breeding facilities. The person may not actually be looking for a rabbit, they could be a thief, or worse. There have been reports of "buyers" coming back and stealing rabbits or equipment, or setting animals loose. With how many bad people are out there, buyers should be able to understand why breeders are reluctant to allow people in. Think about it, would you invite a total stranger into your home to look around?
-We are NOT a petting zoo
Sometimes “buyers” aren’t actually serious about getting a rabbit, they just want to use the facility as a petting zoo. Raising rabbits requires a lot of time and work. There is work and time involved in maintaining the facility, attending shows, dealing with other buyers, and of course we all have our own families and jobs. Rabbitries aren’t here to serve as petting zoos so keeping people out of the breeding facility helps prevent “window shoppers”.
The fact is there are good, valid reasons why breeders refuse to allow people into their rabbitry. The following are some of the reasons why a breeder will maintain a “closed” rabbitry. None of these have anything to do with providing inadequate care. Often the irresponsible breeders allow buyers to see where their animals are kept. They think everything is fine, when it isn't.
Valid Reasons For A Closed Rabbitry:
-Unruly Children & Liability
Most people don't think that their kids are a problem but many breeders have had bad experiences with buyers and their children disrupting the rabbitry. Rabbits can be easily spooked resulting in injury or death. Having children running, yelling, etc is not ideal.
In addition to the risk of injury to the rabbits there are liability issues. Suppose a person gets injured in the rabbitry? Rabbits can bite & scratch, in addition to the hazards of someone mis-stepping, slipping, etc. Most insurance companies do not cover rabbtries, and they will not cover people who have buyers come onto their property to purchase an animal.
-Risk of Disease
Breeders have no control over where a buyer has been and what infectious agents they may be carrying on them. So allowing someone into the rabbitry puts every rabbit at risk. If a breeder brings rabbits to a buyer separate from the rabbitry they can better control and minimize disease risks with quarantining any rabbits that come back unpurchased. The US has had several outbreaks of VHD (Viral Hemorrhagic Disease), a foreign animal disease that will kill every rabbit on the property if just one rabbit becomes infected. In addition to VHD there is also Pasteurella which is extremely contagious, and does not always shows symptoms, so the buyer may have come in contact with an infected animal without knowing. Those are just the two worst, most common that a breeder needs to worry about.
-Buyers wanting a rabbit that is not for sale
The buyer sees rabbits they want but they are not for sale. Perhaps there are younger babies not yet ready to leave or the breeder doesn’t know if they will be for sale. Maybe they fall in love with the best breeder/show rabbit. It is better to avoid "temptation" and show the buyer only those for sale vs letting them into the rabbitry.
-Risk of strangers
Every buyer is a total stranger, no matter how much correspondence or how many conversations a breeder has with them. Think about it, would you allow a stranger to “inspect” your home? Besides privacy issues, there are serious risks that breeders face letting buyers into their homes or breeding facilities. The person may not actually be looking for a rabbit, they could be a thief, or worse. There have been reports of "buyers" coming back and stealing rabbits or equipment, or setting animals loose. With how many bad people are out there, buyers should be able to understand why breeders are reluctant to allow people in. Think about it, would you invite a total stranger into your home to look around?
-We are NOT a petting zoo
Sometimes “buyers” aren’t actually serious about getting a rabbit, they just want to use the facility as a petting zoo. Raising rabbits requires a lot of time and work. There is work and time involved in maintaining the facility, attending shows, dealing with other buyers, and of course we all have our own families and jobs. Rabbitries aren’t here to serve as petting zoos so keeping people out of the breeding facility helps prevent “window shoppers”.