14/09/2016
* RANT ALERT *
In light of some recent occurrences, Dear Rosie would like to take this opportunity to clarify it's policies and values.
When you adopt a bunny from Dear Rosie, we ask that you 'purchase' a cage from us, and charge no direct adoption fee. This cage is "sold" at a steal, and the money received goes towards supplementing the feeding, medication, and de-worming of your bunny since it has been in our care. We don't believe in asking money for animals. So instead, we monetize the cage as a 'sale', wherein reality your few hundred rand is actually supplementing the care of your new bunny, and the cage is an added bonus.
We agonized for months over how best to implement an adoption fee fairly without condoning the sale of animals, and up until now, our strategy has worked very well.
We have always offered to be on stand-by should there be any issues with your new adoption, whether it isn't the right family fit, a family member becomes allergic, or a resident pet becomes begrudged- we have always offered ourselves up as a fall back. If we cannot take the bunny back directly, we will help suitably re-home him/her.
Now, we believe it goes without saying that should you return your bunny for whichever unfortunate circumstance to us, we will not return the meager amount you contributed when adopting. Just as you would not return an adopted dog to TEARS and ask for your money back, or the SPCA, or any other animal rescue. You undertook an agreement when adopting, there are no "return policies" on animals. We offer to help you rehome your bunny out of the goodness of our hearts.
If your bunny finds itself needing a new home and we offer to take him/her back in, technically speaking the cage you were given at a fraction of retail cost is indeed yours. We will never tell you you MUST return it. However, we hope that where possible, people would donate it back with their bunny out of the goodness of their hearts, as we would surely do the same. Space is a valuable and fleeting luxury in our small premises.
Please, don't mistake our kindness for weakness, we are not a bunny dumping ground.
Your rabbit is not a new toy you can return and ask for your money back, only to keep the packaging.
There are lives in consideration. We rely on every cent we make to keep our rescue afloat, and continue homing animals.
Do not steal from a rescue. Don't be a bad person.
