There are several individuals and organisations that claim to be ‘professional rabbit bonders’.
The first thing we want to say about that is that, in our opinion, there are no ‘professional rabbit bonders’ because there are no qualifications, assessments or registration programmes for this. We would prefer they be referred to as ‘commercial rabbit bonders’ if they are asking for money in exchange for their services. We are often contacted after things have gone wrong, and rabbits have been injured or, even worse, have died.
If you are using one of these services, please check them out properly. Check out their reviews; please make sure that there are no stress bonding techniques used (very small spaces) and that you are not going to risk picking up any diseases. Ask all relevant questions, such as: How are rabbits going to be introduced and monitored? Ask what would happen if there was a fight and injuries occurred. Who is going to take the rabbits to the vet, and when? Ask for daily photos and updates. Ask what size of space the rabbits will be kept in. Ask what they will be fed. Ask how many rabbits will be bonded at a time and if any other rabbits will be around them.
We have seen attempts at bonding groups of up to 17 rabbits at a time, so please use common sense and check that you and the commercial rabbit bonders have the space to adequately house any pairs or groups that are going to be bonded, especially once you get them home. A pair of average-sized rabbits need a minimum space of 3m x 2m x 1m at all times, so groups are going to pro rota need more space, hiding places,, litter trays and feeding/water bowls than this. And also that you have the resources to monitor things and split them up at home if you need to.
If you are happy with the techniques used, the welfare standards and the risk of infection and want to go ahead, then carefully check out the T&Cs before proceeding. These sometimes try to remove all responsibility for any injuries and vet fees associated with them.
Scuffles can occur during bonding, chasing, and fur pulling is common, and injuries are not unexpected, but rabbits should be introduced properly, then supervised and managed so that an all-out fight should be rare.
We can not give legal advice; you would need to speak to a solicitor yourself if you need legal guidance. However, we feel it is important that rabbit guardians are aware that:
- By charging for their services, a rabbit bonding service implies a level of skill and care.
- In fact, any contract brings with it the implied term that the provision of services is of a satisfactory quality.
- There is also a Consumer Rights Act, which can prohibit some contract exclusions and liability.
- There is also the Animal Welfare Act, which requires that anyone in charge of an animal would commit an offence if, for example, “an act of his, or a failure of his to act, causes an animal to suffer”.
Obviously, you do not want to be in a situation where you need to take legal action, as this will mean things have gone wrong and you have an injured rabbit. Legal action is usually a last resort. It can be very expensive, and there is no guarantee of a successful outcome.
It is much better to satisfy yourself that all due care will be taken by the commercial rabbit bonder to avoid injuries and suffering, and if there are any injuries, the commercial rabbit bonder will ensure the rabbits should receive prompt veterinary treatment from a reputable vet with experience of treating rabbits.
If you feel as if you have had a bad service or that your rabbits have not been properly introduced and monitored and have been injured, as a result, any T&C refuting liability may not be legal. A complaint to the commercial rabbit bonder may result in some form of compensation, maybe a refund or (less likely) payment of any subsequent veterinary fees. However, no sum of money can ever compensate for the injury or trauma suffered by rabbits.
If the commercial rabbit bonder refuses a refund, you will need to rely on your legal rights and remedies in respect of the T&Cs (or otherwise at law where there are no T&Cs) and may, therefore, need to obtain your own legal advice and representation as it could be a complicated matter. However, making a commercial bonding provider aware of their legal responsibilities may help you resolve any issues. If in doubt at all, do not proceed; don’t ignore your gut feeling!
It might be sensible to ask a rabbit-savvy vet to give your rabbit a health check before you start any bonding process, as we know how well they hide illnesses, and there is some unavoidable stress involved.
