Raining Rabbits Rescue NZ

We say it all the time….

DESEX YOUR RABBITS!!!

Only desexing your male, may well prevent unwanted litters, but it doesn’t prevent uterine cancer.

You would not have even known that Diamond had such a massive tumour inside her. She was eating, p**ping, acting well…. But look.

We see this time and time again with older rescues that we take in.

We now desperately need to raise funds for her to have some follow up scans. She needs an X-ray and an ultrasound. We do everything right. We may be saying no to taking in more animals, but those in our care get the best care! What diamond needs, she will get.

We hope that the tumours removed was all that was needed. We have had this be very successful for one of our other buns, Moxie, who was around 4 years old when first rescued. She had repeat X-rays every 6 months for a year and then was allowed to be adopted. She is around 8 years old now, living her best life.

So that’s what we hope for Diamond. If the cancer has spread, as always we will make the best decider her and her quality of life. She is a sweetheart and deserves the absolute best.

If you can please donate towards her care we would be so grateful! $5, $3 or even $1!! They all add up and help us reach goals like this in order to continue giving the rescue buns, the best care.

As always we will keep you updated along the way.

Please share! If not to help raise funds, to help raise awareness! THIS is why we desex!!!

03-1730-0034573-002
Ref: Diamond

💛💛 Thank you 💛💛

Can you help? Reach out to The Dog Rescue Project!

By the end of today, one of our dogs has nowhere to go.

No backup plan. No spare foster. No safe place waiting.

Just a dog who deserves so much more than uncertainty.

He isn't looking for much. He's happiest stretched out in a warm patch of sunshine, soaking up the sun, enjoying the simple things in life. That's all we want for him too... a safe place where he can finally relax.

But he does need the right home.

He needs an understanding foster with no children and someone willing to listen to our advice. We know this dog, we know what helps him succeed, and we'll support you every step of the way. You won't be doing this alone.

Right now, we're running out of time.

If nobody steps forward today, we honestly don't know where he'll go. That's the reality we're facing, and it's heartbreaking.

Please, if you've ever considered fostering, or know someone who could, today is the day to reach out.

We provide everything he needs. You provide the safe place.

He is a large dog, located in Auckland

Please apply before the end of today if you can help.
https://www.thedogrescueproject.org.nz/fostering-information/

And if you can't foster, please share this post. It could reach the person who gives him the second chance he so desperately deserves.

Please note, anything outside of an application via our website will not be accepted.

Diamond is still waiting for her foster home. 💛

Everything is provided. We supply the enclosure, cover all vet bills, deliver food to your door, and provide ongoing support. All you need to provide is the space, the love, the care, and a cup of fresh greens each day.

Why is it so hard to find foster families?

Fostering is a wonderful opportunity to help a rabbit in need without the financial commitment of ownership. It’s also a chance to experience what living with rabbits is really like before adopting.

We do, however, need to stress one very important point.

Recently, we had a foster family return their foster rabbits after just 3 weeks because they realised rabbits weren’t the right fit for them. We completely understand that sometimes life doesn’t go to plan, and we’re incredibly grateful they were honest rather than struggling on.

However, it highlighted why we ask for a genuine commitment from our foster families.

Rabbits don’t enjoy being moved from home to home. Every move is stressful, and settling into a new environment takes time. In this case, we were fortunate that the rabbits could return to their previous foster home, where they already felt safe and secure. Sadly, that foster family is moving to Australia, so these rabbits will soon have to move yet again. But what if they weren’t able to take them back? What would we have done? We do not have a shelter. This is all explained on application.

Becoming a foster parent also involves a significant investment from our team. We carefully vet applicants, provide education and support, visit foster homes, supply everything needed, and spend time helping both the foster family and the rabbits settle in. We happily do all of this because it gives the rabbits the best chance of success, but we do ask that anyone applying is ready to make a longer term commitment.

If you’re interested but aren’t yet sure whether long term fostering is right for you, we’d still love to hear from you, but please be honest if you’re unsure you will commit. We regularly need short term foster carers to cover holidays and emergencies, and that’s a fantastic way to help while deciding whether a longer commitment would suit you. We can vet you for short term care instead. You can always decide to foster full time if it goes well.

We know many families, especially children, get excited about having rabbits in the home. But our priority will always be what is best for the rabbits. They deserve stability, consistency, and to feel safe.

We’re only sharing this because we want to prevent it from happening again. Our hearts broke for these rabbits, and we want their next move to be their last until they find their forever homes.

If you can offer Diamond the stable, loving foster home she deserves, we’d love to hear from you. We have 9 rabbits needing to be moved! 5 singles and 2 x pairs 🐇💛

Beautiful Clyde went off to his forever home today. 💛

He has found the most perfect family, and we couldn’t be happier for him.

Clyde came into our care with his wife Bonnie (who had to be separated) and their 4 babies. They had all been living together in a single hutch, and poor Billie had a broken leg that had never been treated.

When Tania from Paws - Restart headed out to collect Billie because it was an emergency, she somehow came home with 6 rabbits instead. 🤣 Thankfully, she did.

This rescue has been a little different though…

Tania took all 6 back to hers. Billie came to me a couple days later and eventually Bonnie. Tania built and paid for all 4 enclosures, bought their pellets and enrichment, covered boarding costs when needed, and has treated them as though they were her own rescue animals. At one of our vet visits, she even quietly deposited $500 towards their care.

Paws Restart is a dog rescue. They have never rescued rabbits, but instead of winging it, Tania researched everything. She built incredible enrichment filled enclosures, learnt about rabbit care, dealt with escape artists, late nights, vet trips, and all the unexpected challenges that come with rabbits. Even to the p**p that comes with 4 boys! Iykyk!

These boys have been so lucky to have Tania and her team behind them, and we’re so grateful that another rescue chose to help rabbits the RIGHT way.

I know she’s going to message me saying, “Take that f’ing post down, I don’t want a thank you.” 😂 But I’m posting this because people often don’t realise just how much work rabbits are. They’re not an “easy” animal to rescue, when done right! And while we always appreciate people and other rescues trying to help, we’d rather see less Rescued, the right way! Especially by Rescues, they should be setting the standard, not lowering it. This has a bigger impact than rescuing as many as possible and then being unable to do basics. People are looking to you for a set standard.

So, A huge thank you to Tania for everything you’ve done for Clyde, Bonnie, and the babies! I know Clyde was a hard one for you to let go 💛

I have to admit… I’m pretty bloody proud. 💛

This week I asked all of our fosterers to send through updated photos of their bunny set ups and let me know if anyone needed any enrichment top ups. The photos honestly speak for themselves.

I’m still waiting on 4 more, and will update once in, but I know they’re just as amazing.

Our fosterers are literally the best. 💛

Not only do they provide so much space, they complete weekly health checks, absolutely adore these rabbits, improve their set ups over time, buy them enrichment, and treat them like family. They are actually real life heroes to these bunnies.

Rescue is never perfect. We work with what we have, and sometimes we have to make sensible exceptions because a rabbit needing rescue can’t always wait for the “perfect” foster home to become available. But, I’m actually struggling to say that my fosterers aren’t perfect! They’re pretty bloody close.

So, we can wait for the perfect forever homes for our bunnies also. With foster homes like these, there’s no need to rush an adoption. A rushed adoption never goes well. It’s not rescue in my opinion. We rescue based on quality over quantity. The rescue ends when the rabbit is placed on an incredible home.

We often get told we’re too strict, or that if we really wanted these rabbits adopted we’d lower our standards. But why would we move a rabbit from a set up like this into one that doesn’t meet their needs? That makes absolutely no sense. 😅

Anyway, This is what fostering with Raining Rabbits looks like.

If you can offer this kind of space, whether it’s a spare room, garage, laundry, or part of your lounge, we’d love to hear from you. We provide everything, including the set up, vet bills and food delivered to you door. All we ask is that you provide their daily cup of greens.

We’ll talk you through everything, answer any questions you have, and help you decide if fostering is right for you.

We do ask that you’re 100% sure you’re able to make a long term commitment. Fostering isn’t something to “give a go” for a few weeks. These rabbits have already been through enough and deserve stability, not to be moved from home to home.

📍 Auckland foster homes only.

📧 Email: [email protected]

Ps. Thanks again to our fosterers - You guys rock. 🎸💛

These guys are the best!! 💛

Thanks New World Howick!!!