Brought my 7-year-old rabbit (“Cinnamon”) into Animal Trust Telford after rescuing him from neglect. He was emaciated, skin hanging, fur tattered, and barely clinging on. I explained clearly: sudden refeeding, possible poison risk, long-term malnourishment.
The vet’s response? A shrug and “he’s 7, it’s what happens.” They noted he had a “belly full of food” and told me to prepare for him to die. When I asked for advice on nutritional support, it was twisted into “owner happy not to provide any supplement.” That’s now in the clinical notes.
The facts:
- In his prime, Cinnamon weighed 2.2 kg.
- At Animal Trust (9 July 2025), with a “full stomach,” he was just 1.65 kg — a 25% loss of bodyweight.
- Under *my* care, as of today, he weighs 2.1 kg and is full of life again.
And in the clinical summary? “Owner thinks the rabbit has been neglected.” No — it wasn’t a thought, it was brutally obvious. A 7-year-old Dwarf Lop at 1.65 kg with a belly full of food was in a refeeding frenzy after starvation. His skin was rolled and hanging off him, his fur tattered, and underneath it all he was nothing but skin and bone. That isn’t an opinion, that’s a fact. Reducing it to “O thinks” is how you cover your notes, not how you care for animals.
So no — it wasn’t “just age.” It was neglect, malnutrition, and recovery risk. Their own clinical record proves it, and his recovery proves it again. Instead of proper clinical advice or compassion, I got dismissal and misrepresentation.
To top it off, the vet tried to go “Socratic” on me: “How long do rabbits live?” I answered: in the wild, a few years; as pets, 12–14 years. (I’ve had two such myself.) His response? An eye roll. As if owners are always clueless about their animals.
And let’s be clear: I wasn’t being arrogant. I’m autistic and twice-exceptional, which often means feeling out of my depth, not superior. I came here precisely because I knew I needed professional input. Instead of support, what I got was dismissal and condescension. The arrogance in that room wasn’t mine.
That’s the problem. I didn’t come in demanding miracles. I came in with knowledge, evidence, and a rabbit who needed recovery support. Instead of respect and guidance, I got arrogance, dismissal, and a write-off.
My rabbit is alive today in spite of Animal Trust, not because of them.
“Normal” pets might be fine here, but think twice about your “exotics”.
.... and yes I have the consultation report....
