Hopper Haven

Hopper Haven

Sanctuary Garden Now Closed

Who we are

Hopper Haven is a Registered Animal Welfare Charity that specialises in rabbits and previously guinea pigs. We were established in January 2006. Charity Number 1118269.

What we do.

We continue to provide for the rabbits that were remaining in our care at the closure of the Sanctuary Garden in Feb 2024.

Where we are.

Hopper Haven was located in a large Sanctuary Garden in Redditch, Worcs. Now the rabbits are cared for in foster homes.

Current Occupancy

As of March 2024 we have 16 rabbits in 7 pairs and trios. We no longer have any guinea pigs.

About Us

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Hopper Haven is an animal welfare charity specialising in rabbits and formerly guinea pigs. We are a registered charity formerly located in a Sanctuary Garden in Redditch, Worcestershire in the UK. We opened in 2006. Sadly the Sanctuary Garden had to close in February 2024 due to the pending sale of the property.

Hopper Haven provided a safe haven for the animals in our care to live out their lives in as natural a way as possible in the Sanctuary Garden. We did not rehome. Once in the sanctuary garden the animals were supposed to be home, forever. At least we thought it was forever.

We have been forced to find foster homes for as many of the remaining rabbits as possible. The youngest, mostly single, rabbits have gone to Fat Fluffs to find new homes and partners or to live in their big sanctuary group.

We will continue to support the remaining rabbits in their foster homes for the rest of their lives and then close the charity.

Due to no longer having indoor access and problems with the asbestos roof of the big shed where the guinea pigs used to live we had not been able to accommodate them since 2021 as we could no longer adequately meet their needs year round. So at least we didn’t have any guinea pigs to relocate.

We took in those animals which were not suitable for rehoming to live as a pet due to age or special needs arising from behavioural issues such as aggression or extreme nervousness, health or dental problems or having a long or difficult to manage coat. We did not normally take in young healthy confident friendly animals. All our accomodation significantly exceeded RWA guidelines. Our rabbits are accustomed to plenty of space and lots of social interaction.

Hoppenings

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To Our Supporters

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Many thanks to all those who  supported the work we did and the animals who lived in our sanctuary garden over the years.

We were able to help over a thousand animals live happy lives that they would not otherwise have had. We deeply regret that we are no longer able to continue this work but with the property being sold from under us it was out of our control. I was also made homeless for a time as well as losing everything I had worked to build here over the previous 18 years. I  was fortunate to have had the opportunity to do this work and am very grateful for the support of so many people in making it a reality. I regret that due to poor health I would not be able to rebuild the sanctuary elsewhere, even given a new location.

A special thank you to our sponsors who kept us going through the difficult times when we couldn’t even allow visits to sponsored animals during the pandemic.This has allowed as many of our animals to live out their lives in the sanctuary garden as possible.

We do of course understand that you are likely to wish to end your sponsorship now that the sanctuary no longer exists in its previous form and indeed our costs will be greatly reduced. We do not anticipate any difficulty in providing for the remaining rabbits in their foster homes. Might we suggest swapping to support Fat Fluffs who have helped us at this difficult time  and who do an extremely good job of rabbit rehoming and have a large sanctuary group which now includes some of our former residents?

Any sponsorship money that we continue to receive will be used to care for the remaining rabbits in their foster placements and any money left in our bank account at the end of their lives will of course be passed on to another animal charity according to charity commission rules on dissolution.

Gratefully yours,

Louise
on behalf of the Hopper Haven Trustees

 

Fostered Rabbits

The remaining rabbits from the sanctuary now living in foster homes

Prince R2/22

Prince is a blue eyed white lop born in 2015. He and his brother Charming came here for their retirement after previous owners could...
Read More "Prince R2/22"

Charming R1/22

Charming is a blue eyed white buck who was born in 2015. He came here in 2022 because his people were moving and were...
Read More "Charming R1/22"

Butter R1/20

Butter is a small ginger and white lop doe with a big attitude. She had been to visit several times to be groomed when...
Read More "Butter R1/20"

R7/19 Robin

Robin is an exceedingly friendly harlequin half lopped buck with most unusual colours and patchwork markings. We don't know how old he is or...
Read More "R7/19 Robin"

R5/19 Hector

Hector is a black and white min-rex buck born in 2013. He came to us because he is rather agressive and his owners were...
Read More "R5/19 Hector"

Corinth R37/18

Corinth is the larger of Red Currant 's two male offspring. He was born on 7th August 2018 and is a New Zealand White...
Read More "Corinth R37/18"

Xante R36/18

Xante is the smaller of Red Currant 's two male offspring. He was born at the Sanctuary on August 7th 2018 as his mother...
Read More "Xante R36/18"

Crystal R35/18

Crystal is the smaller of the two does who survived when RHD killed their mother Strawberry and the rest of their littermates when they...
Read More "Crystal R35/18"

Frost R34\18

Frost is a New Zealand White doe who is one of the two survivors of Strawberry's litter of ten. The rest of the litter...
Read More "Frost R34\18"

Treebeard R1/18

Treebeard is a black lionhead buck born towards the end of 2017 who came to us after gaining a bit of internet notoriety by...
Read More "Treebeard R1/18"

Saxifrage R33/17

Saxifrage or Whoopsie, is a very lively cheeky big harlequin lionlop doe. She came to us in Oct 2017 aged about two because her...
Read More "Saxifrage R33/17"

Petal R26/17

Petal is a sooty fawn lionhead doe born in 2017 who arrived at the end of October 2017. Her mother Petunia had been rehomed...
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Petunia R25/17

Petunia is a sooty fawn lionhead doe born in 2017 who arrived at the end of October 2017. She had been rehomed as a...
Read More "Petunia R25/17"

Saffron R19/17

Saffron is an incredibly pretty little lionhead buck with the most amazing frosted peach colouring. He was part of an accidental litter and came...
Read More "Saffron R19/17"

Paprika R18/17

Paprika is a very fluffy ginger and white lionhead doe born in 2017, part of an accidental litter. She came here in October 2017...
Read More "Paprika R18/17"

Lev R6/16

Lev (лев) is a large male harlequin lionhead born in 2014 with an extremely dense fluffy coat. He came to us in September 2016...
Read More "Lev R6/16"

Everything hoppening…

Everything going on …

Everything We Have Posted …

The End has Arrived

Half of the rabbits have now been moved from the Sanctuary Garden where they had led such happy lives. 6 have gone to Fat Fluffs who will find them new homes. This was the three single rabbits we did not have suitable companions for after their previous partners died, and …

Yay!! A good day for those who believe Rabbits, Guinea Pigs and all other Animals deserve respect.

Today it has been acknowledged in the UK that the sincerely held belief that animals should be respected which is Ethical Veganism should be protected in law. Article from the BBC about today’s ruling Yay!!!!! Double Yay!!!! Today has been a good day and this is the chili powder on …

Volunteers, Sponsors and Supporters Past and Present are Invited to a Celebration of the Season on Saturday the 21st between 1pm and 3pm.

Season’s Greetings, Hoppy Holidays, Merry Hoppenings to all our Supporters Please come and join us on Saturday the 21st, between 1 and 3pm to celebrate the coming of the longer days and the passing of the long nights and anything else you fancy. Please excuse the short notice as planning …

Thank You

Thank you for your interest and support over the years. We have been able to help over a thousand guinea pigs and rabbits lead happy lives with the space and companionship that they needed and deserved and couldn’t have done it without you, our sponsors and supporters.