allergies can be more than a runny nose and sneezing...
I agree that individuals should research their pets before they purchase them, but there are cases of 'allergies' that are unknown and only appear once you are presented with a certain allergen--such as rabbit hair. I was not always allergic to my bunnies but unfortunately after a few years my allergies have grown from not only the stuffy/runny nuse and uncontrollable sneezing to bronchial asthma--when I breathe in bunny hair. The hair is so fine that little strands of it just seem to float casually through the air--even after extreme cleaning and regular grooming--it's like dust-a few strands just breeze through the air. I know I have sucked one of these tiny strands in b/c my throat begins to close up and I begin wheezing and have to use my inhaler...I also take prescription stregnth Zyrtec from the pharmasicist and it does help with the typical allergy symptoms--just not the asthma. So, that may be why some people look for other homes for their bunnies---I just keep my inhaler very handy. If either of my children were severely allergic(asthma) I would then have HAVE to find other arrangements for my bunnies. So-I understand why some people feel like they can't keep their pets.