Easter Kindness
It's that time of the year where I post Buns' annual message about adopting a bunny into your home for Easter. I think I first posted this two Easters ago and I will keep posting it every year because it is so important.
Well, it's that time of year again, and I'd like to remind everyone about the folks out there who work so hard donating their time and energy helping all those adorable little bunnies that people take home from the pet shop for their young children during the Easter season.
As the slave to 7 house rabbits of my own, I can personally attest to how much work rabbits really are. Usually we like to say that they take as much work as a dog or a cat, but that's not really true. They require much more time, energy, and interaction. Like dogs and Cats, they must be spade or neutered. They need a proper diet, several hours of exercise a day, interaction with people and preferable another rabbit, need to live inside, and you need to have access to a vet who specializes in exotics.
Most folks don't realize this when they bring home that adorable critter for little Johnny or Susie for a special Easter surprise. And when Johnny or Susie aren't old enough to care for their new pet themselves, or mom and dad get tired of the mess, or maybe little bun-bun nips a finger, or marks grandma's antique rocking chair as part of his territory, bun bun is no longer welcome.
What happens then? Most often, the rabbit is taken to a nice wooded area, or a park, and turned loose to "live in the wild". This is literally a death sentence. They have no sheltering or food finding skills. They fall prey to predators or starve to death.
One group of folks are working hard to educate people before they make this commitment. These are the people at http://makeminechocolate.org/. They encourage the public to think twice and give chocolate bunnies instead of furry ones.
The other folks, whom i have a lot respect for is the House Rabbit Rescue Society. They are nation wide, and are always in need of donations, not only of money, but often things like towels and blankets, bleach, vinegar, fresh greens, and volunteers. check with your nearest chapter to see what's on their wish list. They offer no kill shelter, adoptions, bunny education (education for bunny parents, that is), bunny bonding, and often grooming and short term boarding and other services. They have a wide selection of RESCUED bunnies available for adoption that have been spayed, neutered, treated for any injuries and "special" bunnies that have been damaged by abandonment or cruelty, who have learned to love an trust again. You can find them at :
http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/index.html.
If you live in the L.A. county area, check out http://www.bunnyluv.com/, I mostly deal directly with them, since they are closest to me.
Thanks for your time, and Happy Easter!
Buns
12 comments:
Another Easter Kindness... Easter Lilies are EXTREMELY poisonous to cats. Eating just a little of the leaf and/or flower can cause renal failure. Please keep this in mind before bringing a lily into your home or giving one as a gift.
Sorry about the redundant post - for some reason I couldn't see the other posts before making my own.
Thanks, John, for your post as well!
Funny, I was at my sister's yesterday and she still has the rabbit some idiot gave her kid 10 years ago.
There was something really wacky with posting for a while there. I kept getting error messages but it was double posting... seems better now?
I've been lurking here for a long, long time, in fact I almost feel like I know you all.
As an owner of 4 indoor bunnies I'd like to thank Enty for this post, rabbits suffer so much neglect and though they can live 12 years many regard them as disposable. They are anything but and have bags of personality.
Lillies are also bad for buns as are all bulbs (tulips, daffs).
Thanks for the post. Someone gave a little kid that I know a bunny for a present and it was a nightmare. The parents didn't really know how to take care of the bunny and the child was to young to do it. The poor thing lived maybe three years. I wished I'd had access to this article back then.
Anyway to all of the bunnies out there, stay healthy and Happy Easter!
Thanks Bunny & Enty! I think I'll go buy a few chocolate bunnies in honor of this post. Oh, and I'm gonna eat the ears off first, so there! :)
Awww, good post! I feel sad thinking about the poor bunnies that were dumped in the wild when they'd been living in someone's house for however long. The same can also be said about getting baby chicks this time of year too....as pets.
If more people taught their kids how to really responsibly care for pets, we'd all be better off.
You can find a no kill shelter for adopting an abandoned/rescued animal close to you by looking at PETFINDER.COM.
Enty I love your blog and this post makes me love you even more. Any man who loves to dish about gossip, loves food and loves animals is tops in my book. Have a great Easter and don't forget to buy those candy coated Cadbury chocolate eggs at 50% off on Monday! Best. Easter. Candy. Evah.
The greatest pet I ever had was a bunny, a 5.6 pound Siamese Satin that lived for 11 years. Unbelievably smart, affectionate, inquisitive and mischevious, he was a source of happiness daily. Three years after he died, I still miss him.
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