# Help Save a Bunny this Week!



## Haley (Apr 7, 2009)

NorthernAutumn found this info and thought it would be helpful if we all took a moment to contact our local papers (through letters to the editor) and/or posted on some online classified sites where people buy/sell rabbits such as craigslist and kijili.

RO's official policy is that we are not against adoption of rabbits at Easter, only that people who are adopting should be educated on what they are getting into. Hopefully this can help educate some people who are considering a rabbit for Easter.

-Haley

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Letter to the Editor #1 (from makeminechocolate.org):

Dear Editor:

Over the next few weeks, thousands of local adults will be tempted to buy an Easter rabbit for a beloved child, godchild, grandchild, niece, or nephew. And a few months from now, our local animal shelters will be, as they are every year, inundated by a flood of cast-off bunnies. I ask that everyone who is considering buying a rabbit this year stop and think about two important facts:

First, although rabbits can make wonderful pets, they are naturally fragile and timid. An active child who expects a cuddly pet can easily terrify or even injure a rabbit.

Second, a well cared for rabbit should live as long as large dog (ten years or more) and will require just as much love, attention, and veterinary care as a dog or cat would. So donât give an Easter rabbit to a child unless you know that the childâs parents will be happy to take on a decade-long commitment.

If you want to make a childâs Easter happy, donât give a live rabbit unless you know it will be loved and cared for throughout its natural life. If thereâs any doubt, give a stuffed or chocolate bunny instead.

Still interested in a Rabbit? Do some research first.
The sites http://www.makeminechocolate.org and http://www.rabbit.org are great places to start!

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Another Letter to the Editor (from HRS):

Dear Editor,

Soon Easter will be upon us and many parents are tempted to buy one of those cute baby Easter bunnies that appear in all the pet stores. Unless the child is older than 12 years and is very responsible, a toy stuffed bunny will make a much better gift.

Rabbits are fragile creatures. They have a lighter bone structure than do dogs or cats and easily break the spine if dropped. Baby bunnies are cute and cuddly and tolerate handling. But babyhood doesnât last long. In two short months, puberty turns that baby rabbit into Bugs Bunny. Often, the bunny no longer tolerates being held. Powerful hind legs can scratch and sharp teeth can bite. Un-neutered males spray and mark their territory, just like dogs. Unspayed females are territorial and may attack little hands that enter the cage. Thumper must be spayed or neutered to eliminate these undesirable behaviors. Every summer humane shelters receive a large influx of former Easter rabbits as they reach adolescence.

Rabbits live 10 to 12 years. Will your child still care for the rabbit after the novelty wears off? Or will Thumper spend this summer abandoned in a backyard hutch? Like dogs, rabbits are social animals and need daily interactions with their human owners.

Last year, hundreds of rabbits were surrendered at animal shelters across this state. And unlike wild rabbits, pet rabbits released into the wild cannot fend for themselves. Thumper wonât survive for more than a day or two on his own.

Older rabbits in shelters have little chance of being adopted because most people mistakenly want a baby rabbit. This is unfortunate because older rabbits make the best pets. They are more tolerant of children and have reached their affectionate adult personality.

Rabbits make great pets, provided you accept them on their own terms. They need a safe and loving environment in your home â not in an outdoor hutch. Save a life and donât buy an Easter bunny. If you must have a rabbit, rescue an altered rabbit from your local animal shelter or from the House Rabbit Society. A listing of available rabbits near you is found at http://www.petfinder.orgor via the House Rabbit Society chapter websites as http://www.rabbit.org.

Sincerely,

{Your name, city/town}

_____________________________________________

All they would have to do is cut and paste a bit....

I also put up this revamp of the MCC flyer on my local kijiji (Craigslist replica)

AD TITLE: Are you considering buying/selling a Bunny this Easter?


Make Mine Chocolate!

Before you bring a pet rabbit into your home at Easter, please consider these facts: 

- Rabbits are NOT low-maintenance pets! They require as much work as a dog or cat.
- Rabbits can live 8-10 years, sometimes longer.
- The necessary spay/neuter can cost $100 or more
- Rabbits require routine veterinary care.
- Rabbits are not cuddly - they can become frightened when held!
(They would rather sit beside you and be stroked.)
- Pet rabbits cannot be set "free" - it's a death sentence.

This Easter, why not make it a CHOCOLATE bunny, or a cuddly stuffed toy instead? 
Let's make it a Happy Easter for bunnies too 

Help spread the word that rabbits are NOT disposable pets.

Visit http://www.makeminechocolate.org 
to see if a rabbit is really the right pet for you and your family. 

or,contact mefor more info!
I'd be happy to talk with you 

___________________________________________


You may also consider putting in some info about your local shelter or rabbit rescue. I included a blurb at the bottom of my craigslist posts that said if you have decided a rabbit is right for you, please contact (insert name of local rabbit rescue)...


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## slavetoabunny (Apr 7, 2009)

Excellent letters :great:. I wrote a PSA for Gainesville Rabbit Rescue this year that we had published in numerous places. It pays to get the info out there.


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## RexyRex (Apr 8, 2009)

I've been posting this on my local Craigslist.....and someone keeps flagging my posts:X

That's okay, I just keep re-posting :biggrin2:


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## kirst3buns (Apr 9, 2009)

Haley - They published it!! When I got to my front page for my local news online, one of the headlines was this...

Don't jump into rabbit purchase, says Flint Journal letter writer
:great: Way to go! I haven't seen the print edition yet, it doesn't come until lunch time.


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## Haley (Apr 9, 2009)

Yay! I hope it can save even just one bunny from the Easter craze..


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## chriissiana (Apr 11, 2009)

were can i get a rabbit?


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## TreasuredFriend (Apr 14, 2009)

Applause, applause, for getting your letter published, kirst3buns.


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## TreasuredFriend (Apr 14, 2009)

Last year the family a short distance away had two rabbits which the girl took out onto the lawn to let them roam with leashes on, or under a decorative wire type unit. Also saw them outside unattended to, and in the shade, thank heavens. 

A fox wanders our neighborhood, and many neighbors have dogs who don't stay in their yards. I noticed their wooden hutch out back all last year. Seeing this got me particularly worried. 

The family has advertised cats & kittens on the curbside with signs in the past. 

My heart sunk when I saw two housing "things" placed on the curb EASTER morning.
One pink, one not nearly as sturdy and made of wood.

Haven't been brave enough to ask what happened? I'm speculating the novelty comes and goes. Odd, how Easter morning the cage and wooden hutch are placed at the curb. Had a hollow feeling inside, 

I hope they upgraded to indoor housing and just want to make a few bucks offa the other items. Maybe one day I'll ask...


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