Wednesday, November 23, 2011

The Rest of the Story


Rex rabbit, extra soft fur, on yellow towel
in Santa Cruz Animal Shelter

The rabbits in the previous post, True Story, have become the property of Santa Cruz Animal Care and Control, that's good for the rabbits they don't have to go back to the breeder. The rabbits are are currently the Santa Cruz and Watsonville Shelters however the Rabbit Haven is completely responsible for care, feeding, rescue, foster and adoption. The rabbits in the shelters only have until December 17th to get out of the shelters; at this point there are about 75. On the 17th of December the shelters will euthanize any remaining rabbits; Out of the frying pan and into the gas chamber. These rabbits need to get out ASAP. If you can rescue a rescued rabbit by adopting one or two or more, to be kept indoors, you will save a bunny's life. Contact Heather at the Rabbit Haven if you can open your home and heart to one (or more) of these rabbits; 831-600-7479 or director@therabbithaven.org Make the call and get a rabbit the same day !!

Another Rex, love his spots!, he was out in a pen
when I was there and having a really good time.

One of five adorable babies, this one is loving hay.

This guy may be small, but, I have the feeling,
he is big on personality.


Wednesday, November 09, 2011

A True Story


Once upon time in a nearby neighborhood, Aptos, in California, there was a man who bred rabbits. At first he didn't have very many rabbits and he took fairly good care of them. He found that it was terribly easy to have more and more rabbits and he could sell them to pet stores as pets and he could sell them to pet stores as snake food. He had lots and lots of rabbits, of course he couldn't keep them in his house, only crazy people do that, so he kept them outside, after all they are animals. One day a nosy, nosy man who just could not mind his own business was doing his job and saw the rabbit breeder's set up. It was Extreme Makeover from an opposite and evil universe. Some rabbits were swimming in 6 inches of water and some had 6 inches of feces piled in their cages. Instead of proper water bottles or cute dishes with Peter Rabbit designs on them to drink from the rabbits had mason jars of water. Yes, you already realize the problem, a rabbit can only drink from the top, once the water level is decreased by a a couple inches they can't reach it. Many were pregnant, wounded, or emaciated. However none needed to by euthanized. The county had been monitoring the breeding facility for years, it was zoned for 65 rabbits, but, oops, there were 114, so it was shut down and the rabbits were taken to two nearby shelters where the good people doing a difficult job did the best they could. The Rabbit Haven, the local rabbit rescue organization, has been helping by bringing in supplies and doing the cleaning, feeding, grooming, nail clipping and general love and attention. None of these rabbits has had a moment of kindness or care in their lives. Rabbit Haven is working hard to get them into foster homes because the shelters will begin to euthanize when they are full, it's just the way it is. The rabbits are also adoptable. Anyone anywhere in the world can help these bunnies with a donation to the Rabbit Haven, click HERE and find the donation link in the article. You can read the Sentinel version of the breeder raid HERE.

Tyler will be donating all the dandelions he cannot eat.

Thursday, November 03, 2011

Portrait Session



I was next door the other day to take some pictures of new arrivals at the Rabbit Haven.


There were 6 babies, a Dutch and Lion Head Mix. They will be truly magical when their manes come in. You can't see in this picture but of the golden babies, one is a Harlequin and two are gold with classic white Dutch markings.


This is the mum, the breeder, yes,the whole family was a breeder rescue intervention operation, cut her mane and she pulled out a lot of her own hair for the nest. She is lovely bun, I can't wait to see her true do.


This is dad, I have never seen such a kinetic rabbit, he was playing with his ball and digging and generally being Mr. Entertainment the whole time. Most of the pictures were way too blurry!!



This is a mini Hotot girl, we are waiting for her to grow, but......This photo will probably not the one used to promote her, there is way too much disapproval. I usually disapprove of toys in pictures and sometimes of the stuffed bunnies (we'll get into that at another time) but the strangeness, cuteness and disapproval going on here convinced me to post it.



Here's another look from Miss Mini Hotot.

Hopefully all these rabbits will find their forever homes soon, you can visit The Rabbit Haven by hopping down THIS RABBIT HOLE.