4.09.2011

We've been remiss ...

Hi, everyone ... MP again ... and I feel terrible.  In the last few weeks, I've been "visiting," via the Petfinder website, various shelters across the country with the intent to profile a dog and cat from a state or county run shelter in each state for the 50 Shelters / 50 States blog series, but it has just come to my attention from a new blog friend, Vicki, of Bunny's Blog, who stopped by during today's Blog Hop, that I've been seriously remiss.  Anyone who has visited an animal shelter knows that there are not just dogs and cats residing there, waiting patiently and hopefully for someone to come along and offer them a loving, permanent home.  There are also hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs, sometimes small psittacine birds such as budgies and cockatiels, and ... rabbits.  Oddly enough, in a life that's been populated with many wonderful, deeply cherished, animal companions, I've never shared my home with a rabbit.  I'm not really sure why, because I find them quite charming.  Unfortunately, and hardly surprisingly, they've also become synonomous with the commercialized Easter holiday, and many children beg their parents for an "Easter bunny," only to grow disenchanted with them in the months to follow, whereupon the rabbit ends up in a shelter, rabbit rescue group, or sometimes is simply turned loose to fend for itself. 

But as you'll learn here in this link to Bunny's blog , the Columbus House Rabbit Society started a campaign back in 2002 called Make Mine Chocolate, which encourages people to stick to stuffed rabbits and chocolate bunnies for Easter, NOT live rabbits.  And now, Rescue Chocolate , a Brooklyn, NY based company that donates 100% of its net profits to rescue organizations, has, befittingly, named The House Rabbit Society as its April benefiary.  So all of you chocaholics - be sure to stop by and order your chocolate bunnies from Rescue Chocolate this Easter holiday.  The chocolate used in these rabbits is vegan, kosher, artisanally handcrafted, and packaged in eco-friendly materials.  It's a win-win-win-win-win!!!!  And delicious to boot, I'll bet!  I'm ordering mine today!

And now ... meet some rabbit friends whose acquaintances I just made on Petfinder ...








 (From top to bottom), Bun-Bun, Roni, Hiccup, Jane, Shiro, and Sweet Tea are all currently in the care of the SPCA of Tampa Bay in Largo, Florida.  For a $35 adoption fee, you can make one of these sweethearts a part of your family.  But please, as should be the case before adopting any pet, do your research first.  The House Rabbit Society website is a great place to start doing that research.  If you're interested in adopting any of these adorable rabbits (I personally think Hiccup is the bunny's pajamas!), call the SPCA of Tampa Bay at 727-586-3591 or email them at nora@spcatampabay.org

Happy Blog Hopping everyone! 

8 comments:

Daisy's Mom said...

Cute rabbits! Bunny is right. There are a lot of animals at animal shelters that are not dogs and cats. At the shelter I volunteered at we had chinchillas, birds (of all kinds), hamsters, gerbils, and rats. We also occasionally got the injured squirrels, wild birds, etc. - those referred to the U of M, where they have a wild animal care center.

Glad you brought awareness to the rabbits! We had plenty of those too!

Happy hopping!

Old Kitty said...

My recent RSPCA newsletter highlighted the problem of a surge of unwanted rabbits being handed over to shelters especially in the last two years. They think it's the recession but it's still not right! It's so so sad!!! We wish all these cute rabbits find homes!!! Take care
x

Michelle Maskaly said...

Great post! It's true, most people don't realize there are animals other than dogs and cats that need forever homes and can be found through Petfinder.

About 5 years ago while looking for a dog, I ended up adopting two tortoises from a animal shelter. I'd always get a funny look when I said they were adopted from a shelter.

Ann said...

What cute rabbits those are. Year ago we got my daughter a rabbit for Easter. Unfortunately we lived in a very small place and it wasn't suited for mr. bunny. I can't remember who ended up with him but he did go to a new home.

Gigi said...

Oh, these are sweet bunnehs! Hope they all find a great furever home! With lots of carrots!

Mr. Hendrix said...

aw, very sweet. my mommy has never had a bunny, but has had tons of gerbils. Not anymore. I am a former feral and no doubt would see them as nothing but food. Not good for anyone!

We are big "make mine chocolate" supporters here (meaning bunnies). We hadn't heard of "chocolate bunnies" that support bunny rescue. Thanks for sharing.

I hope you'll come visit me again! Enjoy your weekend.

The Daily Pip said...

Thanks for this important post. We are going to do a post about easter and rabbits next week. I share my home with a wonderful bunny named Lulu and the shelter I was adopted from also has many rabbits waiting for homes. In the months that follow Easter, Red Door (my shelter) get thousands of calls about abandoned "easter" rabbits. Sadly, many are abandoned outside and die horrible deaths. Red Door rescues as many as they can - funds are often stretched thin during the post easter months, because of the sheer number of rabbits in need.

Lulu is our first bunny and I can tell you she is so full of personality and love (especially for my mom) it just amazing. She doesn't like me very much or my 3 feline siblings, but she LOVES my mom so much. She was a school bunny who was abandoned after living in a small cage in a classroom. She is still pretty nervous around kids, but we are working on it.

Your pal, Pip

Elizabeth Keene said...

This is a great post. That Hiccup is devastatingly adorable. I always cringe a little when my kids friends get bunnies; there's much more to keeping them than many people realize, including the need to get them "fixed."
I hope these bun's get adopted soon and that the Chocolate bunny program is effective.