The Great Bunny Rescue of 2006

BF Rabbit Rescue Receives Press Coverage : Bonding Buns

Cavelle — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 01:29:28 GMT

I've read about the Rabbit Rescue and I would love to visit one day.
My biggest question is:

How did you get all the rabbits to get along like that? Did they fight a lot? I have six rabbits and I can only get the 2 of them to love each other enough to live together.

I love seeing a bunch of rabbits together. It's so peaceful.

Thank you to all the hard workers and volunteers who helped these bunnies and rabbits. It's quite a wonderful thing you've done.
Keep up the good work.

Rabbit Resources : RENO RABBIT RESCUE: THE TRUTH ABOUT HOARDING & MY PERSONAL ABOMINATION FOR JACKIE'S IRRESPONSIBILITY

Animals4Life — Sat, 28 Apr 2007 08:00:57 GMT

MORE THAN 1,600 BUNNIES............

THE FINAL COUNT, INCLUDING THE NUMEROUS CASUALTIES LAYING DEAD THROUGHOUT THE ENCLOSED YARD AND INSIDE THE HOME, SURPASSED ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED RABBITS TAKEN FROM JACKIE'S COMPOUND. FOR MANY WEEKS AFTER THEY WERE TRANSPORTED TO THE TEMPORARY RANCH LOCATION IN RENO, PREGNANT MOTHERS WERE STILL HAVING BABIES AT A RATE OF OVER 40 PER DAY.

I would like to clarify some FACTS for anyone not directly involved with this rescue. I arrived in Reno shortly after the bunnies had been brought from Jackie’s to the initial rescue site or “the ranch”.

Let me also clarify that I am NOT an employee of Best Friends but rather an individual who volunteers my time in various parts of the country.

Best Friends employees, public volunteers, veterinarians and veterinary students from across the country should all be commended for their efforts in this rescue.

My personal experience with this rescue goes far beyond Reno. I took and fostered 17 of these bunnies when I left Reno as they were in need of extensive medical attention.

They (as with most of the Reno bunnies) were ill with coccidia. Coccidia are small, one-celled organisms that are common to the intestinal tract of mammals. When these protozoa multiply out of control, they can cause disease symptoms, called coccidiosis. Animals under stress (i.e., their living conditions at Jackie’s) are at high risk for coccidiosis. Symptoms include mild to severe diarrhea, blood and/or mucus in the feces and dehydration due to diarrhea. The disease can be fatal.

I treated them several times per day for over three months. Just as all was looking well, they were diagnosed with pasteurella.

Pasteurella are bacteria that are the most common pathogen in the domestic rabbit. This bacteria secretes an endotoxin that can result in a pneumonia which is slow to resolve. Infection with the bacteria can result in rhinitis, conjunctivitis, pneumonia, abscesses, genital tract infections, and septicemia and abscesses. The bacteria can be transmitted in the air or contact with an infected animal. It initially colonizes the pharynx, and then moves to the nasal cavity and surrounding tissue, with the potential to spread to the rest of the body.

Again, I treated them several times per day for over three more months with a different antibiotic as well as a nebulizer (a nebulizer is a device used to administer medication in forms of a liquid mist to the lungs).

These precious little bunnies survived yet again. Just as I began to consider finding loving homes for them (they were almost a year old at this point), one of them (named Dot for the tiny white spot on his nose) developed what appeared to be a spot in one of his eyes.

I took Dot to a specialist who determined that he tested positive for E. cuniculi. The “spot” in Dot's eye is literally a hole that is being eaten through his eye from the inside out. More than likely he will develop cataracts and become blind; he may even lose his eye and this is a best-case scenario if we can control the bacteria so it doesn't kill him.

Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a protozoal parasite. Little is known about its biology, but it is thought to be transferred from mother to offspring prior to birth, and possibly shed into the urine of infected rabbits. The organism is thought to travel through the body in white blood cells, the cells that normally fight disease, and may infect the tissues of the rabbit’s brain, kidney, spinal cord, heart, liver and lungs. It has also been known to cause damage to the eyes (uveitis).

I was told that many of the Reno rabbits were suffering from this and it is generally at this age when symptoms may begin to appear. One week after this devastating news, another one of my bunnies named Jackson came down with symptoms. However, Jack's symptoms included head tilt, which in my opinion, is one of the most heartbreaking signs of illness/injury to see.

Jack is suffering a rapid onset of this condition and is being treated aggressively but the outcome for him is unsure. If this debilitating parasite takes his life he will leave behind his mate, Carmen. Rabbits mate for life and breaking this bond can cause severe trauma to the mates left behind.

Head tilt, also known as torticollis or more commonly as "wry neck" is a condition in the neck in which the head tilts toward one shoulder and simultaneously the chin rotates toward the opposite shoulder. Symptoms can be swift and devastating, or may slowly develop over time. Effects can be minimal (slight head tilt), or horrific (rolling uncontrollably). The unfortunate thing with head tilt is that even when cured, 99% of them will suffer a relapse, regardless of the method of treatment.

Symptoms can include head tilt, lack of balance, rapid side-to-side movement of the eyes, hoping in circles and rolling. I HAVE EVEN SEEN SEVERE CASES IN WHICH THE RABBIT'S HEAD IS TILTED SO BAD THAT ONE EYE DRAGS THE GROUND AS THEY ATTEMPT TO WALK. THIS OBVIOUSLY CAN LEAD TO MORE HEALTH ISSUES WITH THE EYE BECOMING INFECTED OR WORSE.

The doctors and I fear that this may be just the beginning of all of my bunnies becoming ill yet again.

As you can see, animal hoarding doesn’t just affect the animal victims. Hoarding imposes an enormous, time consuming, financially draining burden on many people, let alone the continued torture these defenseless animals continue to suffer.

The conditions and state that the Reno rabbits/bunnies originated from at Jackie’s home are atrocious and incomprehensible. These rabbits suffered severe pain and anguish (and many still continue to); there were countless, unnecessary deaths due to Jackie's negligence.

Although she may have good intentions, a true rescuer is selfless and not selfish, and places the animal’s quality of life before their own needs and wants. This is a harsh reality that some may dispute but the world needs to be educated about animal hoarding. In addition to impacting the victims (the animals themselves) it affects the entire community as well.

Following is an excerpt and definition of animal hoarding from CFA Midwest Region:
***
What is Animal Hoarding?
“Hoarding is an illness which is characterized by the excessive accumulation and retention of things and/or animals until they interfere with day–to-day living such as the care of home, health, family, work and social life. Severe hoarding often leads to public and personal safety and health hazards. The collection of newspapers magazines, old clothes and other items may cause fires while animal hoarding can spread contagious diseases. People who hoard animals are compelled to save everything - even dead animals.

What do we know about this illness?
In a study done of 54 cases of hoarding 76% were woman, 46% were 60 years of age or older and worked in caring and teaching professions. About half lived in single person households. The animals most frequently involved were cats, dogs, farm animals and birds. The median number of animals was 39 but four of the cases had more than 100 animals living in the household. In 80% of the cases animals were reportedly found dead or in poor condition. In 60% of the cases the hoarder would not acknowledge the problem. Finally, 60% of the hoarders studied were repeat offenders. “The rate of recidivism is nearly 100 percent. Even with counseling hoarders simply move and start again.
People who hoard animals are becoming well-known to animal care professionals. They exist in almost every community, large or small, rural or urban. They can be ranchers, farmers, breeders and animal rescuers. They come from all walks of life. While animal care specialists recognize these people are in need of psychiatric help, almost no scientific literature exists on this topic.

What is the Impact of Animal Hoarding?
· There are a large number of animals present in a single household
· The caretaker does not provide the minimal standards of care and neglect often results in starvation and death.
· The caretaker is neither able to provide this minimum care nor appreciate the impact of this on the animals, the household and the human occupants of the dwelling.
· The caretaker fails to act or recognize the negative impact of the collection on themselves, others and the animals.

Hoarding by definition is a condition in which animals are deprived of even minimal care. The degree of deprivation will vary in each situation, depending on how long it occurs before discovery. As conditions deteriorate and crowding increases, irritating levels of ammonia develop from accumulated feces and urine, disease among the cats may spread, injuries are not treated, sick animals are ignored, and the early stages of starvation begins.

As conditions worsen, animals die from starvation and untreated illness or injury. It is not unusual for dead animals to be found among the living with cannibalization having begun.

Even when confronted with how they are living -- feces deep on the floor, dead animals laying about the home, and other horrendous conditions – the hoarder often fails to recognize there is anything wrong.”
***
The graphic description above illustrates the exact conditions in which the Reno rabbits/bunnies were found. Animal hoarding is a very real, unfortunate reality that occurs everywhere and the public must be held responsible when this occurs.

This situation was more horrendous than anyone who was not part of this rescue could imagine.

Many bunnies died, literally screaming, some in the palm of my hand from open abscesses that were open down to the bone, injuries or illness, all stemming from their living conditions.

Jackie states that she provided conditions in which bunnies live their lives naturally. The FACT is, once human intervention has occurred, the equation of “nature” has been disrupted and they no longer exist in their “natural habitat”. Yes, rabbits do live in burrows, breed rapidly, eat grasses, etc. but this all happens in the open wilderness, unhindered by humans, where nature has a perfect, intricate and deliberate cycle. During their life cycle, rabbits establish their own territories, birth their young, relocate to different areas, fall prey to their predators and die natural deaths from various things, keeping the population and “natural” cycle as nature intended.

The area where Jackie had them was enclosed, and in turn, hundreds of babies were being born into very unsanitary conditions, i.e., urine and feces several feet deep in places. They were not provided with enough of the correct type of foods. This created an enormous stress for territory establishment and in turn many injuries and deaths occurred. As this unnatural cycle continued to spiral out of control, many of the young whose parents had died or were killed did not survive either.

The atrocity described above does not even address the issues of inbreeding. As in most animals, when inbreeding does occur, there are birth defects and many systemic problems that cannot be seen until symptoms occur later, many of which are not curable. Again, during the normal course of nature, animals have an inherent ability to disperse after birth keeping inbreeding very minimal.

THE INTENSE ANGER THAT I HAVE TOWARD JACKIE AND HER IRRESPONSIBLE BEHAVIOR CONTINUES TO MANIFEST EACH TIME I SEE, TREAT AND TRY TO COMFORT DOT AND JACKSON. THESE DEFENSELESS CREATURES CANNOT UNDERSTAND WHY THREE TIMES PER DAY FOR MOST OF THEIR LIFE, THEY HAVE BEEN AND ARE BEING SEPARATED FROM THEIR KIN, FORCED TO INGEST MEDICINE, HAVE NEEDLES STUCK IN THEM TO DRAW BLOOD OR DROPS PUT IN THEIR EYES.

I hope that this serves as a lesson to Jackie and the general public.

If you or someone you know is involved in animal hoarding, please report them to the appropriate authorities before it gets out of control.

Unnecessary suffering can be prevented if everyone does their part. There are countless resources on the Internet and at your local animal resource centers.

RE: RE: RE: Attention Reno Rabbit owners...

carrie_fosters — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 23:04:18 GMT

Maybe the Best Friends Rabbits Community would be a good place to start a discussion?

http://www.network.bestfriends.org/bfrabbits/news/

RE: RE: Attention Reno Rabbit owners...

crafty1 — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 22:06:44 GMT

Thanks Joy. I was hoping all of those that adopted the Reno buns would like to get together and chat.

Well, I will try to call Debby when I get a chance. Thanks.

RE: Attention Reno Rabbit owners...

Joy — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:19:11 GMT

There hasn't been activity here since we closed the Reno Ranch, but if you phone our Rabbit Care Director, Debby Widolf, at (435) 644-3965 ext. 4438, she'll be happy to answer your questions.

Rabbit Resources : Attention Reno Rabbit owners...

crafty1 — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 22:36:40 GMT

Greetings,
I see that no one has been here in months, but I am taking the chance some will visit and participate again.

I got 4 Reno buns back in October. I have had 1 get sick twice now. First he had pneumonia. Now he has Pasturella. This caused 3 abscesses to form in his face. The vet opened and drained them. The bun is now on an antibiotic and pain med. He is in quarantine from the others in the rabbitat. He has lost weight, but is doing well so far. I have spent over $500 in vet bills, and we are not done yet. This week I will find out if he has to go off the antibiotic pill, and go onto injections. It has been a very stressful 4 weeks so far.

I wonder if any of your buns has gotten Pasturella, and what did you do?

I also have other questions:
Now that the weather is warmer, there are lots of spiders in the rabbitat. Maybe they bother me more than the buns, but I'm not sure.
I discovered (in the middle of winter) that they have fleas. Are you treating your buns for fleas?
What about misquitos? Will they hurt the buns?
I find it stressful having pets outside, I worry about the rabbitat coming down when we have bad weather. I have a roof and walls on the rabbitat to keep them dry, and protected from the cold. As the weather gets warmer I will take more walls down. I also worry how they will fare in the summer; I think I am going to install some small fans.
Oh, and it takes just over an hour to clean the rabbitat, how about you?

I would love to hear about your experiences and how you do things. The picture is of the Reno bun that is sick, but the photo was taken when he was healthy.

Exodus

debbies — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 08:00:00 GMT

500 rabbits from Reno relocate to Michigan

What a party! Nearly 300 people showed up to greet the new arrivals at the Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary --- all 500 of them. The rabbits came from the Reno Rabbit Rescue Ranch and boy, were they happy to get to their new home in Michigan.

Great Lakes Founder Lake Jacobson said she enjoyed watching the bunnies get acclimated.

“Upon arrival, many went immediately outside into their new large yard,” she said. “You could almost hear them talking to each other, saying, ‘Wow, look at this place! There’s food, water and four-foot high grass to play in and look…more over here…’”

Several volunteers prettied up the place for the new residents. They built seven-foot high teepees out of corn stalks, created a rabbit activity area and put up a bounce house for children. They even set up a bunny spa, where the furry creatures enjoyed toe clipping (well, not so much), grooming (hey, this is OK) and massages. (Yeah! That’s the ticket!)

Best Friends Bunny Manager Debbie Widolf Shown above said the biggest show of all took place in the open grassy area. Hundreds of rabbits scurrying around and toppling all over each other made for non-stop entertainment. There was even a traffic jam, as cars slowed to take in the spectacle from the street.

“You know, it was just great seeing the bunnies happy being bunnies,” said Debbie. “I could tell this is a great fit for them.”

Lake said they prepared to make it a great fit --- the sanctuary increased its population six-fold.

“This was a HUGE change for us and a lot of work,” said Lake. “But it’s a dream come true to be surrounded by 500 bunnies.”

With all the new furry friends burrowing down for the winter, Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary could use some help. Sixfold would be nice… To find out more, call 734-461-1726 or log onto www.rabbitsanctuary.org.

Written by Amy Abern. Photos by Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary.

The Bunny Runner

debbies — Tue, 12 Sep 2006 07:00:00 GMT

Once Best Friends secured placement for the Reno rabbits, the next step was to get them to their new homes. Many of those rabbits enjoyed their transport in the comfort of a four-passenger single-engine Mooney aircraft navigated by Best Friends own Juliette Watt.

A seasoned pilot of 11 years, Juliette has made 10 bunny runs to Texas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Arizona and Colorado. Over the next month, she will make four more trips with several stops to deliver several rabbits to their new homes.

Juliette schedules several stops anytime she’s in the air. She flies in three-hour increments so she can check on her furry passengers’ water and bedding. Her little plane accommodates 21 bunnies comfortably. Their crates come equipped with nibbles and frozen water bottles. She also has covers on hand to shade the rabbits to shield them when flying in harsh sunlight.

“The most important thing is to keep them comfortable,” said Juliette. “And that means keeping them hydrated and out of extreme temperatures.

“I did a transport of 10 bunnies to a small airport just outside of Albuquerque. The day I arrived, the airport was hosting a C-130 military transport plane exhibition. It was 112 degrees outside and there was a large C-130 parked where I needed to be to unload the bunnies straight into air conditioning. As I was taxiing, I informed the tower I had bunnies on board, and could they please move that plane. They did!”

With all their creature comforts in place --- with the exception of the absence of in-flight movies --- the rabbits fly well. And they barely notice the occasional turbulence when going over mountainous terrain.

“On one trip, we had to fly above mountains at 13,000 feet to get into the airport,” said Juliette. “But the rabbits were quite resilient. And the most important thing is that flying them to their new homes is much quicker than long drives cooped up in a van or truck.”

The coming four trips out of Reno may be the last bunny flights for awhile. But that doesn’t mean she won’t be on call to transfer dogs, cats, birds, rats --- even Komodo Dragons.

So who makes for the most difficult travelers?

“Ah,” she said. “That would be telling…”

We’re guessing she means the humans!

Written by Amy Abern

RE: RE: General Rabbit Care

Dana_McCurley — Thu, 24 Aug 2006 23:08:25 GMT

Other ppl call me a bunny expert... although I pale in comparison to you folks! Check out BunnyBlab.com to decide for yourselves.

--Dana

Exodus

debbies — Wed, 23 Aug 2006 07:00:00 GMT

When Tim Patino first learned about the Great Bunny Rescue this past spring, he sent a message to us offering his best wishes with added hopes he might be able to help out in the future.

But the current timing worked against him. He had his own sanctuary issues to deal with. The Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary had just been relocated from one location to another. Because space was tight for its 110 residents, Tim began negotiations with his landlord for extra space and facilities. Back and forth they went and haggled their way into a leasing arrangement. As of August 1, the new site sits on five acres in Michigan with a farmhouse and a barn --- plenty of room to go around.

Enough for an additional 500 rabbits from Reno.

“I wish I could remember what I was thinking that day when I agreed to this,” joked Tim. “Actually, I’m really excited to meet the new rabbits. I can’t wait until they get here.”

Here’s what happened: In June, one of the Best Friends Rabbit Rangers contacted Tim to see if he’d be interested in taking in 10, 20 --- maybe even 100 rabbits from Reno. Tim said, Hey! Let’s make it 300. The Rangers countered with 500 --- and that was their final offer. Tim folded and agreed. Wait! What just happened?!

“You know, this is great and we’ve got the space now,” said Tim. “We know we’ll be receiving a lot of feral and semi-feral rabbits and we’re well set up for them. We’ve got plenty of grass and we’re planning on growing dandelions.”

Work has already begun in preparation of the new inhabitants: New fencing surrounds the perimeter; some workers busy themselves with bunny-proofing the yards, while others work on converting the barn into a hospital. The hope is to finish all renovations and improvements by Labor Day. The bunnies are scheduled to arrive in early September.

In the meantime, Tim and the GLRS are looking for volunteers to help with this project.

“At any given time on any given day, there’s always something to do,” noted Tim. “From cutting grass to cleaning up --- people to help with construction, people who are good with tools --- we’d welcome them all.”

He also hopes to recruit electricians, plumbers and painters.

In the end, it’s a labor of love. Of course the ultimate goal is to find forever homes for all the rabbits. But if their final forever home is GLRS, that’s just fine with Tim.

“All of us in our organization love rabbits,” said Tim. “We don’t think there are enough of these rabbit sanctuaries out there. Think of all those poor rabbits at the humane society who wind up euthanized because they don’t have enough room for them. That will never happen here.”

To find out about more volunteer opportunities at GLRS, call 734-634-9720 or send an email to tim@rabbitsanctuary.org.

Written by Amy Abern.

A perfect 10

debbies — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 07:00:00 GMT

Dan and Kathie Hovore’s decision to adopt 10 rabbits from the Reno rabbit rescue ranch was a no-brainer. They had plenty of room in their backyard for the creatures to romp around. The landscape came complete with huge shade trees to ward against the sun and heat. And the bunnies would live far enough away --- and yet, at the same time, close enough to the dog area, where Samson, Belle and Tessie play. And wouldn’t it be fun to have 10 rabbits scurrying about?

They decided it would be. And it has been.

“It’s been a family effort all along but it’s been well worth it,” said Kathie.”

The fun began brewing about four months ago, after the couple read the story in the local newspaper about the 1,400 rabbits living at the ranch in Reno. Dan and Kathie looked around their backyard and realized they had the perfect rabbitat set-up. So they got to work with their 19-year-old son, Greg, and bunny-proofed the yard by setting up wire along the perimeters.

And then came the test: If the wild bunnies in the neighborhood (and there are plenty of those around) couldn’t forage their way into the yard, then their new companion bunnies wouldn’t be able to burrow out of the yard. They passed the test with flying carrots, uh, colors.

Then Don and Kathie made the short trek across three valleys to the ranch to look at the bunnies. They decided to become companions with 10 rabbits who had been living in the same run since their arrival at the rescue.

“We figured they’d already be socialized to each other and would enjoy staying together,” said Kathie.

And they do. They play together well. Kathie said her new clan is older and more feral; they haven’t hopped close enough for human contact yet, but that’s OK. Kathie likes a challenge.

“I feed them fresh vegetables every day,” she said. “For awhile, I would have to leave the food and walk away. Now most of the rabbits come all the way up to where I wait for them. But they still won’t let me pet them.”

That hasn’t stopped her from spoiling them. Besides the gourmet meals, expansive playground and water on demand through a sophisticated automatic sprinkler system, there are several custom-made luxury bunny homes on the premises.

“I never see them in there, though,” said Kathie. “Whenever they want to cool down they just go over by the trees.” Maybe the rabbits are waiting for mini-Jacuzzis to be installed…

In the meantime, some of the bunnies have summoned up the courage to check out Samson, the Labrador retriever. A few have played “kissy-nose” with the affectionate dog. But Border collies Belle and Tessie are boycotting the rabbits. Unless they can play “Let’s Herd ‘Em Up,” they have no interest in the new residents.

Kathie said the bunnies “are just a delight to have around.” And they’re a big hit with her granddaughters, too.

“Everyday we walk the premises to make sure they’re all there,” said Kathie. “And my grandkids like to put the food pellets in the progressive bunny feeders. They are learning so much through them ---- the importance of taking care of the earth and all of God’s creatures.”

There are still many bunnies at the Reno rabbit rescue ranch looking for good human companions. To find out more information on adopting a bunny or two or 10 (hey, the more the merrier), call 435-644-3965 or log onto the Best Friends network at
http://network.bestfriends.org, click on “Campaigns” and go to the Great Bunny Rescue site.

Written by Amy Abern. Photos by Clay Myers.

Rabbits find safe haven with the Big Dogs

debbies — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 07:00:00 GMT

With several rabbits still looking for permanent homes from the Reno Rabbit Rescue Ranch, the Rabbit Rangers broadened their adoption appeals to animal welfare organizations outside of the bunny realm. After all, where is it written that rabbits --- or any animal for that matter --- will only find safe haven in a species-specific sanctuary? An exhaustive search through the Internet, encyclopedias, animal welfare books and romance novels revealed there exist no laws, tenets or rules anywhere stating rabbits (or any other animal) must live solely among their own kind.

So the Rabbit Rangers contacted greyhound, pit bull, feline and other animal rescues to see if their organizations might have room for 10 or more rabbits. Some groups’ leaders sent along enthusiastic responses. A few others wondered if we had sent them the call to action in error.

Surely a mistake had been made: Rabbits residing in a greyhound sanctuary? Rabbits living in a cat shelter? That’s just crazy talk! What next? Dachshunds at parrot rescue? It just can’t be done!

But it can be done and it will be done. At the end of this month, 50 rabbits will be enjoying a new home with the resident 30 rottweilers at the Broken Heart Animal Rescue in Texas. Founder CJ Rawls has been rescuing rottweilers since 1984. She’s followed the rabbit rescue story since it first appeared on the Best Friends Network months ago. Their plight moved her to action.

“I saw the numbers increase and increase and increase and I wondered what was going to happen to all those bunnies,” she said.

CJ contacted several local rescues to see if anyone had room. She found “that ain’t gonna work.”

So she “thought on it for awhile and did some praying,” and decided she could make room at her rescue for the rabbits. She’d take 50. They’ll be transported to the Broken Heart Animal Rescue at the end of this month.

CJ is getting help with the construction of the runs for her new tenants – they will be living in an area separate from the rotties. She will also be receiving produce donations from the local grocery store.

“You know you can never do something like this alone,” she observed. “But I don’t see why more organizations can’t do the same thing. They’re rabbits. They’re animals. Aren’t we here to do what we can for any creature?”

To find out more about the Great Bunny Rescue, log onto http://network.bestfriends.org, click on Campaigns and select the Great Bunny Rescue or call 435-644-3965 Ext. 4724.

Written by Amy Abern. Photos by Broken Heart Animal Rescue and Clay Myers

Mr. DeMille, we're ready for our close-up

debbies — Tue, 08 Aug 2006 07:00:00 GMT

Wendell Floyd has produced one of the biggest shows in Huntsville, Texas: The Bunny Show. The spectacle takes place on a stage between his home and the apartment building he owns across the street. The set features a grassy fenced yard, two large pens, a quaint little house, several trees, strategically placed branches and three large wooden structures. The actors: 15 rabbits.

According to Wendell, people come by every day to witness the romping, frolicking and general cuteness of the rabbits. The show is ongoing; price of admission is free.

The rabbits took their show on the road from the Reno rabbit rescue ranch to Wendell’s home a couple of weeks ago.

“People have always associated me with bunnies,” said Wendell. “Anything bunny related always seems to come back to me.”

When the story about the Great Bunny Rescue appeared on the Best Friends Web site, he received links from his sister in Atlanta, a woman from Connecticut and four other people around the country. (Apparently there are A LOT of people who associate Wendell with bunnies…)

He called the Rabbit Rangers and said he’d be happy to make a new home for a dozen rabbits. The Rangers said great! How about 15? Wendell decided the more, the merrier --- 15 would be even better.

He said the rabbits are enjoying themselves, sunning, playing, burrowing in the dirt and resting in the shade. They’re mostly feral until it comes time to eat. Wendell fills a commercial cake pan with feed. When the rabbits here the pelting of the goodies against the metal, they come running, even if they’re in the middle of a performance.

“I also give them apples and veggies,” said Wendell. “I can now get within a foot of the rabbits without them running away.”

That’s big progress. When they first landed on Wendell’s property, the bunny stars exhibited considerable stage fright in front of people, hiding wherever the could and ignoring the greatest theater mantra of all time, “The show must go on.” But little by little, encouraged by the friendly faces of enthusiastic spectators, the rabbits found the courage to carry on, or, rather, scurry on. Many now seem “ready for their close-up…”

The apartment dwellers in Wendell’s building enjoy box seats to the performance from their windows. And what a great landlord --- he doesn’t even charge them extra!

“One of my tenants insisted she be the one to name them,” said Wendell. “And another one brought me a cowboy hat with rabbit ears, you know, because of the whole Rabbit Ranger thing.”

Wendell said he’s having a great time with his new friends.

“I’m an animal person,” he said. “I’d be surprised if they could find a better home.”

Written by Amy Abern. Photos by Clay Myers.

RE: Music video w/ buns

AimeeL — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 13:33:32 GMT

Great music video. The bunnies are so cute and funny!

Rabbits and the Arts : Blogging For Bunnies

blog4buns — Mon, 31 Jul 2006 11:24:03 GMT

I hope this is okay I post this here. Internet isn't exactly the arts, but it's the closest of the forums that this would fit.

Yesterday me and a group of other women blogged at http://www.Glim.org for 24 hours every 30 minutes [or less] and raised $100 for The Great Bunny Rescue during the Blogathon.org 2006 event. Our host, Priscilla wrote the folks at the Ranch, but we didn't see an article posted about this so I'm posting it here. :)

We were hoping to get a ton of pledges of sponsorship during this event so I come to you fine folks. Even though this even is over we can still accept pledges of sponsorship up to 48 hours after Blogathon is over. The Great Bunny Rescue speaks close to home for me. I currently am mommy to 4 wonderful bunnies that me and my little family adopted.

As for the donations, we won't be accepting the money of course, you will be sending it to the Ranch via their very own donation link on this site once you pledge and recieve an email to verify your sponsorship with this link.
http://www.blogathon.org/sponsor.php?blog_id=181

It's safe and secure. Since some of you are already donating then please say you'll sponsor us for this awesome event. Me and my husband [who is training to be a Vet Tech, but currently is a U.S. Marine, also the man in that picture with one of our bunnies] personally pledged $50.00.

If someone is confused about Blogathon.org, it's about people blogging for 24 hours at least every 30 minutes to raise money for all kinds of charities. Me and the other women chose this one since it was so exceptional and all of the volunteers are so amazing! There are a ton more details at http://www.Blogathon.org or email me at prettynpink at gmail dot com with Blogging For Bunnies in the subject with your inquiries. Thank you so very much. :)

RE: Rabbits and Dogs...

truebluehorsegirl — Thu, 27 Jul 2006 00:34:41 GMT

Are your dogs okay with cats? Do you have a friend with a bun or other small animal - ferret or something, so you could see how your dogs will do with them? Of course, be sure to keep the animal in its' cage to ensure its' safety and have a hold on your dog in case they become aggressive so you can remove them from the situation before stressing out the new animal. Also, with dogs remember they will sometimes do things when there are two of them that they won't do alone. Many cities have non-profit house rabbit groups who can help you and guide you.
I have never met a bun I couldn't train to use a litter box once they have been spayed/nuetered! I use Yesterday's News from Petsmart for their litter and there are other brands as well.

Two Ways to Adopt a Rabbit

michaelm — Wed, 26 Jul 2006 07:00:00 GMT

Out of 1,600 rabbits in the biggest bunny rescue effort ever, there are just about 550 bunnies yet to be adopted. How you can get in on the act . . .

It was probably the worst bunny hoarding situation on record – 1,200 rabbits living in burrows and under trailers in a Reno, Nevada, backyard. And baby bunnies were still being born at a rate of 40 a day – almost faster than we could fix their moms and dads! By the time all the mothers had had their babies, the numbers had risen to 1,600.

GOOD HOMES NEEDED NOW: By now, the rabbits at the Best Friends rescue ranch outside of Reno are very comfortable and happy. They’ve all been spayed or neutered, and more than 1,000 are accounted for in terms of new homes.

Still, there are 550 rabbits still looking for loving homes. The rescue ranch is only a temporary shelter on rented land.

BOTTOM LINE: We have to complete the re-homing operation and leave the rescue ranch in the next few weeks.

HOW YOU CAN ADOPT

a) Adopt one or two (or more) as house bunnies. They are the most delightful of pets. And they’re easily housetrained with a litter box.

b) Adopt a group of outdoor bunnies. Many of the older bunnies grew up out of doors and are not indoor pets. They’re looking for spacious, protected back yards to live in. If you adopt a group of up to ten, you qualify as a Best Friends Rabbit Ranger, and we’ll guide you through the process of setting up a bunny habitat in your backyard. These outdoor rabbits are fluffy and cute and domestic by breed, and they need your love and care. Plus, they’re a joy to have around. Some of them will take a treat from your hand and will come to be your friend. But their first loves will always be each other and the rabbit community that you're making possible for them.

Check out the "Adopt" tab or the "Ranger" tab near the top of this page for more more information.

Discover bunny love. It will change your life. And the bunnies will love you for it!

RE: RE: Great Bunny Rescue 2006: Feral Rabbit Adoption Questions

zookeeper — Tue, 25 Jul 2006 22:48:49 GMT

Hi lady-senora,
Our enclosure is 20x40 and about 6 feet tall. We extended the hardware cloth 2 feet into the ground. 4x4 posts were placed every 8 feet. The hardware cloth is stapled to the posts. Where hardware cloth layers overlap or meet, lots and lots of zip ties were used to secure them together. Hope this helps.

RE: Great Bunny Rescue 2006: Feral Rabbit Adoption Questions

lady_senora — Sun, 23 Jul 2006 00:44:36 GMT

I have questions about my rabbitat as well. My husband & I are planning a 32x40 hillside structure that Karen told us should be able to hold 15 bunnies. All the hardware cloth I've seen is 2 or 3 feet wide. So how do you join the narrow strips of hardware cloth so that predators can't get in? That's the main thing concerning me right now. Would appreciate any help!

RE: RE: RE: RE: RE: raising bunnies in the backyard or a very large pen with grass

crafty1 — Mon, 17 Jul 2006 23:18:50 GMT

I am planning on adopting some of these feral rabbits soon. Is anyone willing to email or post some photos of their outdoor rabbitats? I need some guidance please.
Thanks,
Laura
kauai_sand@hotmail.com