Be a responsible rabbit Mom n' Dad
It's International Rabbit Day! Can I hear some shouts of joy and excitement? w00t! w00t! w00t!!!
Who doesn't find rabbits cuddly and cute and adorable? If you shrugged or answered, "me", you should leave the room. Wait, don't just leave the room...leave the planet, please. Because today is International Rabbit Day and...we are celebrating the power of the bunny!
Rabbits are great pets BUT... yes, there is a BIG BUT... they require care, understanding and lots of love, just as any family pet. You can't buy or adopt a rabbit and think it's okay sitting in a cage, while you poke carrots at it! Jeesh... what's up with that?
I love this post from The Bunny Chick: 6 Ways To Make Bun Clean Up Easier!. She talks about caring for her 8 bunnies (you heard right, she has 8 beautiful bunnies). I was surprised by her tip #1 - "Litter Screens". I confess ignorance. Bunnies use litter, like cats? I did not know this. How 'tupid am I? Read the post, it's quite useful.
Take GOOD care of her, if she is yours. Honor her with lots of love!
Because of International Rabbit Day, and my hopping along the bunny trail, I also learned there is a House Rabbit Society. Now, seriously, how cool is that? If you are in the area, Richmond CA, you might consider volunteering for their non-profit. You must be 16 or older to do so, however. I see a good many tasks an average citizen could handle, like... handyperson to help with building maintenance, or hay helper to break hay bales into chunks and then bag them. There are also opportunities for fostering. I wonder what that's like... hmmmmm
Need more info on how to become Bunny Smart? Here's a great site for behavior, care, and health. It has chapters. OMB! Read up here...
House Rabbit Society's mission states that "ALL rabbits are valuable as individuals, regardless of breed purity, temperament, state of health, or relationship to humans. The welfare of all rabbits is our primary consideration. In line with our mission, we are against the exploitation of rabbits...Domestic rabbits are companion animals and should be afforded at least the same individual rights, level of care, and opportunity for longevity as commonly afforded to dogs and cats who live as human companions."
I love that more and more of us are learning to respect and appreciate animals in our lives. We need to remember there are many more kinds of pets, beyond cats and dogs. I know my ferret friends LOVE their pets as much as any of us love our dogs and cats. I know people with chickens who treat them and love them as pets (and love the eggs the deliver, too! but that's okay...an egg is not a chicken).
In the end, how delighted do you think I was to discover International Rabbit Day? I hope you'll hop around the web to various sites like the ones mentioned here and learn more. I hope you'll join us in talking up this important day, the better to teach people how precious rabbits are to us all.
Remember... accepting a rabbit into your home as a pet means responsibility, education, and training. It's not a "oh happy day, we have a rabbit!" experience unless you accept the responsibility, learn how to care for your new hoppy pet, and train both yourself and your rabbit how to behave in your home.
Got it? Okay... hop along now...
Hopping Right Along Now... zippyidy dodoa