Silly rabbit (owner)
March 30th, 2007 by Progressive Wednesday
While this week’s Wednesday topic concentrates on those animals living south of sea level, but with Easter Sunday less than two weeks away I need to refocus just a “hare” (sorry, couldn’t help it) on some of our dryer companions. I speak, of course, about rabbits.
Every year about this time many parents surprise little Johnnie and Suzie with a bunny for Easter. They think it’ll be cute to have a little “Peter Cottontail” hippity-hopping around the house while the kids are looking behind lamp shades for those plastic eggs filled with candy. They’re right. As an owner of two of these lagomorphs I can attest, they’re adorable. Our long-eared nose nibblers are well cared for; they even have an in-house vet. Unfortunately, this is the exception, not the rule.
Countless rabbits are abandoned to shelters each year about a month or two after Easter. When the novelty wears off, the rabbit gets ignored. Most people have no idea how high-maintenance and high-cost Sir Hops-a-lot can be:
During a rabbit’s lifespan of up to 12 years, you can expect care costs of between $3,000 and $4,000 — which includes an initial $200 in one-time costs for a habitat, spaying/neutering, litter box, care book, dishes, brush, water bottle, etc., and yearly costs of approximately $300 for food, annual veterinary visits, and white wood shavings.
The Columbus House Rabbit Society has created the “Make Mine Chocolate” campaign.
It’s mission:
To break the cycle of acquisition and relinquishment by educating the public about the responsibilities involved in keeping a companion rabbit before a rabbit is brought home.
Rabbit.org also has great information on rabbit care, do’s and don’ts, as well as a list of rabbit rescue shelters to go to for adoption. So if you’re tempted by that twitchy nose and those long ears, count to ten. Then be sure to give these sites a visit. Sometimes the best progress is made by not doing what we know to be wrong.
Share This
Add this to your favorites