The.Rabbit.Reader Newsletter of San Diego House Rabbit Society
Donor Appreciation 3
Bunny Thanksgiving! 6
Bunnyfest 2016 Over 1,000 attend most successful fest ever!
Winter 2016
Lucky Bunny! 7 A Plea Across State Lines
t Las Vegas Rabbit Dumping All across the United States, the problem of rabbit dumping is on the rise.
Guests cheered on Tribbles, who ran and jumped her way through the agility courses. photo courtesy oftiffany poon
Bunnyfest 2016, held on Sunday, September 18 in Balboa Park, was the most successful Bunnyfest in SDHRS’ history! Well over 1,000 people attended and we made $16,000 for the bunnies! We had 28 vendors selling rabbitrelated items, such as t-shirts, decals, pottery, willow, embroidered and felted items, stuffed animals, jewelry, soap and more! Food and smoothies
were provided by Green Door Catering, BnB Kettle Corn, and Maui Wowi. Veterinarians and other animal rescue groups also operated booths and offered information and services. Kids got to do fun crafts and get their faces painted at the Kids Corner, while rabbits played games at the Bunny Games booth. Rabbits got to relax and be pampered at the Lagomorph Lounge while their “hoomans” shopped at the Silent Auction. continued on page 4
Over the summer, Las Vegas House Rabbit Society was dealing with three large dump sites in the sweltering Nevada desert. Already at overcapacity, LVHRS begged National House Rabbit Society to help find room for eight rabbits they had rescued from dump sites, and one of the rescues had a litter. National HRS reached out to San Diego House Rabbit Society for help, and the mission was on! Two of our “transport” volunteers drove to Las Vegas to pick up the rabbits and drive them back, all in under 12 hours! continued on page 8
President’s Message 2 Get Involved! 3
Who We Are The Rabbit Reader is e-published three times a year by the non-profit San Diego House Rabbit Society. Every reasonable effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information in this publication; however, the editors and San Diego House Rabbit Society assumes no responsibility for unintentional errors and omissions. This newsletter has not been reviewed by the national House Rabbit Society, which is in no way responsible for its content. There is no expressed or implied recommendation for any vendor/sponsor named in this newsletter. The Rabbit Reader Managing Editor: Karen Hoyt Designer: Robert Hansen Writers: Karen Hoyt, Patricia Mulcahy Email or mail comments/suggestions to:
The Rabbit Reader 4807 Mercury St., Suite A San Diego, CA 92111 Tel: (858)-565-2869 newsletter@sandiegorabbits.org www.sandiegorabbits.org Board of Directors President: Karen Gurneck Treasurer: Patricia Mulcahy Secretary: Jennifer Lee Director/Temecula Valley Region: Kristen Woodbury Director: Amy Spintman Director: Alan Abrams, J.D. Medical Director: Carmine Bausone, DVM Bunny Supply Store/Adoption Center 4807 Mercury St., Suite A San Diego, CA 92111 Tel: (858)-565-2869 Store Hours: Wed – Fri: 12:00pm – 5:30pm Saturday: 11:00am – 5:00pm Sunday: 12:00pm – 4:00pm
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President’s Message Dear Friends and Supporters, Here at the Adoption Center, we are celebrating two and a half years, and we’re growing! We are celebrating record numbers of adoptions since we opened the Adoption Center, and we’re still operating in the black. None of this would be possible without you and your dedication and commitment to our beloved rabbits. I have been volunteering with SDHRS since the 1990s and have seen a lot of changes. Particularly, the technology and social media used to “get the word out” on adoptions and rescues have come a long way. What hasn’t changed is our need for you to get involved. We have some tremendous, talented volunteers and committed donors, but we still need you! Pack hay, sponsor a rabbit, or donate some time at the Adoption Center to help with pen cleaning. We need store clerks, rabbit educators, groomers, and the list goes on. Please make 2017 your year to get involved! Learn more on our website. I will continue serving as president of the board next year, so if I can be of any assistance or answer any questions, don’t hesitate to contact me. I look forward to seeing you at the center! Again, we are so grateful for you and your generosity of time and money,
Karen Gurneck board president
Donor Appreciation Dinner On October 28, San Diego House Rabbit Society held our first Donor Appreciation Dinner at the Adoption Center. Our guests enjoyed a delectable meal provided by Perfect Everytime Catering. Guests were treated to a fresh Mediterranean quinoa A lavish spread greeted guests at the Donor Appreciation Dinner! salad over arugula, a cheese board featuring a variety of domestic and imported cheeses, a seasonal fruit platter, Caprese skewers with basil dipping sauce, a mouthwatering leek and sundried tomato tart, and scrumptious dark chocolateBoard members, volunteers, and donors mingle over wine and soft drinks. espresso brownies, photo courtesy of dung ngo accompanied by wine, sparkling water, and soft drinks. flower adorned with custom-made labels, each of which described a fun Guests each received a gift bag fact about SDHRS and our work. containing plenty of items to please both rabbits and rabbit guardians, We had a delightful evening chatting including handy items like our with and getting to know our donors. personalized USB thumb drives, pens, We plan to hold this event annually pencils, license plate frames, and more. for all donors who give over $500 a year. In 2017, we look forward to Our wonderful volunteers decorated hosting even more guests at our Suite B for the event with empty wine Donor Appreciation Dinner and hope bottles that each contained a loving that you will join the fun!
photo courtesy of dung ngo
SDHRS needs you! We have many volunteer needs at our new Adoption Center including: • • • • • • • •
event staff & coordinators hay elves housekeeping office & store helpers rabbit caregivers & groomers supplies transporters social media & web assistants and more!
Training is provided! • • • • • • • • •
All volunteers under age 15 must begin volunteering with a parent All volunteers under age 18 require a parent/guardian’s signature All volunteers must attend a Volunteer Orientation first All volunteers are required to purchase a volunteer t-shirt ($8 - $13 plus tax)
Please download the application at our website (www.sandiegorabbits.org) and email it to: volunteer@sandiegorabbits.org, or fill out an application in our Bunny Store. Thank you!
Newsletter of San Diego House Rabbit Society | 3
Bunnyfest 2016! continued from the front page
The kids all had fun!
e photo courtesy of val fan
photo courtesy of val fan
What’s a bunnyfest without‌ bunnies!
e photo courtesy of michelle chavez
Run Rabbit Run!
photo courtesy of michelle chavez
photo courtesy of val fan
e
In its own tent, the San Diego Rabbit Agility Club gave demonstrations, after which the public was allowed to try the course with their own rabbits.
photo courtesy of val fan
photo courtesy of val fan
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photo courtesy of tiffany poon
On the stage‌
t
short presentations were given about rabbit proofing, rabbit handling, gardening for rabbits, Bunnies in Baskets (a therapy rabbit program), and a selection of small exotic animals by Zovargo. An added surprise was the flash mob presented by The Zumbunnies (pictured below).
photo courtesy of tiffany poon
photo courtesy of val fan
Thanks to our sponsors! photo courtesy of julia knoblock
photo courtesy of michelle chavez
Volunteers! Bunnyfest could not have happened if not for the hard work and dedication of the volunteers who helped prepare for and work the event. It took over 70 volunteers alone to run the event that day! There photo courtesy of michelle chavez isn’t enough space to name all of you but we do want to thank Deb Wrighton-Wex (pictured), who stepped up this year to be our MC and kept the event running like clockwork.
Our sponsors were very instrumental in helping us meet the expenses of holding the event and, therefore, allowing SDHRS to keep all of the proceeds. Special thanks to:
D KW Cages D Midori Bikinis D Oxbow Animal Health D RabCup D Alan Abrams and Karen Gurneck D VCA Acacia Animal Health Center D Palomar Animal Hospital D Pet Emergency and Specialty Center D Champion Packaging D Green Flash Brewery D All Pets Magazine D Sherwood Pet Health Newsletter of San Diego House Rabbit Society | 5
Bunny Thanksgiving! “How much would it cost to give a really nice Thanksgiving dinner to 10 SDHRS bunnies?”
photo courtesy of patricia mulcahy
Last year, that simple question, posted on the San Diego House Rabbit Society’s Facebook group page, launched a wildly successful impromptu drive to raise enough money to treat all of the rabbits in the shelter to a lavish Thanksgiving feast. 6 | The Rabbit Reader | Winter 2016
Within hours of the initial post, the idea had taken off, with enthusiastic volunteers pledging donations and planning a special three-course menu. On Thanksgiving Day, every shelter rabbit enjoyed a special meal. In 2016, we did it again! This year the rabbits dined on a special mix of fresh greens, cranberries, persimmon chips, and a new treat: edible flowers. Bunny Thanksgiving is now an annual tradition.
Next year, you can help! As you reflect on what you are thankful for this season, consider how grateful a shelter bunny will be for a luxurious plate like Tweety’s. Your donations will make it possible to make every bunny’s Thanksgiving special!
Meet Lucky Bunny Rabbit Rescue! LBRR building in Murrieta, CA.
How much do you know about Lucky Bunny Rabbit Rescue (LBRR), the San Diego House Rabbit Society satellite shelter?
Located in Murrieta, CA, LBRR was founded in 2009 by Tamara Swanson. Upon visiting her local shelter, Animal Friends of the Valleys, Tamara saw they were keeping bunnies outdoors, in hutches, under a tarp. In fact, at the time, the shelter was nothing more than a trailer park. Tamara wanted to provide a more nurturing environment for the rabbits and quickly learned there were no rabbit rescues in Southwestern Riverside County to turn to, so she reached out to SDHRS for help. SDHRS agreed to support the new rescue as a satellite group by covering 100% of operating expenses. Tamara persuaded the local Ace Hardware store to donate a storage building, which was then insulated, and then fitted with shelves to hold cages, a fan, and a window A/C unit. The Petco Foundation donated cages and exercise pens. The building was located on Animal Friends of the Valley property and allowed bunnies to be kept separate from the dogs and cats. The new rescue held about six cages, and the shelter allowed Tamara to spay or neuter rescued rabbits and to handle adoptions.
photos courtesy of patricia mulcahy
front row [left to right]: Tammy Wilson, Lindsay Woolf, Nancy Woolf, Bill Mounsey, Eliz Mounsey, Robin Harper. back row [left to right]: Judith Pierce, Scott Swanson, Tamara Swanson.
In October 2010, when Animal Friends of the Valley moved into a beautiful new facility, they included an indoor, climatecontrolled rabbit room, but it only allowed space for six cages. Through a grant from the Pepsi Corporation, Lucky Bunny Rabbit Rescue was able to secure a much larger building. In December 2010, that building was delivered to the grounds of the Oak Grove Center, a nonprofit 24-hour residential, educational, and therapeutic treatment center for children. And that is where Lucky Bunny Rabbit Rescue remains today. About 60 rabbits are housed in the Oak Grove Center location out of a total of about 140 rescued rabbits. The remaining bunnies are in foster care. The number of rabbits in LBRR’s care is comparable to, if not more than, at times, those being cared for at SDHRS! In the summer of
2010, Nancy Woolf became involved, eventually taking over full-time responsibilities after Tamara stepped down. Rabbits at the Oak Grove Center location enjoy a beautiful lawn for exercise, and some Oak Grove Center students help care for the bunnies on site. They sell hay, Oxbow pellets, wooded houses, Cottontail Cottages, toys, treats, and grooming supplies to help fund the rescue, but SDHRS provides 100% of the remaining financial support. So, now you know! Your donations help not one, but two rabbit rescues and adoption centers, allowing us to continue to do the important work of saving rabbits and placing them in their forever homes. These are Lucky Bunnies, indeed – because of you! Newsletter of San Diego House Rabbit Society | 7
Rabbit Dumping the lvhrs rescued rabbits’ journey has a happy ending! continued from the front page
Every rescued rabbit was covered in bite wounds, ticks, fleas, severely matted fur, urine, and sun damage. Worse, they were all very thin, and more than half were suffering from fur mites and upper respiratory infections.
e photo courtesy of michelle chavez
Thanks to our amazing rabbit-savvy veterinarians and dedicated foster homes, all the rabbits were treated for malnutrition, parasites, pests, and wounds. When they were healthy enough, all the rabbits were spayed or neutered. Unfortunately, the
rabbits had become feral during their time in the park and were deemed unadoptable. Luckily, the Prancing Pony Sanctuary in Ramona took in all eight adults, and there they will live out their lives in peace and safety.
Help us rescue and care for these abandoned pets! It takes money to help these poor rabbits. Vet bills alone can add up quickly for just one rescued rabbit. That’s on top of the money required to transport, feed, house, and spay or neuter them. Please help us create happy endings for more rabbits in need.
Donate on the website! e www.sandiegorabbits.org
A happy ending for Trudi! Sadly, by the time the rabbits arrived, all but one of Marilyn’s (mama rabbit) babies had passed away. Suffering from a severe upper respiratory infection, Mama was so malnourished that she couldn’t produce enough milk to feed the remaining baby. That little fighter, only a couple days old upon arrival, was hand fed by one of our volunteers. Her condition was touch-and-go for the first couple of weeks, but we are ecstatic to say this little girl made a complete recovery and is now very healthy and happy with her new boyfriend! v.Here’s Trudi now! photo courtesy of michelle chavez
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