** What's New? at House Rabbit Society - March 2006


** "Make Mine Chocolate!" 2006 Campaign!

The "Make Mine Chocolate!" campaign was started four
years ago in an effort to educate the public on the realities
of living with a rabbit, and to discourage giving live rabbits
as Easter gifts. Our symbol is a ceramic pin in the form of a
chocolate bunny. Comments about the pin provide the
wearer the opportunity to share our message with the
general public. We invite you to be part of this exciting
program.

New for this year, we have added a raffle prize drawing:
an original acrylic painting called "Racing with the Moon"
by professional artist, Joseph Larkin. Raffle tickets are
$1.00 each, with the drawing to be held on Easter Day.
http://www.makeminechocolate.org/rwtm.htm

And our Learning Center features a new game: "What Will
You Feed Your Rabbit?" is a fun, interactive way to teach
players the basics of a healthy rabbit diet through building
the bunny food pyramid.
http://www.makeminechocolate.org/learning.htm

How can you participate? Purchase and wear a "Make
Mine Chocolate!" pin or shirt and share its meaning. Print
our flyers and postcards and display them on community
bulletin boards and in other public places. Pass out "Make
Mine Chocolate!" business cards to reinforce the message
that rabbits are not disposable pets.

Part of a group? Become a Partner. Our Partnership
Program offers several ways for groups to participate:
exchange web links and display the "Make Mine
Chocolate!™" logo on your home page. Or sell our
"Make Mine Chocolate!™" merchandise (wholesale
pricing is available). Or help us spread our message by
downloading and distributing our informational materials,
mention our campaign in your newsletters or other
publications, press releases, media interviews, etc. Or
create your own combination of these options. Just let us
know about your campaign efforts by sending us an e-mail
describing your efforts. In return, your group's logo and
link to your website will be posted on our Partners page.

New this year for our Partners, we have added a a Blog on
our website for sharing Partner information, activities, and
creative ideas for customizing your campaign at
www.makeminechocolate.org/blog.

Thank you for your continued support of the "Make Mine
Chocolate!" Campaign. With your help, we can reduce the
number of rabbits surrendered or abandoned each year in
the aftermath of Easter.
http://www.columbusrabbit.org


** "Easter and Bunnies Don't Mix" Educational Flyers

We've designed these flyers to help others spread our
important message that "Easter and Bunnies don't mix."
Please distribute as many as you can this Easter season.
http://www.rabbit.org/easter/flyer/index.html

In addition to handing them out to passers by, you might
also want to drop off copies at local pet stores, animal
hospitals, supermarkets, or other places with public
message boards, or post them on the web.

Additionally, please print and post this thought provoking
and heart breaking Easter poem by Mary Brandolino:
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-7/brandolino-poem.html


** Animal-Friendly Easter Recipes

Try these fantastic recipes from around the world!
http://www.vegcooking.com/Easter.asp


** Protest Glamour Shots Easter Bunny Giveaway

Every year, Glamour Shots offers "Live Easter Bunny"
photos. Rabbits are purchased or borrowed for these
events and some stores raffle the rabbits away after the
promotion is over. To register your concerns, please
contact Glamour Shots at 800-336-4550 ext 802.
http://www.glamourshots.com/promotions.htm


** Good News for Los Angeles Shelter Rabbits!

You'll all be happy to hear that the new General Manager
of Los Angeles Animal Services (the LA City shelter
system), Edward Boks, is rabbit-friendly. He worked
closely with House Rabbit Society in NYC and Mary
Cotter gave him a stellar recommendation today.

It seems too good to be true, but it is true: for the
first time, we have a General Manager who actually cares
about rabbits, in addition to all the other shelter
animals. You can read up on his accomplishments by
Googling him but for now, I'll tell you that he's a big
proponent of "No-Kill" and he has 22 years of experience
in animal shelters.

We are extremely optimistic and expect that we will have
an enforced spay/neuter policy and better treatment of
rabbits and rabbit volunteers in the shelters. I think we
are entering a new era for shelter rabbits in Los Angeles.
To help support Los Angeles area rabbits, please go to:
http://www.larabbits.org


** San Diego HRS Spay/Neuter Program: A First for Rabbits!

The first of its kind, the new "rabbit only" Spay/Neuter
Rebate program from San Diego HRS is now in place!
Rabbit caretakers who get their rabbits spayed or neutered
can mail a copy of their receipt to San Diego HRS and get
a refund for a portion of the surgery cost. Rebates are
$25 for a neuter (male rabbits) and $40 for spay (females).
Receipts should be mailed to HRS Spay/Neuter Fund,
1140 Paseo de las Flores, Encinitas, CA 92024. This
rebate can be combined with others offered by the County
Dept of Animal Services, to save a good amount on the
cost of spay/neuter. A generous donation of $3,000 has
been provided by the Calkins Family to get this program
underway, and San Diego HRS is looking to match that
amount through donations from individuals and
corporations. To learn more about this new program,
email hrs@....

San Diego HRS also is currently developing a "Medical
Assistance Fund" for individuals who find their rabbits
needing surgery they cannot afford. Though disbursements
won't cover complete costs, HRS can make a donation
toward the cost of surgeries with payment going directly
to the vet office doing the work. Assistance criteria and
other details are still being worked out, but this new
program should come online soon and seeks to assist
rabbit families in an area of great need.
http://rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/index.html


** Seattle: The Woodland Park Rabbits

Since March, 2005, Rabbit Meadows Sanctuary has been
working with the Seattle Parks department to rescue and
relocate hundreds of abandoned and suffering domestic
rabbits in Woodland Park. The project is now threatened.
For the latest development, please read:
http://www.woodlandparkrabbits.org/wpprojectupdate3-06.htm

For background information, please go to:
http://woodlandparkrabbits.org
http://www.komotv.com/news/story.asp?id=41626
http://www.cityofseattle.net/news/detail.asp?ID=5848&Dept=14


** UC Davis Pet Rabbit Survey

The Behavior Service at the UC Davis School of
Veterinary Medicine is conducting a survey on pet rabbit
behavior, and we need YOUR HELP! Please help us
better understand the behavior of these wonderful
companions by completing our survey. Once we have
analyzed the results, we plan to publish the findings and
make them available to the public.

For those who have multiple rabbits, we ask that you only
complete ONE survey for ONE rabbit in your household.
Please choose the rabbit that you have owned for at least
3 months and whose name begins with the letter(s) closest
to the beginning of the alphabet. For example, if your
rabbits are named Bonnie and Rex and you have owned
both for at least 3 months, only complete the survey for
Bonnie. If your rabbits' names are Bonnie and Ben, only
answer the survey for Ben.

There are three separate surveys; which survey you take
will depend on the spay/neuter status of the rabbit about
whom you are completing the survey.

Rascally Rabbits I - for rabbits that were intact when
acquired but are now spayed or neutered:
http://tinyurl.com/fspbl

Rascally Rabbits II - for rabbits that were already spayed
or neutered when acquired:
http://tinyurl.com/kjmof

Rascally Rabbits III - for intact rabbits (i.e. rabbits that
have not been spayed or neutered):
http://tinyurl.com/s3n77

Your participation in this survey is VERY important, and
we thank you in advance for your time and patience!
Ulrike Reinisch, DVM

** Living With an Aloof Rabbit

While some of us live with snugglebunnies, others aren't so
lucky. For some tips on co-habitating with a rabbit who isn't
fond of humans, read Amy Shapiro's article "Living with an
Aloof Rabbit": http://www.rabbit.org/journal/1/aloof.html
(Submitted by Laura L. Barnes)


** What Do Rabbits See?

Have you ever wondered what the world looks like to
your rabbit? For an excellent discussion of the biology of
rabbit eyesight, visit Dr. Dana Krempel's article "What Do
Rabbits See?" at:
http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/vision.html.
(Submitted by Laura L. Barnes)

**Baby Names website Provides Easter message

Former Georgia HRS fosterer Sarah Currier (now living in
Switzerland) tells us that upon going to http://www.babynames.com to
research dog and bunny names for future companions, she
found that the website includes a picture of a cute baby
rabbit with a warning that while cute, rabbits are not a good
pet to buy for Easter!


** Wanted: Stories about Amazing Animals

This September, publisher SMARTER than JACK is
publishing a special book dedicated to stories about
animals who have been given a second chance. It will be
called "Smart Rescued Animals" and will carry a very
important message to our thousands of readers about these
special animals and about the great work that animal
charities do. About 90 stories from all over the world will
appear in the book.

We want stories about animals who overcame their
difficult beginnings and that show how valuable to our lives
they really are, through the smart things they do. A rescued
animal is one who had a rough start in life but got a second
chance when they were rescued by an animal welfare
charity or by an individual. Stories can be submitted on
our website at http://www.smarterthanjack.com or by post
to PO Box 27 003, Wellington, New Zealand. The
deadline is April 11, 2006. So far the SMARTER than
JACK series has raised over $230,000 for the animal
charities around the world.


** Wanted: Books about House Rabbits

Do you know of any children's books about house rabbits?
You can help a Humane Society education project by
sending the title if you know of such a book. The two titles
already submitted are Smudge Bunny and While We Were
Out. Please send titles to Lori at: trilby@...

** Best Friends Involved in Rescue of 1,000 Rabbits

Best Friends has been coordinating the rescue of over 1,000
rabbits taken in a by a terminally ill woman in Reno. Best
Friends needs a huge amount of help with respect to medical
care, donations of rabbit food and toys, volunteers, and of
course fosterers and adopters. To find out more, go to
http://network.bestfriends.org.


** HRS Chapter and Educator Updates

* Saving Lives in Monterey

House Rabbit Society Educator, Susan Stienstra, recently
saved five rabbits from a local Monterey county shelter
after being given 2 weeks before they would be euthanized.
With the generous help of some friends, Susan was able to
get the 5 buns out in time. Two have been adopted already!
Congratulations Susan!

* Las Vegas Fundraises with Puppy Paws!

The Las Vegas House Rabbit Society Chapter will be
hosting a jewelry fund raising event on March 26th. One of
the participants, Puppy Paws (http://www.puppypaws.com),
donates 20% of their gross sales to any non-profit animal
rescue. Maria Perez, the president of LV-HRS, invites
other House Rabbit Society chapters to consider this fund
raising opportunity.
http://www.bunnyrescuefund.org/pages/1/index.htm

* Tampa Bay HRS Holds Bunfest

Tampa Bay HRS held a successful Bunfest on February 12
at the Tampa Bay SPCA in Largo, including a Rabbit Habits
Presentation and a Bunny Boutique.

* Missouri HRS Gears up for Veterinary Conference

Veterinarians and Vet Techs, be sure to make your plans to
attend Missouri HRS's 2nd annual Rabbit Veterinary Conference.
This important, educational event will be held on Sunday,
March 26 and will provide 9 full continuing education units
for attending veterinarians and vet techs from the Missouri
Board of Veterinary Education. For information and curriculum
see http://www.rabbitvetconference.org.

* Madison, WI HRS Held Successful Bunny Day
On February 26, Wisconsin HRS had a successful Bunny Day featuring
talks by veterinarian Joanne Paul Murphy, Margo DeMello, George
Flentke, Sue Smith, as well as a tremendous Bunny Boutique,
snacks, grooming, and lots of Wisconsin members' rabbits.

* Colorado HRS Assists with Terrible Cruelty Case
In early January, Longmont (Colorado) Animal Control discovered
a dozen rabbits lying on the side of the highway, all of whom
had been thrown out of a moving car. Miraculously, all of the
rabbits survived, and Colorado HRS took in eight of them. To
read the entire story, go to http://tinyurl.com/nq7bd.


** Shop `til You Drop and Support Rabbit Rescue

Help support House Rabbit Society's rabbit rescue and
education programs by shopping at our cafepress shop:
http://www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits
Are you a BWB (Big White Bunny) fan? Then by all
means, check out the new HRS BWB tees at:
http://www.cafepress.com/BWBSHOP


** Become a Member
If you are not a member of House Rabbit Society, please
take this opportunity to join us. A yearly tax-deductible
membership costs only $18, or $25 for international
memberships. All members receive the Society's
newsletter, House Rabbit Journal. Please go to:
http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


** This newsletter is dedicated to Herman, a gentle little
boy, who patiently awaited his turn amidst hundreds of rescued
animals.

** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you.