** February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month

House Rabbit Society (HRS), an international nonprofit animal
rescue and education group, celebrates February 2008 as
"Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month."

Mary Cotter, Marketing/Education Director of the Richmond-based
HRS, says that the timing of this educational effort couldn't
be better. "Promoting adoption and educating potential adopters
early in the year helps to prevent the impulse purchase of
bunnies a month or two later at Easter time. This, in turn,
will reduce the number of rabbits relinquished to shelters."
This month, HRS volunteers will be putting in many extra
hours to teach potential adopters what to expect when living
with a rabbit.

HRS works to debunk the myth that rabbits are ideal pets for
children; in reality, even baby bunnies tend to be willful
and independent, do not enjoy being picked up and carried,
and are easily injured when dropped. HRS also cautions against
buying or adopting a rabbit as a gift, or on a whim, as the
novelty usually wears off quickly. When a family realizes
how much day-to-day work is involved, the rabbit is,
unfortunately, surrendered to a shelter, or-- worse --
released outdoors, where he often becomes the victim of
a predatory animal or a speeding car.

** HRS Needs Your Rabbit Photos

We need your pictures and videos! We are collecting videos and
pictures of HRS adopted bunnies. We will be using the pictures
and video clips for a video montage to be presented at our 20th
celebration. We are looking for super cute, funny, and crazy
pictures. We would love videos of your bunnies doing wild binkies,
jumps, crazy funny tricks, and wild antics. Please send
attachments of these clips to celina at celina@....

** House Rabbit Society Celebrates 20 Years, 20,000 Rabbits

House Rabbit Society celebrates our 20th Anniversary in 2008.

Founded in 1988 by Marinell Harriman, author of the House
Rabbit Handbook, and her husband Bob, House Rabbit Society
is the largest rabbit rescue and advocacy organization in the
world. House Rabbit Society has two main goals: to rescue and
re-home abandoned rabbits through our network of volunteer
fosterers and our one-of-a-kind rabbit shelter in Richmond,
CA, and to improve rabbits' lives by helping people better
understand these often misunderstood companion animals,
through our publications, website, educational materials
and classes.

Since our founding, HRS has expanded from a small group of
San Francisco Bay Area volunteers to a network of thousands
of members and hundreds of volunteers across the United States,
Canada, Australia, Europe, and Asia. Today, HRS volunteers
collectively produce the House Rabbit Journal, the award
winning www.rabbit.org, and are responsible for educating
tens of thousands of people. In addition, our volunteers have,
since 1988, saved the lives of 20,000 rabbits. In 2000, HRS
opened the first public rabbit-only shelter in the country
in Richmond, California, which serves as a model for animal
shelters around the world. HRS volunteers are internationally
recognized for their expertise in rabbit behavior and care,
and are called upon to give educational seminars at events
every month.

To celebrate our 20th anniversary, House Rabbit Society
chapters will be holding special events around the country
throughout the year, including the following dates
and locations:

March 22: Sacramento HRS Run for the Buns
March 29: Massachusetts HRS 5th Annual Bunraiser
April 5: Seattle HRS Annual Dinner & Silent Auction
April 27: Tampa Bay HRS BunFest
April 27: Milwaukee HRS Bunny Day
May 3, 10, 17, 24, 31: Arkansas HRS "20/20 Vision"
May 31: San Diego HRS Open House
June 7: Columbus HRS "Celebrating Rabbits"
June 7: Arkansas HRS "20/20 Vision"
June 8: St. Louis HRS Veterinary Conference
June 14: Colorado HRS Spring Fling
June 21: HRS Headquarters "Leap for Joy" Dinner and Auction
Fall (TBD): Madison HRS Bunny Day
September/October (TBD): Vancouver HRS Rabbit Festival
October 25: New Jersey HRS BunnyFest
October (TBD): New York City HRS Rabbit Care Conference
December 6: Alabama HRS "Bring your own Bunny" Party

Please check our website for more information!

** Order Your 20th Anniversary HRS Swag

HRS 20th Anniversary merchandise is now available on CafePress. See
http://www.cafepress.com/hrs/4863737 for the complete line.

** Make Mine Chocolate Campaign 2008

Each year, unwanted, former Easter rabbits fill local rabbit
rescues and humane societies. The goal of the "Make Mine
Chocolate!™" campaign is 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.

With enormous pride and tremendous excitement, we present
this year's raffle painting, "Across the Universe," from our
friend and professional artist, Joseph Larkin. This beautiful
painting is acrylic on canvas, 8" x 18", and does not need
to be framed as the cosmic motif extends around the edges of the
painting. Purchase your raffle tickets at
http://www.makeminechocolate.org/store.php.

We are also at work on an activity book that will help children
learn about rabbit personality and care. Our Cafe Press store
continues to be successful and our "Make Mine Chocolate!™"
pins are worn proudly throughout the world.

** Rabbit Science

Infrared Rabbit
http://coolcosmos.ipac.caltech.edu/image_galleries/ir_zoo/rabbit.html
Infrared photos of a rabbit. The eyes of this warm-blooded rabbit
put out more heat than the rest of its body, and are the
brightest areas in the infrared images. The rabbit's feet and
portions of its ears are also bright in the infrared because
these are areas where the rabbit's fur is thinner.

** Rabbits in the News

Animal magnetism: The pets we invite into our home are often a
reflection of ourselves
http://www.rockfordwoman.com/08/x540398070
Profile of Ann-Marie Soderstrom of Rockford, IL, who shares her
home with three house rabbits.

Firefighters save rabbit Maisey
http://www.spaldingtoday.co.uk/news/Firefighters-save-rabbit-
Maisey.3727323.jp
A pet rabbit that was trapped underground for more than five
hours was rescued by firefighters.

Kittens 'adopted' by pet rabbit
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/north_east/7101506.stm
Six abandoned kittens have found an unexpected new mother
figure - a pet rabbit. This is the same rabbit who appears in
http://www.stv.tv/content/news/headlines/display.html?
id=opencms:/news/newArticle5245614, which was included in the
last newsletter.

THE CREATURE FEATURE: Think twice before buying an Easter bunny
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23243564/
Excellent feature by the Associated Press on carefully
considering the purchase of a rabbit. Extensive quotes from
Mary Cotter, HRS Vice-president and Education/outreach Director.

** Rabbits in Pictures

How to Open The Envelope
http://www.5min.com/Video/how-to-open-the-envelope-4296
Video of a fuzzy, organic letter opener.

Rabbits Binkying
http://www.youtube.com/results.php?search_query=rabbits+binkying
Compilation of YouTube videos of binkying rabbits. Thanks to Paige
Parsons for the link.

Rabbit Rescue with Amy Sedaris
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vC9taroEsI
Promotional video for Microsoft Office 2007 includes many smart,
computer savvy rabbits and promotes House Rabbit Society too.

Current 7Up Ad Features Rabbits
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKXnlFpmsCU

** Chapter Updates

* Alabama EARS

Alabama EARS is starting out the 2008 with their Books for Buns
program. Through a generous grant from the House Rabbit Society,
EARS will be donating copies of the House Rabbit Handbook to
libraries and shelters across Alabama. Books for Buns is a
group project. EARS' members are able to submit their area
libraries for consideration and even dedicate the donated
book to a special rabbit in their life. "It's a great way
to get our members involved right in their own communities,"
says Linda Howard, Chapter Manager.

EARS is also gearing up for Cottontails Village Arts & Crafts
Show (Birmingham) Feb 29-Mar 2. This craft show with over 500
vendors is a great opportunity to educate the bunny-friendly
public about what it is really like to live with a rabbit BEFORE
Easter is here. EARS volunteers spend an entire weekend
promoting the "Make Mine Chocolate" campaign by passing out
chocolate, flyers, and note cards with the basic points.
There is also plenty of time to have in-depth conversations
with those who are interested. Because this convention is
so well promoted and heavily attended, EARS volunteers rarely
have a moment to sit down! "It's incredibly satisfying to hear
people say 'oh, I'm so glad you told me! I was going to get a
rabbit for my child/grandchild for Easter'" says Corresponding
Secretary, Paris Grey.

* Colorado Chapter -- Northeast Satellite

This winter we are planning to increase our visibility in Greeley by
putting a rabbit educational station at the West Ridge Animal
Hospital. West Ridge is also going to sponsor a Bunny Adoption
Event on February 23rd from 9 AM until 1 PM. We will have our
foster bunnies there for people to meet, offer free nail trims
and tune-ups for bunnies. Scheduling this well before the Easter
(March 29th) season will, hopefully, increase our adoptions, help
current rabbit parents to take better care of their bunnies and
aid in our efforts to decrease the purchase of rabbits for Easter.

* Chicago Chapter

HRS Chicago will be hosting "Rabbit Update 2008 – Healthy Lifestyles
for Today's Rabbit" featuring Dr. Susan Brown, HRS Health Director,
on Saturday, February 23, 2008 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Oak Brook
Public Library. Now that we humans have pledged to improve our diet
and exerciser routines in the coming year, join us to learn about the
proper diet forryour rabbit and to gain new insights on ways to enrich
your rabbit's environment. Pre-registration is required due to limited
seating capacity. The registration fee is a $15 donation per person.
Please contact us at hrschicago@... for information.

On October 31 we were pleased to welcome Mary Cotter, HRS Outreach,
Public Relations and Marketing Director and chapter manager of New
York City HRS, to the Chicago area. During her visit, Mary and Dr.
Susan Brown, HRS Health Director made a stop at DuPage County Animal
Care and Control for Mary to do a presentation on handling shelter
rabbits and nail cutting for the shelter staff and HRS Chicago
volunteers. The entire session was video taped for future use in
training shelter staff and shelter volunteers. HRS Chicago has 6
members who regularly volunteer with the rabbits at DCACC. We have
seen many positive changes in the DCACC rabbit program. We would like
to encourage all HRS members to volunteer at local shelters. Your
presence can be the first step in improving the conditions for rabbits
at your shelter. The more shelters we can assist, the more lives we
can save!

* Indiana HRS

2007 was a very, very busy year for Indiana House Rabbit Society
(IHRS). We participated in three large-scale confiscations and
expanded our Petco adoption program outside of Indianapolis to
three additional locations. This is bittersweet as a very special
volunteer was tragically killed in an automobile accident,
leaving a significant gap in the Northeast area of the state.

March to May, IHRS participated with Chicago HRS, Wisconsin HRS, and
Red Door Animal shelter, caring for 187 rabbits seized from a breeder
in Watseka, Illinois. We sent teams of volunteers over 180 miles to
help out on four different weekends. While many rabbits were
returned to the breeder, we were thankful to transfer 6 rabbits into
foster care, only one rabbit is looking for his forever
home.

In April, one of our special volunteers was tragically killed in an
automobile accident. We were able to network with EARPS, our adoption
partner to place all 20 of the volunteer's rabbits into foster care,
sparing them placement in her local "high kill" shelter. At this
time, 5 rabbits are still looking for their forever homes, 2 bonded
pairs and one special needs upper respiratory infection rabbit.

This summer, we expanded our Petco adoption program to Mishawaka,
Highland, and Merrillville, Indiana. We are much closer to our goal
of no rabbit sales at Petco in Indiana: we now have adoption programs
at 8 locations, shelters have adoption programs in 2 locations. This
leaves only 3 locations in Indiana where spayed and neutered rabbits
are being sold. Based upon previous sales figures, we estimate that
the sale of 350 rabbits has been prevented where IHRS or shelters have
adoptable rabbits.

In September, IHRS was contacted by Metropolitan Animal Services in
Louisville, KY soliciting assistance for a confiscation from a
Basement Breeder (101 rabbits). We once again stepped up and helped
the shelter catalog rabbits, separate by gender, and triage rabbits
for medical care by the shelter vet. We sent volunteer teams three
weekends and local volunteers assisted several days per week. We
were able to network with local rescue groups and two HRS
groups (Arkansas and Chicago) to facilitate the transfer of all
rabbits to foster care. IHRS accepted 45 rabbits into foster care, 12
are still waiting for forever homes. View the adoptable rabbits at
http://www.indianahrs.org/news-details.aspx?newsId=156

In October, IHRS was again contacted by Metropolitan Animal Services
in Louisville, KY soliciting assistance capturing over 80 rabbits.
The rabbits were living in a series of tunnels in the yard of a
"backyard breeder" who got over his head and was neglecting his
rabbits (conditions documented at
http://www.deitchley.com/blog/2007/11/26/489/).
We provided guidance to capture the rabbits. The details surrounding
this rescue are provided on our website at
http://www.indianahrs.org/news-details.aspx?newsId=159

There are 21 very special rabbits who are now healthy enough for
spay/neuter and will be ready for their forever homes in 2-20 weeks.
This group of rabbits is truly amazing. They have recovered from
wounds that document their struggle to survive, most have tattered
ears from fighting, and some have recovered from extensive illness.
In spite of their very difficult former lives, they have the biggest
hearts of any rabbits we have had the privilege to assist: discovering
that human hands are kind, providing food, medicine, and loving touch,
and living indoors is wonderful, never having to worry about food or
predators again.

The net result of these activities has resulted in a record numbers of
rescues (173) and adoptions (129). The success of the Petco adoption
program has enabled IHRS to work with 6 new shelters to improve rabbit
care and reduce euthansia. We are thankful to have helped so many
rabbits in 2007, but realize that there is still so much to do.

* Missouri HRS

On a fabulous note, 2007 ended for the House Rabbit Society of
Missouri in St. Louis with 185 adoptions; a record setting year. Of
course, there are always more rabbits than homes dumped into area
shelters so we have just as many waiting in our foster care for homes
of their own and will be working just as hard in 2008 to assist them
and the area shelters who depend upon us.

Our Holiday Boutique in November was a huge success and lots of fun as
was our monthly meeting in December which was a time to celebrate the
holidays and the successes of 2007 with a special "Thank You!" to all
of our volunteers and adopters for everything they did. Our Educator,
Bobbie Shewmaker, put together a very special slide presentation to
music showing volunteers doing every aspect of help from medical to
laundry to the background music of "Hero" followed by slides of
adopters and fosterers holding their bunnies to the music of "The Arms
of the the Angel." There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

Calendar sales have been brisk and there are only about 50 of our
Rabbit Rescue 2008 left. We're already working on 2009 as,
unfortunately, we've had a ton of babies dumped at area shelters. The
babies make adorable photo subjects, but it makes so many more that
need homes. The yearly calendars, though, have been a wonderful and
fun way to help cover costs for spays, neuters, and other medical
expenses of our fosters.

Here's hoping that 2008 will be a fabulous year for all in finding
homes, seeing fewer surrenders, and having lots of education getting
out to the public to help us keep moving in that direction.

* Washington State Chapter

We're very excited! The Seattle Washington Chapter has relocated our
adoption center to Rabbit Meadows in Redmond! We have had property in
that location for the past 5 years, but it was only 6 months ago that
the County zoning was changed to permit an animal shelter. We have
gutted a mobile home and set it up to temporarily house our adoptable
rabbits & rodents. Within the next year we hope to begin building, to
create a permanent animal shelter. This move will save us money in
both the short and long term so that we'll be able to put up our ideal
shelter. Check our web page for more news about our relocation at
http://www.RabbitRodentFerret.org.

** Become a Member of House Rabbit Society or Renew Your Membership

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. If you already are a
member, thank you, and please remember to renew (we don't send out renewal
notices but we'd be happy to tell you if your membership has expired, or when it
will). All members receive the Society's newsletter, House Rabbit Journal,
edited by House
Rabbit Society founder and author of The House Rabbit Handbook,
Marinell Harriman. Please go to http://rabbit.org/hrs-
info/joining.html.

Laura Barnes
HRS E-Newsletter Editor and HRS Educator
laura@...

** Thank you on behalf of the rabbits.