Dear Friends of House Rabbit Society,

   Welcome to our newest e-newsletter feature. To complement our
   monthly "What's New at HRS" newsletter, which goes out at the
   end of the month, we will also be sending out a mid-monthly
   feature, prepared by HRS Educator Laura Barnes, which will
   include heartwarming rabbit stories, tips, and useful
   educational articles that will hopefully benefit all of our
   members and readers.

   ***

   Living with a Biter
   By Mary Alexander, Alabama EARS volunteer
   Story Editor, Laura L. Barnes

   This story originally appeared in the Alabama EARS newsletter in
   September 2003. For more information about Alabama EARS, visit
   http://www.alabamaears.org/.

   I became a bunny owner quite by mistake. Sophie was a gift from
   a well–meaning friend. My intentions were to find her a good
   home and continue my pet-less life, but a few weeks passed, and
   I was hooked on the little critter. As I learned about bunnies
   and how best to care for them, I began thinking about getting
   a companion bunny for Sophie.

   I had the obvious choice of going to the pet store and purchasing
   a bunny, or contacting a breeder. But the idea of saving a life
   appealed to me, and so I discovered Alabama EARS. I arranged an
   appointment for Sophie and I to meet foster director Linda
   Howard. I was surprised to learn that Linda had some 15 bunnies,
   of all shapes and sizes, waiting for homes. I was immediately
   smitten with a little dwarf male who looked like he'd been dipped
   in various shades of chocolate brown. I reached in to pet John
   Jacob, whereupon he promptly charged, growled, and bit me. I must
   admit, I was taken aback. Sophie's a licker/groomer. I've even
   caught her grooming the toilet! I had no idea that bunnies
   could – and would – bite. After having Sophie spayed, I decided
   to proceed with the adoption, thinking that John Jacob's biting
   would cease when he adapted to his new surroundings.

   Sophie and John Jacob, now called JJ, bonded immediately and were
   quite the pair. However, JJ and I didn't get along quite as well.
   My first mistake was in expecting JJ to be like Sophie. Upon
   arriving home in the evenings, I would let Sophie and JJ out of
   their room to play in the living room. JJ would refuse to come
   out, so I began making him come downstairs for playtime. This
   usually resulted in me chasing him around the room, getting
   bitten in the process. Not exactly what I had in mind. After
   a few days of this, I decided to try a new tactic. I left
   him alone. I'd check on him, make sure he was eating and
   drinking and was bright-eyed, but I didn't try and touch
   him. For about 3 days, he remained under the bed in their room.
   On day four, Sophie and I were in the living room when who
   should appear? A very curious JJ. He explored every nook and
   cranny of the living room before venturing into the dining
   room. Within a few days, he was quite comfortable with the
   surroundings and was hopping throughout the house. However,
   any attempts to touch him still resulted in him biting. One day,
   JJ and Sophie were playing on the staircase landing, where
   one wall is mirrored. Sophie hopped up to the bunny in the
   mirror, and began grooming it. Meanwhile, JJ began biting
   his reflection, his teeth making squeaking noises on the
   glass. I began to wonder if biting was simply JJ's way of
   communicating.

   I decided to try an experiment. I quit trying to pet JJ at
   all, and every evening I would lie in the floor and read
   aloud to the bunnies. Sophie immediately realized the benefits
   of having me as a Big Bunny Toy, jumping over my back, running
   up and down my legs, digging in my hair, and grooming me. It
   wasn't long before JJ joined in, nudging me and chewing on my
   book. Pretty soon he was letting me pet him, even purring, but
   he was still biting. However, the biting behavior had changed.
   Initially he was aggressive, drawing blood when he would bite.
   Now he was relaxed, letting me know when I had violated him
   in some way. As I spent more time with JJ, I began to
   categorize his biting:  there's the "I really like you" bite,
   which reminds me of a dog itching its coat; the "stop petting
   me" bite, which is usually accompanied by a growl; the "you
   shouldn't have done that to me" bite, which I get after the
   weekly grooming session or anytime I have to administer
   medication; and finally, the "leave my toy/food alone!"
   bite – which is when he means business.

   I'm glad I didn't give up on my "biter". JJ has evolved into
   a very curious, mischievous, and entertaining bunny. He
   likes to "bunny dance" late at night, preferably in the
   living room, loves to play with his toss ball, and helps
   open presents at birthday parties. The best part is seeing
   the bond that has developed between Sophie and JJ as they
   play and groom each other. So don't give up on your problem
   bunny, give him some space and time, and watch him develop
   into a wonderful friend.

   ***

   Please send any comments, questions, suggestions, or
   stories about your own rabbits to me at laura@....

** What's New? at House Rabbit Society – Dec. 2005


   * North Georgia Rescue – Help is Needed

   The North Georgia Chapter of the House Rabbit Society
   has recently assisted in a rabbit cruelty case involving
   approximately 156 rabbits. The state Department of
   Agriculture was initially alerted to a breeder who had
   supposedly "fallen on hard times" and was not feeding or
   caring for the rabbits. Approximately 20 rabbits were
   already deceased at the scene, with a few rabbits being
   humanely euthanized for progressed illnesses. Many
   rabbits were emaciated and appeared to have skin and
   ear infections, and advanced upper respiratory symptoms.
   These bunnies were being kept outside in breeder type
   cages, approximately 12" by 12", with no protection
   from the harsh winter time mountain elements.

   Volunteers with the area's local SPCA and a local
   veterinary clinic were able to collect and treat almost 50
   of the rabbits. They contacted our chapter of HRS and
   we are currently housing 27 of those rescued rabbits. A
   volunteer with the SPCA is able to hold the rest in a barn
   until we can work together to place them. An Atlanta area
   Animal Control Agency took the remaining 87 rabbits to
   be euthanized. However, the agency will try to care for
   them and place them for adoption as best they can.

   We are working hard to place the rabbits that our chapter
   has been able to pull from this original group. They are
   currently being housed in temporary foster homes around
   Atlanta until transports can be coordinated. Our chapter
   will be keeping some of the rabbits that we now have from
   this group, but obviously we will need to move rabbits to
   other HRS chapters and screened rabbit rescues around
   the country. The more transport assistance we can arrange,
   the more rabbits we can save. Potential placements are
   just about everywhere and more potential locations are
   being added daily.

   ATTENTION!
   If you are driving ANYWHERE over the holidays or in the
   next few weeks and would be willing to transport rabbits
   with you, please contact the North Georgia Chapter of the
   House Rabbit Society: http://www.houserabbitga.org, or call
   our hotline: 678-526-8884.

   A few good destinations include:
   Kanab, Utah
   Denver, Colorado
   St. Louis, Missouri
   Kansas City, Missouri
   Las Vegas, Nevada
   Los Angeles, California
   Washington, D.C.
   Asheville, North Carolina
   Miami, Florida
   Memphis, Tennessee
   Phoenix, Arizona
   Flagstaff, Arizona

   ADOPTIONS
   If you are interested in adopting one of the rabbits, please
   contact us regardless of your location. Many different kinds
   are available, including Lionheads, Jersey Woolies, Holland
   Lops, Rexes, and Dutch breeds. All have been screened
   and are in good health. All will be spayed or   neutered.
   Please also let us know if you are willing to foster.

   DONATIONS
   If you would like to make a donation to help in our efforts
   to care for and/or place these rabbits, you can donate
   through our PayPal account on our website using this link:
    http://www.houserabbitga.org/volunteeropps.html

   If transport cannot otherwise be arranged, a volunteer with
   the North Georgia Chapter of the House Rabbit Society
   has agreed to make a cross country trip to bring animals to
   Best Friends in Utah and the Colorado House Rabbit
   Society. Donations will be used for transportation and
   accommodation costs.

   CONTACT
   Please contact the North Georgia House Rabbit Society if
   you can help. http://www.houserabbitga.org
   Hotline: 678-526-8884

   Direct Contact: Danielle Collins
   HRS Educator and North Georgia Chapter Corresponding
   Secretary
   Cell phone: 404-207-4064
   Email: godotgonzales@...



   ** Endangered Rabbit Reintroduced on Gallo Farm

   In early December, 30 one-pound brush rabbits were
   released in California's Central Valley on Faith Ranch, a
   property owned by the Gallo Family. The species is on
   both the Federal and State endangered list. The release is
   part of the Endangered Species Recovery Program which,
   according to experts, can only succeed with the
   cooperation of private landowners. To read the full story,
   please go to: http://tinyurl.com/aomrg

   If you would like to send a note of thanks to the Gallo
   Family, please go to:
   http://www.ejgtwinvalley.com/contact.asp



   ** Four HRS Chapters and Allies Awarded Grants

   Rhode Island, New York, St Louis, MO and North
   Georgia are four of eleven recipients awarded Rabbitstop
   grants. The groups were chosen for their excellence in the
   areas of Educational Outreach, Public Awareness and Fiscal
   Responsibility in providing rescue or rehabilitation services.
   http://www.rabbitstop.com/grant.html


   ** Tracy Man Comes to Rabbit Rescue

   A big-hearted retired engineer in California's Central Valley
   devotes his time to rescuing rabbits: http://tinyurl.com/aa3cw


   ** PETA Halts J. Crew's Fur Campaign
   PETA Halts J.Crew Campaign as Retail Giant Promises
   That 'Fur Is Out'

   For 11 weeks, PETA's supporters have waged a vigorous
   campaign against retailer J.Crew, capturing headlines and
   attention throughout the nation and demanding that the
   chain stop selling fur clothing, fur trim, and fur accessories.
   This pressure, along with a tremendous outcry from J.
   Crew's own customers, who were shocked to see that the
   retailer was supporting the violent and bloody fur industry,
   paid off on November 30, 2005, when J.Crew confirmed
   that it will no longer sell fur. Uncorking a bottle of
   champagne and accompanied by a giant "fox," Lady
   Heather Mills McCartney, who helped launch PETA's
   boycott with a protest outside J.Crew's Madison Avenue
   store in New York, will celebrate J.Crew's
   announcement that it has ended all fur sales and is pulling
   all fur from its stores during the busiest selling season of
   the year.

   Joining the ranks of top fashion retailers H&M, Forever 21,
   Gap Inc., Banana Republic, and others that do not sell fur,
   J.Crew is sending a powerful message to the clothing
   industry that putting rabbits, coyotes, foxes, and other
   animals through horrible lives and torturous deaths will not
   be tolerated.
   http://www.furisdead.com/feat-jcrewvictory.asp

   Please thank J.Crew for proving that truly stylish clothing
   doesn't come from tortured animals:
   Millard S. Drexler, Chair & CEO
   J.Crew Group, Inc.
   770 Broadway
   New York, NY 10003
   1-800-562-0258
   contactus@...


   ** Chapter/Educator Updates

   * Tampa Bay http://www.tampabayhrs.org

   Tampa Bay HRS is actively seeking individuals ready to
   take a more active role in the organization. Several Board
   level positions, including Chapter Manager and Treasurer,
   are available.  They are also looking for Membership,
   Foster Care and Public Relations Directors. If you live in
   the Tampa Bay area and are willing to make a New Year's
   resolution and commit 2006 to any of these opportunities,
   please contact: tampabayhrs@...


   * San Diego http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/index.html

   1) San Diego HRS is in the last steps of their incorporation.
   The chapter has taken the name San Diego Companion
   Rabbit Society, Inc. but will still mostly be known as "San
   Diego House Rabbit Society." We are awaiting our
   501 (c) (3) approval and when that comes we will be ready
   to go!  We are retaining our status as an HRS Chapter and
   will continue to use the HRS logo and name in our materials.

   Our interim board will take their seats "officially" in January
   with two-year terms.  Officers and Directors will be the
   following individuals:  Judith Pierce, President/Chapter
   Manager; Tina Otis, Treasurer; Patricia Mulcahy,
   Secretary; Amy Spintman, Director of Volunteer/Education;
   Alison Giese, Director of Communications; and Sandi
   Stewart, Director at Large for medical advisory purposes.

   2) San Diego HRS has helped three local shelters this year
   by purchasing all new cages for their rabbit rooms. They
   include North County Dept. of Animal Services in
   Carlsbad, Escondido Humane Society & SPCA in
   Escondido, and more recently the Chula Vista Animal
   Care Center, where new cages are being installed this
   week.  These cages provide their rabbits with more
   comfortable accommodations that are easier for the
   shelter staff to maintain and allow them to accommodate
   more rabbits than they may have in the past.

   3) San Diego HRS held its annual Holiday Party on Friday,
   December 16, celebrating its achievements throughout the
   year and honoring its volunteers and supporters. The
   evening included a Vegetarian Potluck, a raffle for bunny-
   theme gifts, and opportunities to make a stocking for bunny
   or get their holiday photo taken. Bunnies were also invited
   to attend this fun event where our supporters share in fun
   bunny stories and celebration of the holiday season.

   Judith Pierce
   President/Chapter Manager


   * Southern Yosemite

   I'm delighted to announce that Snowflake, a very special
   New Zealand White Rabbit, is guest of honor at a Christmas
   Open House. Snowflake was found, taped shut in a small
   cardboard box, on the steps of Oakhurst Feed Store on
   New Year's Eve day, 1998, in the freezing wintry weather.
   Snowflake is loved by many local animal friendly people
   who met her there, and she was our first rescue after
   moving to our new home in Southern Yosemite.

   She will be set up in a lovely Sierra Condo, with timothy
   hay and all the other essentials for superb indoor rabbit
   housing.  This will provide Snowflake (and me) the
   opportunity to educate persons attending the gala affair
   which is being presented by the exceptional animal
   oriented couple who own the store.

   Jan Davidson
   Educator Extraordinaire


   * Colorado   http://www.coloradohrs.com

   The Colorado chapter of the HRS is in the process of
   getting estimates, and finalizing the design, of indoor runs
   for its larger rabbits, and for young rabbits, needing space
   to develop muscles.

   We took in over $5,000 at our Bunny Boutique, and had
   two potential adoptions as a result of the open house.

   Nancy LaRoche, Chapter Manager


   * North Georgia   www.houserabbitga.org

   We have some SUPER news!  Kit Jenkins at Petsmart
   Charities called us its pretty much a done deal that she
   wants us to send in paperwork as a formality for a grant
   but she has slotted $10,000 for our chapter for spay/neuter
   for next year!!!  This is huge for us.  I only know of one
   animal control/Humane Society in GA that fixes buns --
   and they  keep very few buns-- maybe one at a time.
   This is huge for buns in GA since we are about their only
   chance as there are no low cost spay/neuter programs in
   the area.  We also learned we got a $250 spay/neuter
   grant from a Ferret and Rabbit grant program.  In light of
   this windfall, we are holding off most bun transports (see
   Georgia rescue story above) until January so that we can
   get everyone spayed and neutered. $10,250 worth of
   spays and neuters will help a lot of buns in 2006!  I spoke
   with some of the chapters prepared to take some of the
   rescued buns and they are happy to wait!

   On Christmas Eve, we gift wrapped at Barnes and Noble
   for tips and made approx $460!  We made about $1000
   in our five days working there.

   Danielle Collins
   N GA HRS Corresponding Secretary


   * Austin

   It's been "business as usual" on the rabbit front here in
   Austin, Texas; rescuing rabbits, fostering them and
   successfully placing them in permanent adoptive homes...
   we are very grateful that things have flowed smoothly in
   this respect over the past year. We continue to do
   outreach and education, which always picks up around the
   holidays.

   We have seen an influx of Katrina animals which we have
   done our best to help, and we will continue to do so. We
   received an email the week before Christmas from
   someone who found a starving little soul in the back yard
   of a Katrina evacuee's temporary residence here in Austin.
   They left her behind when they returned to Louisiana, and
   so it goes.

   We have taken on the responsibility of expanding our
   operation to include other small mammals such as guinea
   pigs, gerbils and hamsters, due to the fact that the main
   rescuers who covered them in our city moved to the east
   coast and left a substantial void that someone needed to
   step up to the plate and fill. (Ed. Note: Kudos to you, Stan.
   Compassion knows no bounds.)

   Stan Gove, Educator
   Austin, Texas



   ** Join House Rabbit Society

   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


   ** Dedicated to Reno. She will be missed by many, but
      especially by her hero, Rich.  **

   ** On behalf of the rabbits, may your 2006 be filled
        with peace, happiness and lush carrot tops.  **

* What's New? at House Rabbit Society – November 2005 *


   ** Hurricane Katrina

   * Report from New Orleans HRS

   Noah's Wish (www.noahswish.org) arrived in New
   Orleans just days after Katrina hit. Working with them has
   been a rewarding experience.

   The rescued rabbits were traumatized. The animals were
   kept in a large maintenance barn. The dogs barked
   constantly. The rabbits were repeatedly moved to
   accommodate incoming cats and dogs. The high heat and
   humidity caused many to shed excessively. The lops
   suffered from the heat and there was real concern for their
   survival.

   Alabama Ears was the first group to come and take rabbits.
   Linda and Ruth brought supplies and took some of the
   rabbits. Several Noah's Wish volunteers adopted rabbits.
   We even had one rabbit adopted to a home in Canada!
   All were spayed or neutered before leaving or were given
   papers from Noah's wish stating the organization would
   pay for the surgery. The rabbits who were sent to
   MD/DC/NoVA HRS were fixed thanks to generous
   donations. All rabbits had adoption kits including hay, food
   and toys. Noah's Wish provided brand new carriers and
   collapsible cages.

   The total number of rescued rabbits has yet to be
   determined.

   I cannot say enough about all the support we received.
   There were 10 to 12 veterinarians on site, some from as
   far away as Canada. Oxbow Hay supplied hay and pellets
   and set up a Katrina Donation account. Oxbow absorbed
   all shipping costs. Bunny Bales donated hay and toys were
   donated by Busy Bunny and Bunnybytes.

   Debra Doerfler and Laura Lynn Renner (HRS) came and
   worked for Noah's Wish. Danielle Collins (North Georgia
   HRS) worked tirelessly updating people on the rabbits'
   status via phone. Gainesville Rabbit Rescue took 30 rabbits
   from Baton Rouge, either reuniting them with their owners
   or found them new, loving homes.

   It took many people and organizations working together to
   make this rescue work. I just happened to be standing in
   the middle of Katrina's chaos and did what anyone would
   have done. It has been a humbling experience and, at times,
   heartbreaking, but I would not change a thing. Heartfelt
   thanks to all of you for your support.

   June Booth, HRS Educator, Slidell LA

   June Booth resides in Slidell, Louisiana and experienced the
   devastation of Katrina first hand. From day one, June
   worked tirelessly, not only to save her own animals but for
   countless others affected by the disaster. You can help
   support June's important work with the Katrina rabbits
   by shopping at this CafePress online shop:
   http://www.cafepress.com/katrina_rabbits

   Additionally, BunsNRoses (www.bunsnroses.com) is
   featuring Holiday soaps and baskets this month with 50%
   of the proceeds from sales through the end of 2005
   donated to Noah's Wish to care for rabbits affected by the
   Katrina/Rita hurricanes.  The remaining 50% will help take
   care of sanctuary rabbits in Arizona.

   In addition to soap, we are now offering cruelty free lotion,
   bath salts and sugar scrub!  Give mom an energizing foot
   scrubbie to get her moving in the morning and relaxing
   lavender bath salts to wind down at night!  Dad will love
   the new "Spice" lotion fragrance. This was made especially
    for "Mr. Anonymous" who loves the lotion but wanted a
   more "manly" scent.

   If you prefer to pay with a check, please write to me at:
   laurie@... or call 480-710-7215. Let me
   know what you want and I'll give you a total. Receive a
   free guest size soap with every order!

   For more information about Noah's Wish and the Katrina
   rescue, please go to:
   http://www.yubanet.com/artman/publish/article_24720.shtml



   ** Large Scale Rescue Information

   Large Scale Rescues have been keeping Rabbit Rescue
   Groups very busy lately...

   * Tennessee:

   Bunny Rescue of Nashville has been involved with a large
   rabbit seizure case. The state veterinarian had counted 51
   rabbits so far that needed to be seized (dozens were dead
   or dying when authorities arrived). They are allowing the
   owner to keep around 30 if she agrees to allow us to shuttle

   them to Nashville for spays and neuters. As of November
   21, they are officially down to 24 bunnies now and things
   are looking better. Bunny Rescue has been moving the
   rabbits out of the building they've been in and are
   desperately seeking one more garage to house 10-12
   rabbits. To see the photos of these needy rabbits, please
   go to: http://homepage.mac.com/lauriekay/PhotoAlbum7.html

   If you can help with donations, adoptions, volunteer work,
   or fostering, please contact:

   Laurie Montgomery
   Bunny Rescue
   Nashville, TN
   (615)507-0526
   www.bunnyrescue.net

   * Maine:

   October 12, 2005: A few years back some folks in Maine
   started a rabbit sanctuary, but, as too often happens, they
   grew too large and are now out of funds. They have been
   evicted from their home and have placed 120 rabbits
   (almost all in pairs and over 5 years) in temporary housing
   in a barn in Wiscasset. They have been given three weeks
   by the barn's owners and the local animal control to place
   the rabbits. I am helping them to search for suitable homes
   for the buns.

   If any of you have room for a pair or more, please contact
   me. The couple no longer have a phone, so you may
   contact me at 603-569-9372 or through e-mail if you can
   help or have any suggestions. We need assistance not only
   in taking rabbits, but also in transporting rabbits across
   New England. If you can help, please contact me.

   Caroline Hess
   HRS Educator/Fosterer
   NH House Rabbit Services
   wchess@...
   603-569-9372

   Ohio:

   November 2005. The Buckeye House Rabbit Society is in
   urgent need of donations (money, supplies, cages, hay,
   pellets - see Wish List below) for a crisis in Lorain County,
   Ohio. In October 2005, we became aware of a situation in
   which a woman is hoarding roughly 100 rabbits in her home
   and detached garage. Our first goal was to capture and
   separate to prevent any more litters and also to keep them
   from injuring each other and themselves. We are now
   trying to capture the remaining 10-15 rabbits who are still
   loose in the attic and basement and are still reproducing.
   A local vet has already spayed/neutered 30 of the rabbits
   and has agreed to spay/neuter every one of them.

   Local humane officers and shelters are very reluctant to get
   involved, so a small number of Buckeye HRS volunteers
   are trying to manage the situation in the woman's home. She
   is allowing us to come in to clean cages, capture rabbits,
   bring supplies, and transport groups to/from the vet for
   spay/neuter. The woman does not work and is therefore
   unable to afford hay, pellets, basic supplies, and veterinary
   care. She has so far been cooperative and is willing to
   have us find homes for as many rabbits as possible.

   The rabbits, for the most part, are all healthy and between
    the ages of 1 week and three-years-old. We are trying to
   find both permanent and temporary homes for as many as
   possible. The Buckeye House Rabbit Society has been
   able to take only a few of these rabbits into foster care
   since all of our foster homes are full. We've also identified
   only a few needing medical treatment and they have
   received the necessary veterinary care.

   If you are able to assist with donations, temporary or
   permanent homes, spay/neuter, transporting rabbits, or
   cage cleaning, please call Kristen Doherty in Cleveland
   (440-543-4959 - no email please). Shipments of
   hay/pellets (from Oxbow Hay Co to one of our foster
   homes in Ohio) are welcome.

   WISH LIST

   1. Monetary donations
   2. Cages in good condition (medium or large size)
   3. Exercise Pens
   4. Timothy hay, timothy pellets, and small quantities of alfalfa
       hay and pellets (for babies)
   5. Wood stove pellets (for litter) or other safe litters
   6. Small-size litterboxes
   7. Water bottles
   8. Small, heavy crocks for food and water

   Monetary donations, marked Lorain County Crisis, may be
   sent to:

   Buckeye House Rabbit Society
   P.O. Box 5767
   Athens OH 45701

   Kristen Doherty
   Buckeye House Rabbit Society Fosterer/Educator
   Cleveland, OH
   440-543-4959
   http://www.ohare.org/alerts.htm


   ** New Los Angeles Mandatory Spay/Neuter Policy

   The mandatory spay/neuter policy for the LA City shelter
   rabbits is finally going to become a reality, thanks to years
   of work on my part and the help of the many volunteers
   and adopters who flooded the Animal Services Board of
   Commissioners on September 27 at Los Angeles City Hall.
   Thanks to Bona Tucker of PetSave Foundation, and
   Kynama Wald and Scott Sorrentino of the Rescue and
   Humane Alliance in Los Angeles, who worked with us to
   create a 9-point list of recommendations for treatment of
   shelter rabbits and shelter rabbit volunteers.

   As of October 12, 2005, all rabbits adopted from the Los
   Angeles City Department of Animal Services must be
   neutered prior to going home. The adoption fee for rabbits
   will be $50 to offset the cost of neuter, which is quite high
   in Los Angeles. There are currently six shelters in this
   large, sprawling, and demographically-diverse jurisdiction,
   with three more shelters being built. This policy will have a
   positive impact on slowing the population growth of
   unwanted rabbits in Los Angeles, as the Department of
   Animal Services impounds approximately 700 rabbits per
   year.

   The County of Los Angeles, which has an even higher
   volume of impounded rabbits, has had a neuter policy in
   place for over three years.

   Thank you all who attended and spoke, and thank you to
   everyone who could not make it but who signed our
   petition to the mayor. Thank you for being there for the
   shelter rabbits. There was no doubt about it: it was a great
   day for bunnies at City Hall!

   Michelle Kelly
   Los Angeles House Rabbits
   www.larabbits.org


   ** Phoenix

   In October, SaveABunny, San Francisco/ Marin House
   Rabbit Society (www.saveabunny.com) received a call
   from a shelter requesting emergency rescue of a companion
   rabbit who had been doused in lighter fluid and set on fire.
   The young white and gray rabbit, since named Phoenix,
   suffered second and third degree burns on his back possibly
   from deep cigarette burns. His ears had been so thoroughly
   torched that they melted and were black and crisp to the
   touch.

   The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS)
   generously offered their expertise, as well as a $2,500
   reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction
   of the individual responsible for the crime. The heinousness
   of the crime incited animal lovers to offer support and
   donations for his extensive veterinary care. In great part,
   thanks to the public outcry for justice, the police arrested
   a juvenile suspect and the District Attorney's office is
   pursuing two felony Counts--one for animal abuse and one
   for torture.

   Phoenix survived one of the worst cases of animal abuse
  seen in the county and has since lost both of his ears. He
  has been on a treatment protocol of pain medication,
  antibiotics, and of course, lots of love and care. He is
  healing and will not be available for adoption for many
  months. We are extremely grateful for your calls, emails
  and letters of support and concern.

   To read more about Phoenix and the latest legal updates,
   to make a donation, or to get contact information to write
   the District Attorney's office thanking them for taking this
  case so seriously, please visit:
  http://www.saveabunny.com/specialneeds2.php?id=589.
  (Please note that graphic photos are displayed.)


   ** HRS Announces Chapter Grant Program

   House Rabbit Society is happy to announce that our new
   chapter grant program has so far funded two chapter
   grants, to the St. Louis and Kansas City chapters (with Colorado
   next in line), to help with these chapters' operating expenses.
   As funds for this program continue to grow, we hope to
   be able to fund more of our chapters' efforts in the future.


   ** Busy Bunny Launches Affiliate Link Program

   You all know Busy Bunny as the makers of the fabulous
   bunny treat baskets.  Through a new special arrangement,
   with any purchase made using this link, the Busy Bunny
   will give 10% of the proceeds to the House Rabbit Society.
   You must always click this link (also found on the HRS
   webpage:
   (http://www.rabbit.org/links/mail-order-resources.html) or
   bookmark this exact URL:
   http://www.nexternal.com/shared/affiliates/?
CS=bsybunny&Affiliate=3&Target=Store


   ** National Veterinary Conferences Update

   The Kansas City and St. Louis chapters participated for
   the third year at the Central Veterinary Conference which
   was held in Kansas City this past weekend.

   This was by far our best year ever at the cvc, we ran out
   of our health and behavior packets which meant we had
   over 150 vets and vet techs come to our booth and get
   packets and talk with us about rabbit health.  I even talked
   with a veterinarian from Taiwan.

   There were over 2,000 vets in attendance and over 7,000
   attendees total for the conference.  This was a huge
   success for the benefit of rabbits!

   We received lots of business cards and people who signed
   our guest book, we are in the process of putting all of that
   into a spread sheet and if you are interested I will be
   happy to forward the vet and vet techs name to your
   chapter if they are located in your area, just let me know.

   Also, another exciting opportunity is that the cvc announced
   this year that they will be expanding their conference to
   include 2 more conferences, a West Coast conference
   and an East Coast conference.  The West Coast
   conference will be held in San Diego and the East Coast
   conference will be held in Baltimore.  If the San Diego
   and Maryland chapters are interested in being a part of the
   cvc, I can't encourage you enough, it is a great experience
   and well worth it.

   If you are interested in getting info on either of the
   conferences, please let me know and I can forward that to
   you.  Also, I have pictures of our booth if you would like
   to see how we set it up.

   CVC East, Baltimore Convention Center, March 31-April 3
   CVC Central, H. Roe Bartle Hall, Kansas City, August 26-29
   CVC West, San Diego Convention Center, October 27-30
   www.thecvc.com

   Jennifer Habernal
   Educator/Fosterer
   Kansas City Chapter
   www.mohrs.org


   ** Rabbits in the News

   * Bunny's Racket Saves Pregnant Woman's Life

   Pet Wakes Man, Who Finds Wife Unconscious
   August 2005
   PORT BYRON, Ill. -- An Illinois man says a $10 pet
   rabbit may have saved the life of his pregnant wife.
   Ed Murphy said the rabbit was unusually noisy one night,
   banging and jumping up and down in her cage. He tried to
   ignore the racket, and piled noise buffers atop the cage --
   but the pet would not let him go back to sleep.

   It was then that he noticed his wife, who'd seemed to be
   sleeping heavily. In fact, he said, her eyes were wide open,
   staring out sightlessly. He called 911. Darcy Murphy was
   quickly taken to a hospital, where she remained five days
   for treatment of gestational diabetes. Murphy's doctor
   warned that a hypoglycemic coma can be fatal. But she
   credited the rabbit with telling the husband "Wake up.
   Something is wrong with your wife."

   * Rabbits – Perfect Urban Dwellers
   http://www.satyamag.com/aug05/hawthorne.html

   * Seattle Park Hopping with Too Many Bunnies
   http://tinyurl.com/b6fmv

   * Giant Pink Bunny Erected on Mountain
   http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1541732.html

   * Oldest Fossil Rabbit Unearthed
   http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4274129.stm



   ** Holiday Shopping Supports Rabbit Rescue!

   Time to purchase HRS fund raising premiums for the
   holidays! These fabulous items will make great gifts for
   family and friends this holiday season:

   *Beautiful Rabbit Rescue Calendar
   http://artsci.wustl.edu/~jmlogan/preview_2006_pg2.html
   (Benefits St. Louis HRS)

   *Fun Men with Buns Calendar
   http://www.vrra.org/gifts.htm
   (Benefits Vancouver HRS)

   *Lovely Custom Rabbit Christmas Tree Ornaments
   http://www.vrra.org/trish-art.htm
   (Benefits Vancouver HRS)

   *Delicate Radkos Christmas Tree Ornaments
   http://www.allearssac.org/shopping.html
   (Benefits Sacramento HRS)

   *"Reflection Of Compassion", (Aijo-no-kagami), a series
   of watercolor paintings, featuring rescued rabbits, based
   on the legend of the rabbit in the moon. Note cards, tote
   bags, T-shirts and other custom merchandise.
   http://www.cafepress.com/saveabunny and
   http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/art4animals.
   (Benefits SaveABunny, San Francisco/Marin HRS)

   *And don't forget the HRS Cafe Press Store! We now
   have new holiday-themed items, as well as a darling
   doggy tee-shirt for your rabbit loving dogs to show off
   their support of HRS.
   http://www.cafepress.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3
   (Benefits National HRS)



    ** Chapter and Educator Updates

   * Vancouver

   A 'hoppy' time had by all at Rabbit Festival 2005

   With over 200 people through the door, and almost a
   comparable number of bunnies, Vancouver Rabbit Rescue
   and Advocacy's 2nd annual Rabbit Festival was our busiest
   and best attended yet! Held in part with the BC SPCA and
   at the Vancouver SPCA's shelter, Rabbit Festival 2005
   proved that rabbits are very popular and well-loved pets
   in Vancouver. This year we had four wonderful vets donate
   their time and expertise by offering free medical check ups
   and advice for over fifty rabbits, and we also had a very
   popular nail clipping table. Rabbits of all breeds, colours,
   and sizes were in attendance, and several lucky patrons
   were able to hold the seventeen-pound albino Flemish Giant!

   As Rabbit Festival is just as much about education as it is
   about having fun, we had several informative tables and
   posters that highlighted proper rabbit food and housing, the
   demise of rabbits sold in pet stores, and a petition banning
   the sale of rabbits in pet stores. The movie room was one
   of the most popular venues at Rabbit Festival, where
   videos on your first house rabbit, your rabbit's space, your
   rabbit's routines, and introducing rabbits were being shown
   at intervals throughout the day. Kid's Corner was busy
   with demonstrations on how to handle a rabbit (using
   stuffed buns), displays of good rabbit foods and the very
   popular colour-it-yourself bunny medallions. VRRA's
   Urban Rabbit Supply store was also very popular. Here
   you could find straw and wicker mats and balls, tunnels,
   cardboard castles, Oxbow food, books, and other treats
   for your favourite pet. Not surprisingly, the concession was
   another hot spot, with rabbit cookies, cupcakes, and
   brownies baked and donated by volunteer Christine Engels
   being sold by donation.

   Thank you to all our volunteers for making our 2005 Rabbit
   Festival possible and the best yet. Special thanks to
   Christine Engels for making the much sought after door
   prizes, to Bonnie Ayotte for making the wonderful cage
   for our raffle, to Cary Campbell for concession supplies,
   to the Vancouver SPCA for their support and use of their
   space, and to Tisol Pet Supermarket for donating a rabbit
   cage and supporting the work of VRRA.

   Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy is becoming
   better known. This year we were invited by the Vancouver
   Humane Society to participate in Animal Rights Day. We
    were also invited to have an information and education
   booth at the Van Dusen Gardens 35th Year Celebration.
   Both of these events gave us publicity and a chance to
   pass on information and education about rabbits as pets.

   We also had a very successful Calendar Launch Party this
   past Friday, Nov 18th. We had a large turnout, sold over
   $1000 in calendars and saw lots of super rabbit folks,
   made some new contacts and had TV media people
   attending.

   Olga Betts
   Chapter Manager, Vancouver HRS & VRRA
   vrra.org


   * MO HRS St. Louis

   Our annual Holiday Bunny Boutique, complete with holiday
   backdrop photo areas and photos with Santa, was a
   wonderful success on Nov. 6.

   During Hurricane Katrina, we took in 4 bunnies through
   one area shelter from evacuating families.  Unfortunately,
   there was no home to which to return to in New Orleans,
   so the two bonded pairs remained with us for adoption.
   One pair has already been adopted and the other hopes to
   find a good home soon.

   Of course, part of our news is the receipt of the grant
   which will allow us to continue handling the volume we
   currently have and a huge "thank you!!" to national for
   making this grant available.  The increase in "disposable"
   bunnies has consequently increased our costs and incurring
   a severe strain on everyone's budget.  In addition to the
   grant we are looking into alternate methods to help costs
   as well.

    The other new program is called KTTK standing for "Kids
   Talking To Kids."  A long time bunny mom and grade
   school teacher organized a children's group to teach other
   children about rabbits and rabbit care.  The first presentation
   was Thursday, July 28.  The KTTK group consisted of 13
   children ranging from kindergarten to 4th grade.  The
   audience consisted of 25 children ages 9 to 11 attending
   the summer animal care camp at our main shelter in St.
   Louis.  The audience was very attentive (no wiggling or
   yawning) and the adults had tears in their eyes when the
   KTTK group sang "One Small Voice" starting with one
   child and then others joining in and finally with the children
   in the audience joining them.

   We are busy working on our next rabbit veterinary
   conference.  The surveys from our conference this past
   April (in which attending veterinarians could earn 6
   continuing education credits) were outstanding.  We are
   planning to offer more subjects at the next one and have a
   regional mailing to reach even more veterinarians.
   Anticipated date for 2006 is March 26.

   Calendar sales are doing well and one can be obtained
   from various chapters, national HRS, or from MO HRS.
   For a look at Rescue Rabbits 2006 see:
   http://artsci.wustl.edu/~jmlogan/preview_2006_pg2.html

   To date, we've had 135 bunnies adopted for 2005.

   A wonderful holiday season to all!!
   MO HRS (St. Louis)
   http://members.petfinder.org/~MO56/index.html


   * Cape Fear HRS

   I just wanted to report on the success of my first event.
   Cape Fear HRS is basically just me - and a small,
   motivated group of volunteers I have met since I started
   this organization 2 and a half years ago.  We put together
   a booth at the Cape Fear Fair and Expo, your typical
   county fair with 4H and agriculture displays.  Our booth,
    with it's "Rabbits as house pets" theme, complete with lots
   of pictures and examples of good food, toys, etc. was a
   definite departure from the livestock mentality evident
   everywhere else at the fair so I wasn't sure how we
   would be received - to my delight and surprise we won a
   blue ribbon and $200 first prize!!  With that
   encouragement I feel ready to tackle an exotics vet
   seminar in Raleigh in December.

   Paula Watkins
   Fosterer and Educator
   Cape Fear House Rabbit Society
   Wilmington, NC
   http://www.capefearrabbits.org


   * Sweet Binks Rhode Island HRS

   Rhode Island's Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue had a busy
   summer!  We exhibited at the Northeast Veterinary
   Conference and had many veterinarians and vet techs
   stop by our booth for info packets, House Rabbit
   Handbooks and more.  Chapter Manager, Pamela Hood
   was also awarded the Rhode Island Veterinary Medical
   Associations' (www.rivma.org) 12th Annual Animal Best
   Friends Award while at the conference.

   Sweet Binks had their 2nd Annual Bun-efit Fundraiser on
   August 13th at VASA Park in Foster, RI.  It was a very
   hot but fun and successful day and $3,447.00 was raised
   to support the shelter.  We even had some media coverage
   for the event in our local paper.  The event included live
   music, buffet, lots of raffle prizes and an award ceremony.
   It was a great day and we thank all the volunteers who
   worked so hard and thank everyone who attended!  We
   also want to thank the many businesses that donated their
   services as well.

   Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue is kicking off their 2nd Annual
   "I'm Dreaming of a White Bunny" campaign now through
   Jan. 3rd.  SBRR started this campaign to bring more
   attention to the adoption of big, white, ruby-eyed buns who
   are very often overlooked for adoption.  Sweet Binks would
   love to hear your testimonial stories about your BWB's
   (big white buns) again this year to add to our web site at:
   www.sweetbinks.org  We also have holiday merchandise
   with white bunnies and more available through our Cafe
   Press site at www.cafepress.com/sweetbinks
   Show your support for the underdogs of the rabbit rescue
   world!

   On Feb. 25, 2006, Sweet Binks will be conducting our
   first major educational seminar open to the public.  This
   "Rabbit Education Seminar" will be held at the Rhode
   Island SPCA from 10 am to 3 pm.  There will be many
   informative classes for current and future rabbit
   caretakers such as Care & Handling, Housing Options,
   Bonding Rabbits and more.  Sweet Binks is asking for a
   $12 donation to attend and refreshments will be offered
   too.  Sweet Binks is excited about this event and will be a
   great way to wrap up February's Adopt A Rescued
   Rabbit Month and prepare for the Easter holiday.  If you
   are in the Providence area, we hope to see you there for a
   fun and informative time!

   Sweet Binks is happy to announce Jennifer Sears-Boie has
   acquired full Educator status and we are happy to have
   Ellen Friedman onboard as a new Educator in Training!
   Both do outstanding work with Sweet Binks and the HRS!

   Pam Hood
   HRS Educator, Rhode Island
   President Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue
   http://www.rirabbits.org


   * Report from Sharon Dumas, HRS Educator, Arkansas

   On November 16th, I met Susan Clear (volunteer with
   Houston SPCA and Bunny Buddies) to get two rabbits
   from her, Rita who was a hurricane Rita bunny from
   Beaumont, TX and Doodle who has been surrendered to
   the SPCA but not a hurricane rescue.  In addition, I also
   met Wendy Mayo who has her own rescue group called
   Magic Happens out of Baton Rouge, LA to get three
   bunnies that June Booth asked me to take off of Wendy's
   hands.  Wendy's bunnies were not technically left
   homeless by Hurricane Katrina but because she had so
   many rabbits to care for (17) including some hurricane
   rabbits that she needs to keep until January 2006 she
   needed to make other arrangements for some of the
   bunnies.  Susan, Wendy, my husband Chuck, and I all
   met in Mansfield, LA for delivery of the bunnies.

   Three year old Rita is to remain with me and will most likely
   become an ambassador rabbit, Doodle has already been
   placed in a new home with the Bowers family in Mena,
   Arkansas and the three Baton Rouge bunnies will be listed
   for adoption on Petfinder and taken to adoption days at
   Petco in Hot Springs, Arkansas.  The long distance
   adoption of Doodle came about when Dana Bowers
   contacted me about four weeks ago asking if I had any
   bunnies to adopt as she had lost her pet rabbit to cancer
   about two weeks prior.  I was somewhat reluctant to place
   a rabbit with Dana as she has a three year old son but after
   several e-mails and telephone conversations I began to
   think she would make a good caretaker.  I did
   recommend a New Zealand to her as a replacement for
   the bunny that died because of their size and good
   temperament.  I happen to mention this to Susan Clear
   during one of my conversations with her about Rita.  She
   told me about Doodle and that he had been in a foster
   home with dogs and children and did very well.  After
   Dana Bowers talked to the foster home caretaker she was
   excited and wanted Doodle.  Susan Clear brought Doodle
   to her home and cared for him for several days before the
   transport.

   Sharon Dumas
   HRS Educator, Arkansas
   idadumas@...


   * Colorado HRS

   We just had our Bunny Boutique and Open House Sunday,
   Nov. 20th.  This year, we included a demo of clicker
   training, which was well attended.  We made something
   over $5,000, and have at least two people interested in
   adopting.

   Nancy LaRoche
   Co-Manager
   Colorado House Rabbit Society
   www.coloradohrs.com


   * MD/DC/NoVA HRS

   MD/DC/NoVA has been active lately, and have been
   involved with both Hurricane Katrina and the Nashville
   cruelty case. The chapter took in one of the Nashville
   rabbits, as well as the last 9 (of the 45) rabbits rescued by
   Noah's Wish in New Orleans. About half of the Katrina
   rabbits came already spayed/neutered and the chapter
   took care of the rest, and half had coccidia so we treated
   all of them. One had an acute ear infection.  One had a
   tumor when she was spayed in LA so we had an X-ray
   done on her and her lungs looked clear.

   The chapter sends their thanks to Laura-Lynn Renner, who
   took her vacation in New Orleans and transported the
   rabbits on her own dollar back to Maryland. In addition,
   Jodi Robertson and her husband Kevin Tisdale generously
   offered to house the rabbits for a short while until they can
   be taken to a vet and distributed to foster homes
   throughout Maryland, Washington DC and Northern
   Virginia. Dr. Keith Gold of Chadwell Animal Hospital
   graciously offered to help with the medical care of these
   rabbits. And Steve Nearman, Lisa Mock, Diana Rekos,
   Wendy Spey, Mara Hurwitt, Barbabra Storck, Monica
   Felix and Laura-Lynn Renner served as the generous
   fosterers for these (now) lucky rabbits.

   Laurie Kuhn
   Fostering Director,
   Kathleen Wilsbach
   Chapter Manager,
   HRS MD/DC/NoVA
   http://www.rabbitsinthehouse.org


   * San Francisco/ Marin House Rabbit Society

   The best way to describe our recent Chapter activities is the
   quote from author Charles Dicken's, "It was the best of times.
   It was the worst of times."  In the past few months, we have
   seen the best of human regard for animals and the worst.

   Cinnabun
   On a summer day with temperatures surpassing 100 degrees,
   a 4 month old, Cinnamon colored,  Holland lop boy waited
   for help that never came. He had escaped from his outside
   hutch, crawled under a fence and was hit by a passing car
   breaking his leg in two critical places. After several days, he
   was ultimately surrendered to our Chapter by his family
   who had found him wounded in the gutter.

   Cinnabun, as he was soon renamed, captured the hearts of
   rabbit lovers with his zest for life, despite his sad beginnings.
   It took a community to help this brave, little rabbit. Thanks
   to donations and support from the rabbit lover community,
   Cinnabun was able to see veterinary specialists who made
   every reasonable effort to save his leg. Ultimately, it was
   determined that the nerve damage was so extensive that it
   was in Cinnabun's best interest to have the leg amputated,
   as well as his tail, which had been degloved when he was
   struck.

   Cinnabun spent several months recuperating at a very special
   foster home. It became clear that Cinnabun was a very active
   bunny who wanted a bunny friend of his own. After careful
   consideration of prospective adopters, Cinnabun was
   adopted to one of his benefactors who had closely followed
   Cinnabun's progress and had a sweet, spayed girl bunny for
   Cinnabun to love. Cinnabun is now living the life of love and
   luxury that we wish for each and every rabbit. To read more
   about Cinnabun and his heartwarming rescue story, please
   see: http://www.saveabunny.com/adopted2.php?id=512

   * Oakland Animal Services
   Flea markets are no place for underage baby bunnies!
   Crammed in small wire cages containing up to 12 rabbits per
   cage, more than 30 tiny baby bunnies were recently
   confiscated from a vendor at an urban flea market. They are
   temporarily being held at a San Francisco/  East  Bay area
   animal shelter while an investigation is being conducted.
   Foster homes and adoptions are very URGENTLY needed
   to avoid euthanasia due to overcrowding at this shelter. If
   you can open your heart and home to help these babies , or
   existing shelter rabbits now at risk, please contact me
   immediately at: saveabunny@....

   * Josh Kornbluth Show on PBS
   We hopped on the opportunity for our Chapter to be
   featured, along with craigslist founder, Craig Newmark, on a
   new PBS talk show hosted by comedian Josh Kornbluth.
   The episode focused on the ways that craigslist builds
   community and how people can find  all types of unusual
   resources and activities, such as volunteering with rescued
   bunnies! Between playful banter on the ins and outs of
   litterbox training, rabbit care pointers and plenty of
   adorable rabbit photos, including the host snuggling on the
   sofa with Esmerelda, an 11 pound French lop mix girl,  we
   were able to educate a large audience of people about house
   rabbits in an entertaining and informative way.  To read
   more, please visit: http://blogs.kqed.org/joshkornbluth/?p=48

   * Second Annual Buns Day Fundraiser
   Inform Pilates Studio in San Francisco is hosting the Second
   Annual  "Buns Day" fundraiser for SaveABunny on Sunday,
   December 4. Participants at this fun, "tone your tush" themed
   Pilates exercise class receive a gift bag of treats for
   themselves, as well as the chance to bid on desirable silent
   auction items, including massage, salon and restaurant gift
   certificates, and other products and personal services. To
   learn more , or to make a donation if you are unable to
   attend, please see:
   http://saveabunny.com/events2.php?nmid=140

  * Shopping/Merchandise
   We are thrilled to offer a new line of merchandise, including
   T-shirts, tote bags, notecards, mousepads and much more,
   entitled "Reflection Of Compassion", (Aijo-no-kagami).
   This exquisite series of 5 intricate watercolor paintings is
    based on the ancient legend of the rabbit in the moon.
   Across cultures, and in various forms, the tradition of an
   image of the rabbit in the moon tells the tale of selfless
   sacrifice and unconditional love. Each original design features
   a special rescued rabbit who has either been adopted from
   SaveABunny or is still patiently waiting to find his/her forever
   home.

   You can now conveniently shop for a good cause at our new
   Cafe Press store, SaveABunny Salon at:
   http://www.cafepress.com/saveabunny. Also,be sure to shop
   online at our new ebay store at:
   http://members.ebay.com/aboutme/art4animals for fun, funky
   and artful items, including original mosaic and decoupage
   artwork from Chapter Manager Marcy Schaaf,  New items
   will be added regularly to both sites.  We will also soon be
   offering select items for sale at our foster center in the
   SaveABunny Salon currently being built. 100% of the
   proceeds directly benefits rabbits in need.  Shopping online
   at major stores nationwide? You can help rabbits by using
   the iGive link on our website: http://tinyurl.com/8oaml , and
   up to 30% of your purchase price will be donated to
   SaveABunny, SF/ Marin HRS. Shop A Little. Save A Lop!

   Marcy Schaaf
   Chapter Manager
   SaveABunny
   San Francisco/ Marin House Rabbit Society
   www.saveabunny.com
   415-388-2790


   * HRS Headquarters/Richmond Rabbit Center

   The Rabbit Center has had a very successful 2005,
   teaching a variety of classes (grooming, T-Touch, animal
   communication, Reiki, clicker training, etc,) hosting a
   number of special events (Valentine's Day Bonding and
   Kissing Booth, our annual Easter party, International
   Rabbit Day store sale,  a Holiday Toy making party, and
   soon, the Holiday Photo party). 85 rabbits have been
   rescued (85 of whom were adopted so far this year)
   beginning of the year!

   We have also implemented the Fair Share for Rabbits
   program, which provides educational materials, care
   literature, hay, limited financial assistance, and publicity to
   the dozens of animal shelters we work most closely with in
   the Bay Area, via a tremendous group of outreach
   volunteers known as Fair Share volunteers. As this
   program develops, we hope to provide more and more
   resources to our city, county and private animal shelters,
   to help them to better provide for the rabbits in their care.

   If you live in the Bay Area, please visit our web site:
   www.rabbit.org/rabbit-center to find out more about our
   programs, events and adoptable rabbits. If you don't live
   in the area, please remember to visit us next time you come
   to Northern California.



   ** Join House Rabbit Society

   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


   ** In Remembrance of Three Dedicated House Rabbit
        Supporters

   House Rabbit Society mourns the recent loss of three
   dedicated house rabbit supporters.

   We recently were informed of the passing of Tony
   Bergering, President of the House Rabbit Society of
   Ontario. Tony was responsible for educating countless
   Canadians on house rabbit care.

   We have also learned that Dr. Don Davidson, the husband
   of Jan Davidson, longtime HRS fosterer and educator in the
   Yosemite region of California, recently died. Don was
   extremely supportive and encouraging of Jan's tireless
   rescue and educational work. Don will be sorely missed.

   Diane Kaiser passed recently, and left House Rabbit Society
   a generous planned gift through her life insurance policy.
   Diane's generosity has already enabled HRS to increase
   our educational and adoption programs in 2005, benefiting
   many more rabbits. We thank her and her family for her
   caring and compassion.

   Tony, Don and Diane were huge supporters and lovers of
   rabbits and their compassion and kindness will be missed
   by us all.



            ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

** What's New? at House Rabbit Society - June 2005


   ** HRS Unveils New Chapter Grant Program

   House Rabbit Society is excited to announce a new
   program that will aid HRS chapters, who normally support
   their activities entirely through local donations & chapter
   memberships. The new HRS Chapter Grant program
   involves a simple grant application that chapters can fill
   out to help them with their mission of rabbit rescue or
   education and outreach. HRS Chapter Grants can be
   used to provide general operating expenses as well as to
   fund specific projects with clear goals and objectives,
   including capital projects.

   Funds will come from the HRS general operating account,
   which is funded by your donations. House Rabbit
   Society anticipates giving out 6 grants per year, with a
   maximum limit of $3,000 per grant. As we fund our
   new grants, you'll be able to read about where the
   funding has gone and what chapters have been able to
   accomplish with these funds. - Margo DeMello


   ** Check Your Mailbox! The Summer Journal is Here!

   The House Rabbit Society Journal has been published for
   17 years! The latest issue is full of educational as well as
   entertaining information as well. Included is a terrific article
   about the health of rabbit ears and an insightful piece about
   the significance of rabbits in dreams and art. Also, be
   certain to read the cover story, A Clean Environment, tips
   from HRS bunny-care experts. (Now who of us wouldn't
   benefit from learning one more helpful cleaning tip?!) A
   Day in the Life of Mr. Bunny is a must read also.

   Thank you to all the wonderful and talented contributors
   and, to Marinell Harriman, for 17 years of working on this
   labor of love.

   The Journal is available to members only. If you are not a
   member, you don't know what you're are missing! Please
   consider joining House Rabbit Society today.
   http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


   ** Animal Rights Groups Celebrate Rabbit Fur Ban!
   By Maxine Frith, Social Affairs Correspondent,
   Ezilon.com

   Animal rights campaigners are claiming a victory after
   Selfridges said that it had banned all fur products from its
   shops.

   The luxury English department store company has been
   one of the main targets for anti-fur protesters, who have
   staged weekly demonstrations outside shops and
   bombarded managers with e-mails and phone calls.

   Following a week of action earlier this month, Selfridges
   sent an e-mail to campaign groups announcing the decision
   to ban all fur products, including items in concession
   ranges such as fashion designer Joseph.

   The company was one of the last remaining department
   chains in England to continue stocking fur and the ban is a
   major triumph for the animal rights movement.

   In the e-mail, Selfridges said: "Selfridges has reviewed its
   policy on fur and will no longer be selling any fur products.
   This will come into force with immediate effect. The policy
   revision was made after customer feedback and a decline
   in demand for fur-related products."

   Selfridges closed its fur department in 1990 but continued
   to sell items such as rabbit fur-trimmed gloves and clothes.

   To read the entire article, go to:
   http://www.ezilon.com/information/article_5028.shtml

   ** Viral Hemorrhagic Disease Confirmed in Indiana

   On June 7, the 4th outbreak of Rabbit Hemorrhagic
   Disease was identified in Indiana. To read more about
   this case and about this deadly and highly contagious
   disease, go to: http://www.rabbit.org/care/vhd.html


   ** Columbus HRS Assists Woman Deployed to Iraq
   http://columbusrabbit.org/index.htm

   Sunday evening, three days into my vacation, a Columbus
   HRS volunteer was contacted by a woman about
   temporary housing for her bunny. But this was no
   ordinary bunny-sitting request.

   The woman, Karen H., lives in Georgia and is being
   deployed to Iraq to work as a contractor providing
   electronic equipment support to the military. She could
   be away up to one year. With short notice of her
   assignment, she was desperate to find housing for her
   beloved Emma, a white Netherland Dwarf with blue eyes.
   She turned to us, after trying to find assistance in Georgia,
   because her parents live in Ohio. The list of bunnysitters
   on our website gave her contact names to begin her
   search.

   She contacted Kelly M., who directed her plea to CHRS
   volunteers, Educators, and the Board of Directors. Our
   network of caring volunteers sprang into action. Karen’s
   situation was communicated to our members as well as to
   Board members of the Buckeye chapter, in case they
   could provide assistance.

   Within minutes of our request, several members had
   offered to house Emma while Karen was away. Over the
   next 24 hours, the offers poured in - for long-term
   temporary housing, for short-duration/emergency housing,
   for monetary support, for moral support. Ultimately, we
   provided Karen a list of volunteers - some of whom had
   contacted her immediately - and allowed her to choose
   where Emma would be housed. This was a far cry from
   thinking she’d have to surrender Emma to a shelter
   because no one could take her!

   This week, Emma moved in with CHRS member Kelly O.
   for the next several months. She will be cared for and
   loved while her mom is away. Karen can fulfill her duty
   knowing that Emma is safe and awaiting her return.
   - Karalee Curry Columbus HRS


   ** Delightful Coffee Mugs Support Rabbit Adoption

   The colorful artwork on these terrific coffee mugs and tee
   shirts was created by Tim Burns, an Oakland CA artist, to
   help raise funds for the rabbit spay & neuter program at
   the local shelter. The items carry the message about the
   importance of adoption.

   Brighten up your kitchen or your desk at work by
   purchasing a mug today (One can never have too many
   coffee mugs!) and help support this ongoing volunteer
   program to help the rabbits in Oakland California.
   http://www.cafepress.com/hoptoadopt



   ** Chapter Updates

   * Alabama  www.alabamaears.org

   On May 1, Alabama EARS held a spring BYOBP (Bring
   Your Own Bunny Photo) party. Members brought lots of
   photos and stories to share with each other. Never
   wanting to miss an opportunity to educate, the topics for
   the event were spay, neuter, and bringing outside buns
   inside.

   On May 21, Alabama EARS participated in an
   educational event as part of the Trussville Arts and Crafts
   Fair in Trussville, AL. EARS' educators answered basic
   questions about domestic rabbit care and behavior at the
   all day event. CM Linda Howard says, "Although it was
   our first time EARS has participated in the fair there was
   a good amount of interest generated once people knew
   we were there." Alabama EARS plans to attend this event
   next year as well.

   On May 28, EARS volunteers participated in a new
   monthly event "Help at a Foster Home Day." Volunteers
   groomed bunnies, changed litter boxes, and clipped nails
   while learning how to properly pick up and hold rabbits.
   "We are trying to have one time each month that our
   volunteers can come in and see the bunnies. It helps get
   them involved, and they can see where the items from our
   website wish list goes," says Corresponding Secretary,
   Paris Grey.


   * Colorado  www.coloradohrs.com

   The Colorado HRS has completed its eight outdoor runs
   built of cement and metal, so secure that the rabbits can
   be left out without a "bunny sitter." The rabbits, who are
   rotated out during the week, and taken out on the
   weekends while their crates are being cleaned, love the
   space. Besides the wonderful bunny dances (binkies) they
   all do, they spend a great deal of time digging in the hard
   clay--great exercise for them!

   Our "Spring Fling" has slipped into summer--July 16th.
   We're looking forward to a great time with many "stations,"
   including ask-a-vet, vegan lunch, human massage, bunny
   massage, nail clipping and bunny tune-up, a silent auction,
   and fun contests. Plastic eggs containing numbers will be
   sold and an hour before the end of the fling, a sign will be
   posted, indicating what each number has "won": a bale of
   hay, items in our shop, discounts on anything in our shop,
   etc.

   We have had some interesting interactions with one of the
   shelters in Denver, and with the state government. The
   shelter had confiscated 25 rabbits due to a zoning issue.
   The rabbits had been very well cared for prior to the
   confiscation. However, the shelter gave them no food or
   water, left four 3-day old baby bunnies on the cold metal
   floor of the cages, put males and females together, and put
   the carriers the rabbits had come in into roomy cages, but
   left the rabbits in the carriers. Twenty four hours later, we
   provided food and water, and took 20 of them the day
   after that (five having been placed with someone else). I
   filed a complaint with the state. They issued a warning to
   the shelter. A few weeks later, there was an incident
   involving dogs, and the state fined the shelter.

   Meanwhile, an organization called "LaVoyagers" got
   involved. Their mission is to make government entities
   follow their own laws, and they sometimes sue the entity
   for failing to do so. To avoid a suit, the director of the
   shelter has agreed to sit down with me and one of the
   LaVoyager people to create appropriate standards for
   care. Of course, my concern is whether these will be
   enforced.


   * Rhode Island  www.rirabbits.org

   Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue in Rhode Island has been quite
   busy with shelter modifications such as a new quarantine
   set-up, resurfaced flooring and more. Sweet Binks has
   already taken in 125 rabbits so far this year from area
   shelters and we continue our efforts to decrease these
   numbers through education and awareness.

   Sweet Binks is also conducting a yard sale on July 10th
   with all proceeds going to our organization. The yard sale
   will be held at a member's home and we are looking for
   donations of sale items, so clean out those closets and
   garages!

   Sweet Binks will also be holding our 2nd Annual "Bun-efit"
   Fundraiser on August 13th at VASA Park in Foster.
   There will be live music, great raffle prizes, food and more.
   Tickets are $20 per person (kids under 12 free). For more
   information, visit our web site at: www.sweetbinks.org

   Our primary veterinarian, "Dr. Dan" Cardosa Jr. has been
   called to duty from inactive reserve and has been deployed
   to Iraq as a veterinarian. Sweet Binks is working hard to
   support Dr. Dan's practice and to train his new vet,
   Dr. Chang, in the ways of lagomorphs. Dr. Chang's
   enthusiasm to learn about rabbit veterinary care is very
   refreshing and we thank her for that as well. We all wish
   Dr. Dan a safe tour of duty and hope he returns home
   soon. We would also like to thank Dr. Simpson for
   stepping up to assist Sweet Binks during this critical time.

   Sweet Binks celebrated our 400th adoption recently and
   we would like to thank all the wonderful supporters of our
   organization and the HRS. (Congratulations Sweet Binks!)


   * MD/DC/NoVa  www.rabbitsinthehouse.org

   The MD/DC/NoVa Chapter has had a busy first half of
   2005. In addition to the usual fostering and adoption
   activities, in February we had a booth at the World of Pets
   Expo in Timonium, Maryland. In March we tried
   something new -- a rabbit photo shoot fundraiser, where
   a local photographer donated her time and skills to provide
   some of our members with professional photos of their
   bunnies. It was a big success, and we're hoping to have
   another photo shoot in November.

   April found us manning our booth at the Super Pet Expo
   in Chantilly, VA, as well as working on pre-Easter press
   releases and interviews. May/June saw us at the
   Greenbelt, MD Pet Expo and the Frederick Humane
   Walk and Wag.

   Now, we're looking forward to several more events in the
   coming months, including a booth at the Taking Action for
   Animals conference in our nation's capitol, Washington,
   DC in July. Also in July, a local veterinarian will be doing
   a talk on the use of alternative medicine, including
   acupuncture, chiropractic and Chinese herbs.


   * Indiana  www.indianahrs.org

   As announced in January, the Carmel Petco store honored
   Petco's commitment to "Adoption First." Since January
   12th, Petco has ceased the sale of rabbits at the Carmel
   location and Indiana HRS has had adoptable rabbits
   fostered in the store.

   The program has been a resounding success! The success
   of this program is due to continued positive public
   interaction by our hard-working Carmel Petco volunteers.

   Program Summary:

   * Fourteen rabbits have been taken into Indiana HRS
   foster care that we would have had no open slots for

   * Nine rabbits fostered in the Carmel store have found
   forever homes (2 bonded pairs, 5 single rabbits)

   * Indiana HRS volunteers have a minimum 16 contact
   hours with the public each week. Our volunteers exercise
   rabbits in the store, model values for appropriate indoor
   living enclosures, and answer questions for the general
   public.

   * Indiana HRS displays, loaded with information such as
   living with a companion rabbit, appropriate indoor housing,
   rabbit care and diet, enrichment (e.g. toys and treats), and
   veterinary care, need to be restocked every week or so.

   * Our binder of Central Indiana adoptable small animals
   (Indiana HRS and Humane Society of Indianapolis) is
   heavily utilized - the Humane Society of Indianapolis has
   gone from 54 rabbits at the shelter to 20 rabbits or less
   over the last 2 months.

   Working collaboratively with Petco Carmel and the
   Humane Society of Indianapolis, we have been able to
   *stop* the euthanasia of healthy companion rabbits in
   Central Indiana. We look forward to continuing our
   partnership with the Carmel store and expanding our
   Petco partnership with other stores in the metro
   Indianapolis area and around the state. One of our
   members in Northwest Indiana reported, "I would say
   that your campaign has extended beyond central Indiana.
   The last time I was in Petco in Hobart on U.S. 30, I
   noticed they had a rabbit available for adoption from the
   Humane Society Calumet. They did not have any rabbits
   for sale, just one adoptable bunny.."

   I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge all of
   our volunteers who have worked with rabbits in the store -
   Amy Deitchley, Amanda Lenz, Chelsea & Gabe Meyers,
   Becky Tharp, Kirstie Anderson & Aaron Schmoll,
   Laura Krieg, Anne Sailer, Karen Woznick, and
   Dana Bookman.

   - Dawn Sailer-Fleeger on Behalf of the Indiana HRS
   Leadership Team



   ** In Remembrance of Jeani Lopez

   This newsletter is dedicated to the memory of Jeani Lopez,
   who passed away in March 2005. Jeani was a strong
   supporter of HRS and loved rabbits throughout her life.
   Her kindness and generosity will be missed.


              ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

* What's New? at House Rabbit Society - May 2005 *


   ** Make Mine Chocolate! Post-Easter Update

   A big thank you to everyone who helped make the "Make
   Mine Chocolate!" campaign a huge success in its first year
   as a national campaign! We could not have done it alone.

   Thanks to a grant from the Kenneth A. Scott Charitable
   Trust, a Key Bank Trust, we had the financial support we
   needed to cover our startup costs. Six major animal
   welfare organizations and 45 rabbit rescues, HRS
   chapters, veterinary clinics, and animal product vendors
   partnered with us on this effort, linking to our website and
   including us in their magazines and newsletters. An
   international flavor was added when our campaign
   received mention on websites in South Africa and
   Canada. Because of this support, the campaign was
   mentioned in articles that appeared in more than two
   dozen newspapers throughout the country and in a public
   service announcement that was shown on the USA
   Network and the Discovery network.

   Our campaign message also continues to spread through
   our "Make Mine Chocolate!" pin: 1732 more pins are
   being worn this year, as well as 410 t-shirts and 113
   sweatshirts. More than 400 "Make Mine Chocolate!"
   magnets adorn refrigerators and doors.

   We are now in the planning phase for our 2006 Easter
   campaign. In addition to expanding our partnership
   program, we have a new goal of reaching out to parents
   through educational and community channels. We will also
   continue to grow our website learning center by adding
   new learning modules. Our hope is that we can count on
   your continued support of the campaign. Stay abreast of
   campaign activities by regularly visiting our new weblog,
   which can be viewed at:
   www.makeminechocolate.org/blog

   Together, we can reduce the number of unwanted Easter
   rabbits.

   Karalee Curry, Columbus HRS


   ** Fourth Edition of House Rabbit Handbook Released!

   April 16, 2005 was another milestone for the house rabbit
   community with the release of House Rabbit Society
   founder Marinell Harriman's 4th edition of House Rabbit
   Handbook, the definitive book on living with house rabbits.

   The House Rabbit Handbook, first published in 1985,
   quickly became the "bible" for thousands of people who
   lived with house rabbits and inspired countless thousands
   of others to bring their "outside" rabbits indoors.

   Experienced rabbit caretakers as well as new comers will
   find a wealth of information in this "must read" book. All
   the basics of rabbit care are explained in a practical and
   straightforward manner. Also included in this new edition
   is a section on bonding your rabbit with other rabbits as
   well as with other species; a section on geriatric care and
   assisted living, a comprehensive plant list divided by
   toxicity levels; and so much more.

   Purchase a copy of House Rabbit Handbook at your local
   HRS chapter or buy one from amazon.com. (If you use
   the amazon link at www.rabbit.org, HRS will receive 5%
   of your entire purchase price.)


   **  Lucky Verdict

   On July 13, 2004, two men taped explosives to a pet
   rabbit and threw her into an East Bay lake. Exactly
   nine months later on April 13, 2005, Nicholas Sigmon
   and Paul Collins pled "No Contest" and the Judge
   found them guilty of  misdemeanor animal cruelty.

   Judge Robert Fairwell sentenced Sigmon to 30 days jail
   time and Collins to 15 days in jail. The judge also ordered
   both men to attend acute psychological counseling,
   perform community service, and pay fines. Both men also
   may not own explosives or care for animals during their
   three years of probation. (www.luckyrabbit.org)


   ** Hayward Rescued Rabbits Update

   On May 12, 2004, Hayward Animal Control and a rabbit
   rescue group rescued 34 rabbits from a serious cruelty
   situation in Hayward, CA. On Friday, May 20, 2005,
   convicted animal abuser Janine Marie Cazares received
   three years probation and sixteen days jail time for charges
   resulting from this cruelty. Cazares may not bring
   additional animals into her home during her probation, and
   she is also subject to unannounced searches of her home
   and property by the Hayward Police Department and
   Animal Control. She also must surrender the one
   remaining rabbit, Dave, to authorities. A restitution hearing
   is scheduled for June 24. (www.haywardrabbits.org)

   In this case as well as in Lucky's, there is great
   disappointment and frustration with the light sentencing.
   Both cases were horrifically cruel. Lucky was fortunate
   and survived but, in the Hayward case, an untold number
   of rabbits languished, suffered and died at the hands of
   a heartless and brutal woman. Both cases should have been
   charged as felonies.

   Until enough people stand up and demand that the courts
   begin to recognize the enormity of such cases, that
   tougher laws be written and stiffer sentences be imposed
   on such cruel individuals, we must satisfy ourselves with
   the knowledge that at least they were convicted.

   Heartfelt thanks to everyone who supported this case. To
   all who wrote letters, signed the petitions, sent last minute
   faxes and came to court, thank you.

   Thank you to Rich Sievers of Alameda's Rabbit Row
   (http://rabbitrow.org) for all of his "Court-Support",
   both online as well as in person, helping to keep this case,
   as well as Lucky's, in the hearts and minds of the Bay
   Area rabbit community.

   Thank you to Kerry Sullivan. No one campaigned
   harder than you did to inform people about the Hayward
   Rabbits or struggled more to seek support and justice for
   them. Albert, Angel, Baxter, Benton, Bernie, Danny, Diana
   Eileen, Francine, Frankie, Gigi, Janet, Johanna, Lance,
   Lewis, Michael, Nancy, Olga, Prana, Richard, Sam,
   Samantha, Seymore, Sombra, Toby, Ubu, Zephyr and
   Zorro love you.

   Lucky and the Hayward Rabbits are alive today thanks to
   Karen Courtemanche. Karen investigated both of these
   cases and reported them to authorities. Karen took Lucky
   and all the surviving Haywards Rabbits into her home. She
   has worked for over a year to find loving homes for these
   rabbits. Those that could not be placed, have a forever
   and ever home with Karen, at her new farm and animal
   sanctuary in Tracy, California. I stand in awe of you.

   Connie Cwynar, HRS Volunteer


   ** Planning for the Future: Emergency Preparedness and
        Estate Planning

   In many areas, with spring comes the chance for severe
   weather. Be sure that your home is prepared to respond.

   Be sure you have enough carriers to transport all animals
   to safety. Store the carriers in a ready-to-go state, not
   disassembled or uncleaned from the previous use.

   Research the quickest and safest exit routes from your
   home and establish escape routes, along with alternates!
   Establish a safe place for everyone to meet up once
   outside.

   Divide up responsibilities between people if you have
   multiple pets and household members. Brief all family
   members on the protocol should problems such as fire,
   flood, tornado, or other severe weather occur.

   On a clear day, do a test drill of your plan, in order to
   make sure there aren't missing details you need to attend
   to before a real emergency occurs.

   These precautions don't usually take more than an hour or
   so of planning and discussion, but can mean the world
   should a problem arise.

   The rescue group I work with has fielded a couple of
   questions about estate planning from people who are
   wanting to make sure the needs of their pets are covered
   should the unexpected happen. While learning, I don't
   know a lot about these areas, but there are a number of
   links that can help point you in the right direction.

   You can begin with the Humane Society of the United
   States, which has published the piece, Providing For Your
   Pets Future Without You (http://tinyurl.com/d4ra2).
   Likewise, the Estate Planning for Pets Foundation has
   published Estate Planning for Pets
   (http://tinyurl.com/8cwr9) as a primer to the subject.
   You can also consult with a lawyer who specializes in
   estates, wills and other types of personal planning; some
   may even specialize in pets!

   This article was extracted from Leith Petwerks, Inc.
   (http://www.leithpetwerks.com) Bun Fun (3.24.05)
   newsletter. Thank you, Amy!


   ** Help the Bunnies Every Time You Shower!

   Check out the brand spanking new online shop
   www.BunsNRoses.com for cruelty free gift soaps. There
   are fun rabbit shaped soaps; gift baskets; single bars of
   soap and more.

   Don't see what you're looking for? Go to the "Contact
   Us" page. We'll get back to you right away. There are
   many other scents, colors, shapes available. Pictures can
   be emailed to you at your request. The site is still under
   construction but you will still be able to view the available
   soaps.

   www.BunsNRoses.com was created to raise funds to help
   care for sanctuary rabbits. ALL proceeds from sales are
   donated for this purpose.

   50% of the proceeds for the month of June will be given to
   the Bunny Rescue Fund, the House Rabbit Society
   chapter in Las Vegas.
   http://www.bunnyrescuefund.org/pages/1/index.htm



   ** Save Toby's Tribe

   RabbitWise in Maryland has new tee shirts promoting their
   campaign to ban rabbit meat. The cleverly designed shirts
   also take aim at the cruelly conceived "Save Toby"; a
   much publicized web site which threatens to kill a pet
   bunny unless a set amount of money is donated
   (extorted?) to save his life.

   Kudos to RabbitWise!
   Check out their website! http://www.rabbitwise.org
   Support their work!  http://www.cafepress.com/RabbitWise



   ** Amy Sedaris and A Tale of Two Bunnies

   http://www.jerriblank.com/amy_animal-fair.html



   ** Dare To Care For a Hare
        Poetry Contest to Benefit House Rabbit Society

   Out of over one hundred poems submitted from seven
   countries, the judges, poets C J Sage and J P Dancing
   Bear, have chosen Kip Colegrove's poem, The House
   Rabbit, as FIRST PLACE WINNER!

   Congratulations to Kip!

   C. J. Sage edits The National Poetry Review. Her poems
   have appeared in The Threepenny Review, Verse Daily,
   Smartish Pace, Weber Studies, Chautauqua Literary
   Journal, and other magazines. She is author of And We
   the Creatures: Fifty-One Contemporary American Poets
   on Animal Rights and Appreciation.

   J. P. Dancing Bear lives in Northern California. His poems
   have appeared or are forthcoming in hundreds of
   publications including Shenandoah, Mississippi Review,
   Cimarron Review, Poetry East, North American Review,
   Atlanta Review and others. He is a founding editor of
   Disquieting Muses and was the Editor-in-Chief of
   Disquieting Muses/DMQ Review for five years. He is
   now the editor of The American Poetry Journal. Bear is
   the owner of Dream Horse Press.


   The House Rabbit
   by Kip Colegrove

   We do not need to go to Mars,
   or sift for gold in our imaginations:
   the Others we anticipate are here,
   the aliens we have wished to welcome
   and wondered if our hearth were wide enough.

   This rabbit, for example, in the hallway,
   her eyes so like and unlike ours,
   deep and wide and dark as late creation
   desperate to gather back its light:
   we recognize a constellation we would name.

   But in those depths, beyond our nomenclature,
   the living spark of hopeful wariness
   that makes us us and others them
   exfoliates the invitation:
   I've come to your world; come to mine.

   We cannot storm creation with our words
   and hope to leave a happy residue.
   The Other has its own requirements,
   its own affections, needs and challenges,
   and we are neighbors only by compassion.

   Kip and his wife Julie Fisher are both Episcopal clerics
   residing in Nebraska City, Nebraska. They have three
   rabbits: Bridgit, a seven-year-old Dutch mix, who was the
   inspiration for this poem; Tucker, a four-year-old
   American Fuzzy lop; and Roo, an eight-year-old Flemish
   Giant. They are House Rabbit Society members, but the
   nearest chapter to them is the Kansas City, Missouri
   House Rabbit Society, where they visit as often as
   possible. Kip and Julie say, "We just love rabbits. I don't
   know why. We just do."

   Kip has requested that his portion of the contest proceeds
   generated by the sale of the broadside be donated to HRS
   National Headquarters to be distributed to the areas in
   most need of funds for saving rabbits. He has also
   generously donated his $250 prize money to the Missouri
   House Rabbit Society.

   Please order the prize-winning poem as proceeds support
   House Rabbit Society. This beautiful handmade letterpress
   broadside (suitable for framing), can be ordered by
   sending $15.17 which includes tax for California residents,
   or $13.95 for out-of-state residents, to Speed Bump
   Press, 48 Avon Road, Berkeley CA 94707. Include your
   name and complete mailing information. International
   residents please inquire about shipping.


   * The Second Place poem was written by Jodie Appell
   from Oakland, California:

   Jack Rabbit in Winter
   by Jodie Appell

   Though I wait for him on the cold hillside,
   he does not appear. Rain trails down
   my legs as I scan the brush for a glimpse
   of fur. In late winter, so may things
   go into hiding. I look skyward, hoping
   for an opening in the gray cloak above me.

   Maybe wherever a wild hare goes is where
   one's spirit goes when in need of shelter.
   I imagine them together in a warm burrow.
   They talk of spring, when they will leap
   through tall grass, unassailed by storms,
   danger or indecision, racing down
   to the shore to watch boats meander,
   weightless on the bay.

   But now it is all icy stillness.
   Though I've left walnuts and oats, I can't
   even find his tracks in the soaked earth.
   If he would just show me a sign
   that he is alive, with his great legs,
   his noble ears that can probably
   hear me now, looking for him.

   Something moves. A sound, slight as petals
   brushed by the wind. Someone slips
   into my small realm, a creature who knows
   his way, certain of his step.
   I can't see him but I know he's there.

   I stand in the rain, in this place we now share.
   We are safe here, on winter's ground,
   each of us listening for the other's presence.
   And that is enough.


   * And the Third Place poem was submitted by
   Judith Goldhaber from Berkeley, California:

   The Rabbit and the Frogs
   by Judith Goldhaber


   The Rabbit was an apprehensive fellow,
   living in a constant state of manic
   depression; his own shadow made him panic,
   the scent of foxes turned his legs to Jell-O,
   and if he chanced to hear a bull moose bellow
   his body trembled with a shock galvanic.
   The power of his fear was so volcanic
   even his closest buddies called him yellow.
   Crouched in the reeds along the riverside
   the Rabbit contemplated suicide,
   but when he plunged into the swirling tide
   a troop of green frogs scuttled off, bug-eyed
   with terror. As his chest puffed up with pride,
   the Rabbit thought, "I'll live with dignity
   now that I know that someone's scared of me!"


   Congratulations to all of the winners and a heart-felt
   thank you to all who submitted poems.



   ** Chapter Updates

   * Alabama    http://www.alabamaears.org

   In March, Alabama EARS continued with their media
   campaign to educate about domestic rabbit care and
   behavior in hopes to curb impulse purchases during the
   Easter season. Mary Alexander, E-T, and Linda
   Howard, Co-Cm, took turns promoting "Easter and
   rabbits don't mix" and "Make Mine Chocolate" during
   their three television appearances, and 15-minute radio
   interview.

   In addition, both Mary and Linda were asked to tape a
   segment for the Brighthouse cable television network. The
   thirty-minute segment, "All About Bunny" was akin to an
   abbreviated bunny 101 class, and included visual aids on
   everything from veggies to litter to foster bunnies. The
   program was aired every Tuesday and Friday in the month
   of March.

   Alabama EARS also participated in two educational
   events in the Birmingham area. The first was the
   Cottontail Village Festival where EARS focused on a
   "Sponsor a Discarded Easter Bunny" campaign, in
   conjunction with the "Make Mine Chocolate" educational
   campaign. "We had an Easter tree, featuring Easter
   ornaments that had a picture and description of our
   foster bunnies. For a $20 donation, an individual could
   sponsor an "Easter Bunny" and we provided a card and
   biography on the bunny," says Mary Alexander. The
   campaign will continue for a short time past Easter. So
   far, 15 foster rabbits have been sponsored.

   On March 19, EARS participated in an event geared
   towards educating parents and children about the realities
   of living with a rabbit. The event, hosted by Critter
   Magazine, gave opportunity to reach people they had
   purchased buns.

   Alabama EARS was also featured in Birmingham
   Magazine. The article "Make Mine Chocolate" also
   included general information about domestic rabbit care,
   and information about Alabama EARS.

   EARS also published their Spring/Summer issue of The
   Rabbit's Tale. This issue, as well as back issues of
   Alabama EARS' previous newsletters, can be
   downloaded at www.AlabamaEARS.org.

   For fundraising in March, EARS had another successful
   garage sale. Headed by Connie Cowan, F-T, Ron Cowan
   and JB Cowan $1,100 in donations was collected for
   foster bun expenses.


   * San Francisco/Peninsula   http://tinyurl.com/5r7w3

   An Easter article, "Think twice before jumping to purchase
   an Easter Bunny" by Nicole Neroulias appeared in the
   March 26 issue of the San Mateo Times. A noteworthy
   quote cited by Chapter Manager Donna Jensen, "The
   Easter bunny is coming to town.

   Unfortunately there's a good chance his next stop will be
   the animal shelter." The article examines Easter rabbits
   sales at Laurelwood Pet. "We get a lot of their (pet store)
   rabbits." Jensen said sighing. "They're just in the market
   for selling rabbits. They're not really concerned with who
   gets them and how they're going to live."

   Donna also made another television appearance on SF
   Channel 7 News Perfect Pet of the Week segment. "We
   took a darling, bonded pair from Peninsula Humane
   Society, Twinkle and Somemore. Twinkle is a rabbit and
   Somemore, her best buddy, is a Guinea Pig. They had
   lived together in there former home for 3 years before
   they were surrendered to PHS because of allergies. Joel
   Bartlett was very kind about kneeling on the floor with me
   while Twinkle and Somemore sat in a chair where they
   could be seen better. A lovely couple from Pacifica who
   saw the news segment came to the shelter later that same
   day and adopted them. 15 minutes of fame certainly
   helped Twinkle and Somemore!", Donna says with a
   satisfied smile.


   * Sonoma/Solano   www.northbaybunnies.org

   The Solano/Sonoma Chapter volunteers grinned through
   their fatigue at the close of our first Annual BUNNY
   DAY! (3/26) which drew over 200 attendees and, after
   all the applicants were screened, found homes for 11
   shelter and chapter bunnies.

   "High" on this success, our CM wrote a proposal to the
   last shelter in the chapter to not spay and neuter wherein
   we offered to line up a cadre of rotating volunteer vets to
   do the surgeries (the Director had committed to the use of
   the shelter's clinic and to pay for the drugs). When shelter
   leadership took the proposal to their Board, the Board
   decided to do us "one better" and pay for one bunny spay
   or neuter per week at least until kitten season hits. This is
   a large county shelter which by definition is non-selective
   and up until now has been releasing unaltered rabbits back
   into the community.

   We are thrilled. Direct shelter adoptions are up all across
   the chapter - with the County facility in Solano actually
   running nearly "out" of rabbits due to high adoption rates.
   We credit our Meet the Bunnies! program and the
   wonderful media coverage we've been getting in the last
   6 months. Last week at their annual awards dinner, the
   Petaluma Animal Shelter presented the chapter with a
   Certificate of Appreciation and this week our CM was
   honored by the local chapter of the Red Cross as
   someone "making a difference in the community". She
   was nominated to receive the Real Hero award in the
   Animal Category.

   Meanwhile our work with local rabbit vets to develop our
   pilot for the low cost spay and neuter program yielded a
   new doctor willing to donate one surgery every other
   month to the chapter. And, finally, more work has been
   done on the chapter's BWB Sanctuary with the expansion
   of the play yard, addition of more structures in the cottage,
   improved drinking fountains and the purchase of a
   Flowtron Mosquito Magnet.

   Hare-raising fund-raiser
   Friday, April 1, 2005 (SF Chronicle)

   Bunnies found buddies at Rohnert Park on Saturday, as
   more than 200 people showed up for the first Bunny Day,
   bringing in about $1,500 for a low-cost spay and neuter
   program and offering to adopt several of the rabbits.

   The event, sponsored by the House Rabbit Society's
   Solano/Sonoma Chapter in conjunction with the Rohnert
   Park and Petaluma animal shelters, included presentations
   about rabbits, as well as toys, supplies and food.

   Chapter Manager Sylvia WynnLindeman said the group
   will try to have the event a few weeks before Easter next
   year to help educate people about how important it is to
   spay and neuter the animals.

   She said many parents buy bunnies for children because
   they're so cute, but don't realize how much care is involved.
   "We've got breeders, we've got pet stores who do not
   screen people -- who do not educate," WynnLindeman
   said.

   She said spaying and neutering makes rabbits mellower,
   easier to housebreak and more interested in human
   contact, but the surgery typically costs $150 to $200.
   Special drugs and a technician are necessary, making the
   cost more than for dogs and cats, WynnLindeman said.

   The money raised will help the House Rabbit Society with
   a spaying and neutering program in Solano and Sonoma
   counties, which it hopes to launch next January.
   (Copyright 2005 SF Chronicle)


   * Richmond Rabbit Center    http://tinyurl.com/2vfxh

   Jack Doran, rabbit caregiver extraordinaire, writes, "The
   staff and volunteers of the HRS Richmond chapter would
   like to offer their deepest thanks and gratitude to those
   who came out to support us and partake in the activities
   on Saturday, April 16. The event was a success beyond
   our highest expectations.Approximately 100 people-
   members and non-members alike-showed up to make our
   volunteers' exhaustive planning and preparing worthwhile.
   Ninety-two copies of the fourth edition of the House
   Rabbit Handbook were sold.Congratulations to Marinell
   and all the volunteers who shared in the success of this
   event!


   **  Buy a Tee Shirt and Support Rabbit Rescue

   We have a huge variety of rabbit-themed items for sale at:
   http://www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits.  Every cent
   earned by this shop helps rabbits rescued by House Rabbit
   Society. Please buy a tee shirt or a coffee mug or a
   poster today! If you shop before 6/14/2005, you save
   $10 on purchases of $30 or more! Use coupon code:
   GRADAD. Thank you!


   ** Join House Rabbit Society

   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



   ** Beloved Snowy, Rest in Peace

   This newsletter is dedicated to Snowy, a beloved 10 year
   young rabbit. The following poem was written by her
   caretaker, Christine M. Moreno.

   A Little Princess

   And on Easter Sunday, there she was
   A cute little bunny, white and full of fuzz.
   The little boy kept her outside in a hutch
   She became responsibility, he didn't want her very much.
   She stayed outside in the rain and the cold
   Until his aunt one day loved to hold
   Then for the boy a new pet showed up
   And Snowy came inside never to meet the pup.
   A Little Princess was the title they would bestow

   The finest fruits and nuts is what she came to know.
   In her sun room a throne of timothy hay
   Not far from mom's eye could she ever stray
   She might hop a little slower, but royalty she'll always be
   Safety and warmth she'll continue to see.
   Snowy, my 10 year old beloved friend
   We'll be together until the end
   At Rainbow Bridge we'll look for the pup
   He's wondering why we haven't shown up

   (Snowy went on ahead to the Rainbow Bridge 3/23/2005.)



        ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

What's New? at House Rabbit Society - Easter 2005


    ** Make Mine Chocolate! EXPLODES Nationwide!!

    It was only three years ago that the House Rabbit Society
    Columbus, Ohio, Chapter launched the Make Mine
    Chocolate! campaign. For two years, Columbus and other
    HRS chapters sold charming little brown pins attached to
    an information card, educating the recipient on the
    tragedies about rabbits purchased as Easter presents. This
    year, this highly effective campaign exploded on a
    national level.

    Dozens of animal protection organizations and
    companies (http://tinyurl.com/6nbfw) partnered with
    House Rabbit Society in the promotion of Make Mine
    Chocolate! In early March, the American Society for the
    Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) sent out a
    News Alert promoting the Make Mine Chocolate!
    campaign to their membership. The Humane Society of
    the United States published a terrific article about the
    campaign on its website: http://tinyurl.com/5uqvr.

    Congratulations to HRS Columbus and all the partners for
    the incredible strides made by the Make Mine Chocolate!
    education campaign. To read more about the campaign,
    please go to: www.columbusrabbit.org/index.htm


    ** Missouri HRS to Host Major Veterinary Conference

    It is official. Missouri House Rabbit Society is hosting a
    one-day veterinary conference about rabbit health on
    April 10, 2005. It will be held at the Humane Society of
    Missouri in St. Louis and will confer 6 CEUs for attending
    veterinarians. Our sponsoring veterinary group is the
    Greater St. Louis Veterinary Medical Association.

    The process in putting this together has been fascinating
    (and lots of work) and we are hoping to greatly increase
    the knowledge about rabbit health for those veterinarians
    attending.

    In addition, the Missouri House Rabbit Society has been
    requested to participate in the Veterinary Medical College
    Open House at the University of Missouri's main campus
    on April 16. We are extremely excited about this
    opportunity. The Greater St. Louis Veterinary Medical
    Assoc. agreed to be our sponsor if our program was
    good enough. We have Dr. Susan Brown doing a
    presentation on GI Physiology & Disease, Dr. Susan
    Kelleher doing two presentations with multiple topics,
    Susan Smith doing a presentation on nutrition, and
    George Flentke doing one on pharmacology. Our aim is
    basic info for the vet who knows little or nothing about
    rabbits. The director of GSLVMA took one look at our
    line up and approved it on the spot! They also
    immediately sent us mailing labels for their members so
    they would all be invited.


    ** House Rabbit Society Handbook - 4th Edition!

    House Rabbit Society is proud to announce that the Fourth
    Edition of the House Rabbit Handbook, the book that
    started the house rabbit movement, will be released on
    April 16.

    The House Rabbit Handbook, first published in 1985,
    quickly became the "bible" for thousands of people who
    lived with house rabbits and inspired countless thousands
    of others to bring their "outside" rabbits indoors.

    The House Rabbit Handbook was the springboard from
    which House Rabbit Society and the international
    community of house rabbit lovers was born. Marinell
    Harriman's observations about rabbit behavior, through
    her own 20 years of fostering, as well as through her work
    with hundreds of other house rabbit observers, have
    culminated in this new edition which contains new insights
    and a deeper understanding of rabbit behavior, as well as
    the best and most current information on rabbit health and
    veterinary matters for the house rabbit caretaker.

    Congratulations Marinell and Drollery Press!  May the
    fourth edition of your invaluable book educate and guide
    all new people who venture into the marvelous magical
    world of rabbits as it has for the thousands who are
    already there.

    Bay Area HRS members: look out for your invitation to
    attend the book signing party on April 16 for the new
    Handbook, and please plan to buy your Handbook at the
    HRS Center at our party.

    Folks living too far away to attend, please be certain to
    purchase your copy of the new House Rabbit Handbook either
    through your local chapter, or by using the amazon.com
    link at www.rabbit.org.  Five percent of the price will be
    given to House Rabbit Society.


    ** Rabbit Advocates in the News - Portland

    (You must enter your ZIP code & birthdate to access
     the article.) http://tinyurl.com/4kvo8


    ** Wonderful United Kingdom Rabbit Website

    http://www.rabbitrehome.org.uk


    ** Wonderful Netherlands Rabbit Website

    http://www.rabbitpal.com


    ** Rabbit: The New White Meat in Michigan

    http://tinyurl.com/5enyo


    ** Humane Slaughter Laws - HSUS Petition

    Rabbits are classified as multi-use animals and they are not
    protected by humane-slaughter laws. The Humane Society
    of the United States currently is running a petition to get
    chickens reclassified and included in humane slaughter
    laws: http://hsus.ga4.org/campaign/petition_for_poultry
    Please sign the petition. State in the subject line and in the
    body of the email that rabbits need to be included in this
    legislation.  Send additional comments to HSUS at:
    http://www.hsus.org/contact_us/farm_animals.html.


    ** Brutal Killing of Rabbits in Oakland CA

    Two weeks ago, a thirteen-year-old boy brutally killed two
    rabbits belonging to an HRS member. This horrific crime is
    tragic on many levels. Please write to the District Attorney
    asking for prosecution of this case in order to ensure
    justice for the two gentle rabbits and for mandatory
    counseling for this troubled boy. For more information:
    http://tinyurl.com/6u2d4


    ** Snuggles Project

    What better way for those of us who like to sew and
    knit than to make blankets for shelter animals! If you
    don't have the time to make the blankets, why not do
    some spring cleaning and donate fabrics and yarn from
    all those unfinished projects to the Snuggles Project:
    http://www.h4ha.org/snuggles


    ** Spring Organic Bunny-Tees!

    Whether or not you need cute, eco-friendly gifts for Easter,
    there's a kid or grownup in your life who would love a
    bunny tee.  Not only are they adorable, not only are they
    100% organic, but 20% of revenue from each goes to a
    rabbit organization in the area you choose.  See the tees at
    www.goodgirlgoods.com/bunny

    Why do rabbits need 20% or your cute tee revenue?
    Around Eastertime, thousands of baby bunnies are purchased
    for kids.  A few months later, rabbit shelters become
    inundated with abandoned buns.  Rescuers devote chunks
    of their time for caring for, educating people about, and
    rescuing abandoned rabbits.  Help the rescuers and the
    bunnies, make yourself or someone else look sharp, and
    support organic textile manufacturing, all in one single act!


    ** Chapter Updates

    * Colorado  www.coloradohrs.com

    The Colorado Federation of Animal Welfare Agencies
    (CFAWA) recently reported on statistics for 2003.  They
    stated, "Statistics reported to CFAWA by 30 shelters
    across the state show...."  After discussing dogs and cats,
    they went on, "The highest adoption percentages were for
    rabbits.  Those 30 shelters accepted a total of 1,525
    rabbits; most (730; 48%) owner surrenders, another 595
    (39%) lost or stray.  Of those rabbits, 126 (8%) were
    returned to their owners (a higher percentage than for
    cats!), 264 (17%) were euthanized, and an astonishing
    879 (57%!) were adopted."

    Co-Manager Nancy LaRoche writes, "During the past two
    weeks, two boxes of four bunnies each were found at the
    side of the road.  In both cases, the rabbits were fighting,
    and one was injured. Several others came in for a variety
    of reasons (one left in an apartment, one to escape being
    eaten, etc.).

    Then a confiscation landed us with 20 more rabbits.  And
    tomorrow, five rabbits are coming from a woman in
    Wyoming who is very ill.  She adores her bunnies, and I
    had promised to take them three weeks ago.

    So in a matter of days, we've acquired around 35 rabbits.
    And we didn't even have room for one new one!  We're up
    to our eyeballs in bunnies!  If there were chandeliers in the
    bunny room, we'd be hanging the bunns from them!"


    * Wisconsin  www.wisconsinhrs.org

    Wisconsin HRS recently held "Discover Your Rabbit
    Day" at the Humane Animal Welfare Society in
    Waukesha.  The event garnered a room jammed with
    interested bunny lovers and their long-eared friends, and
    volunteers scurried to locate extra seating for the capacity
    crowd.  Featured speaker Dr. Jennifer Bloss of the New
    Berlin Animal Hospital spoke about rabbit health and
    tooth problems.  George Flentke and Susan Smith spoke
    about bunny basics and nutrition.  George also led a group
    discussion on bonding, as attendees watched a real-life
    bonding event in progress.

    Visiting bunnies received a "tune-up" with nail-clipping,
    scent-gland cleaning, and nutrition advice.  They also
    received wonderful gifts purchased from the HRS
    merchandise table, including seagrass balls made by Mary
    Beth Inglinski, Lee Meyer's wooden hidey-holes, and
    beautiful hay donated by Mell Paul.  Sheri Meyer's hand-
    painted bunny plates and Susan Smith's earrings were big
    hits for the rabbit caregivers.  Karla Ortman registered
    a record number of new members.  Wisconsin HRS
    fosterer Julie Sherwin organized this fantastic event, which
    raised a record amount in support of the rabbit rescue
    efforts at HAWS.  We thank all the volunteers who
    generously donated materials and time, and the attendees
    with their incredible financial support, for making this our
    most successful Milwaukee event ever.


    *Alabama  www.alabamaears.org

    Alabama EARS spent February promoting "Adopt-a-
    Rescued-Rabbit Month" with three television appearances
    and one educational event.

    On February 5, EARS educated the public about
    domestic rabbit care and behavior at a Pet Supplies "Plus"
    store in Pelham.  Educators placed special emphasis
    on the number of rabbits in shelters looking for a forever
    home.  On February 6, Linda Howard, Co-CM,
    appeared on WTTO in Birmingham to promote Adopt-a-
    Rescued-Rabbit Month.  In the taped interview, she
    covered the basics of the month-long campaign and the
    importance of spay and neuter.  Mary Alexander, educator
    in training, gave a taped interview with WTTO the following
    Sunday and a live television interview on February 20.

    To get a jump on the upcoming Easter/rabbit season,
    Alabama EARS wrote an article for the February/March
    issue of Critter Magazine. Mary Alexander's article,
    "Easter is no fun for a real bun" was published alongside
    photos of some of EARS' foster bunnies. The article
    covered the unfortunate plight of so many impulse-
    purchased Easter bunnies and Alabama EARS'
    partnership with the Columbus HRS chapter's Make
    Mine Chocolate! campaign.


    * Missouri  www.mohrs.petfinder.org

    This month we have begun photography for the 2006
    Rabbit Rescue Calendar. As pleased as we were with last
    year's calendar, next year should be even better with the
    addition of professional photography equipment. An
    interesting side note is that at a chapter meeting and
    discussion among members, it was discovered that our
    calendar had been sent to 6 continents. To complete all 7
    continents, one industrious member began making contacts
    among her friends, leading to the sending of our calendar
    (with permission) to the U.S. Research Station in the
    Antarctic.  The director of the research station was so
    pleased that she sent a photo of herself holding the
    calendar as she stood next to the South Pole!

    Other March events for MO HRS in St. Louis involve
    participation in Critter Conservation Day (multi-species
    educational event) and participation in an event with the
    world-renowned Missouri Botanical Garden besides our
    normal educational programs for school children and
    regular monthly meetings open to all those who love
    house rabbits.  Information on meetings and large events
    can be found on our website at: www.mohrs.petfinder.org


    * Sonoma/Solano  www.northbaybunnies.org

    House Rabbit Society and the Rohnert Park & Petaluma
    Animal Shelters are teaming up to host Bunny Day. On
    Saturday, March 26, adoptable rabbits from North Bay
    shelters and rescues will fill the Burton Community Center
    in Rohnert Park.  The public is invited to meet the bunnies,
    learn about their needs, and enjoy a day devoted to our
    long-eared companions.

    Speakers will include House Rabbit Society founder
    Marinell Harriman and rabbit veterinarian Karlton Pfann.
    People are encouraged to leave their bunny buddies at
    home but bring all their bunny-related questions! The
    event will also feature educational opportunities, ongoing
    demonstrations of nail-clipping techniques, children's
    activities, raffles, and refreshments.  The latest in rabbit
    supplies, toys, and edibles will be for available for sale.


    * Richmond CA Adoption & Education Center
       http://www.rabbit.org/rabbit-center/index.html

    On Sat., Feb. 26, The Richmond Rabbit Center hosted
    its first ever "Clicker Training for Rabbits" workshop.
    Taught by world-renowned dog trainer and bunny clicker
    training pioneer Theresa Lewin, the workshop proved to
    be a huge success.  Not only did participants learn how to
    curb bad bunny behavior at home they also learned about
    bunny tricks and agility and how it helps boost bunny self-
    esteem.  Several shelter bunnies participated in the
    workshop as well!  Big progress was made in just one day
    with a shy, biting bunny named Debbie.  By the end of the
    day, Debbie wasn't biting and she was allowing people
    to reach toward her and touch her!  The Richmond Rabbit
    Center hopes to offer a similar class in the future as well
    as the possibility of clicker bunny classes!

    House Rabbit Society's Bunny Valentine's Day Event took
    place on Sat., Feb. 12. People brought in their bunnies
    for bonding sessions (we like to call them dates!) and to
    feast on the magnificent vegan lunch that was prepared by
    our master vegan chief, Carolyn Mosher.  Ken Mark
    graciously donated his time taking Valentine's Day themed
    bunny portraits.

    The Adoption & Education Center has numerous events in
    the works, including numerous education/outreach mobiles,
    an Easter Extravaganza (3/26), and the "Dare to Care for
    a Hare" Poetry Contest winners announcement event
    (4/24). House Rabbit Society founder Marinell Harriman
    will be signing copies of the fourth edition of her book at
    the House Rabbit Society Handbook Party on April 16.


    * Support Rabbit Rescue, Rehabilitation & Rehoming

    Purchase greeting cards or a tee-shirt today!
    http://www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits



    ** This newsletter is dedicated to Benito and Irving, two
    innocents whose lives were ended, tragically short, by
    violence. Be at peace,will confer 6 CUES little ones.


              * On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. *

** What's New? at House Rabbit Society - Valentine's Edition


      ** Rabbit Meadows Sanctuary Saves Hundreds!

      The Rocky Reach Dam in Wenatchee, Washington, has
      long been a dumping ground for rabbits who are no longer
      wanted. As they breed and their numbers multiply,
      hundreds of domestic rabbits and many guinea pigs are
      left in a situation where they have to fend for themselves.
      Ill equipped to do this, they suffer all manner of painful
      deaths from disease, predators, and cars. The Wenatchee
      Humane Society has taken on the ambitious job of
      trapping and relocating ALL of these rabbits and guinea
      pigs (approx. 300 rabbits and 100 guinea pigs) to the
      Rabbit Meadows Sanctuary (http://tinyurl.com/6jkog)
      where they will be safe and happy, as they all deserve to
      be.

      Rabbit Meadows is a Best Little Rabbit, Rodent & Ferret
      House Sanctuary. This sanctuary also houses foster
      rabbits for Washington House Rabbit Society. Rabbit
      Meadows Sanctuary needs to install additional habitats for
      these new residents. If you would like to contribute to
      this rescue effort, please go to:
      http://www.RabbitRodentFerret.org

      * Rabbits at Dam to be Moved to Sanctuary
      Seattle Post-Intelligencer Staff and News Services

      Wenatchee -- The Wenatchee Valley Humane Society
      and the Chelan County Public Utility District plan to round
      up more than 300 rabbits on the grounds of the Rocky
      Reach Dam and send them packing.

      The domestic bunnies, which were let loose in the wild,
      have been living and breeding on the grassy knolls above
      the dam for more than 20 years.

      Officials plan to move them to Rabbit Meadow, an animal
      sanctuary in Redmond where, officials say, they won't be
      threatened by disease, predators, vehicles and cold.

      Each rabbit must be examined and spayed or neutered
      before it will be accepted at the sanctuary. The Public
      Utility District expects to pay more than $17,500 in
      veterinary bills.



      ** Make Mine Chocolate!

      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
      purchase and relinquishment by educating the public about
      the responsibilities involved in keeping a companion rabbit
      before a purchase is made.

      The Columbus House Rabbit Society launched the "Make
      Mine Chocolate!" campaign in 2002 to support its local
      rescue efforts. Now, its goal is to expand the campaign
      nationally. To accomplish this, it needs individuals and
      organizations to spread the message to their communities.

      If you represent a rabbit rescue, humane society,
      veterinary clinic, or animal welfare organization, or you,
      as an individual, are currently working in rabbit rescue,
      please consider partnering with the Columbus chapter.
      Write to: mmcinfo@...

      To learn more about the "Make Mine Chocolate!"
      campaign, go to: http://www.makeminechocolate.org

      In addition to the ever-popular "Make Mine Chocolate!"
      pins, the Columbus chapter now offers tees, sweatshirts
      and magnets carrying the message: "Make Mine
      Chocolate! Easter's no fun for a REAL bun!" To see
      these new items, please go to:
      http://www.makeminechocolate.org/products.htm



      **  It's Official: Travis is the Oldest Living Rabbit

      House Rabbit Society received a lovely holiday card from
      Marlene Larkin of Kennesaw, GA. Marlene wrote that her
      little boy Travis has been recognized by the Guinness Book
      of World Records as the "oldest living rabbit." Travis is
      13 1/2 years old. Travis has received the official
      certificate.

      Marlene says Travis's favorite things are stretching out in
      front of a warm fire, bunny back rubs, and banana.

      (* Editor's note: It is strongly recommended that everyone
       install a fireplace, practice bunny massage, and keep a
       large supply of bananas on hand.)


      ** Rory and the Duchess

      HRS San Diego was recently lucky to get one of those
      "chance encounters" that can turn into a great education
      opportunity. Through San Diego Animal Support
      Foundation's media coordinator Darlene White, HRS gets
      several opportunities throughout the year to bring bunnies
      to local TV stations. These opportunities allow us to
      promote rabbits for adoption and to educate the public
      about rabbit care.

      While taking a foster bunny to be promoted on the FOX 6
      NEWS "Animal House" segment, HRS volunteer Judith
      Pierce and her foster bunny Rory had the opportunity to
      meet the Duchess of York, Sarah Ferguson. The Duchess
      was at the studio doing an interview regarding a Weight
      Watchers fund-raiser at the San Diego Zoo. As she left
      the studio, she happened to look into the room where
      Judith and Rory were waiting their turn, and decided to
      come over to meet "the sweet bunny."

      While petting Rory, Ms. Ferguson asked many very good
      questions about him, and rabbits in general, including "Why
      are they given up?" and "What are Rory's needs?" Judith
      was able to educate her on the problem of rabbits being
      purchased by people who have no idea how to care for
      them, about the importance of spay/neuter, and about the
      HRS rescue and adoption program in general. Sarah
      Ferguson became quite fond of little Rory in the short time
      she spent with him, and stated "If I lived here, I would
      adopt this little bunny." Too bad she doesn't, but Judith
      let the Duchess know that there are many great rabbit
      rescue organizations in the U.K., and since her children
      are a bit older now (in their early teens), a rabbit might
      be a good pet for her family. The Duchess agreed, and
      added that she might look up the rescue groups when she got.
      home.

      Since the Duchess asked many good questions and
      seemed truly interested in their answers and the plight of
      abandoned domestic rabbits, we hope this opportunity
      will have gained HRS and other rabbit rescue groups a
      new champion for their cause. http://tinyurl.com/3phog



      ** The Fortunate Ones: A Very Special Donation

      Several months ago, renowned rabbit artist Lisa Anne
      Nicolai contacted HRS after reading about the Hayward
      Rescued Rabbits and generously offered to do a portrait
      of them. After months of anticipation, Lisa Anne recently
      sent us the finished piece, "The Fortunate Ones." Lovingly
      drawn are five of the fortunate rabbits who were rescued
      from a living hell in Hayward CA; Albert, Angel, Benton,
      Johanna and Michael. Lisa Anne donated the image so
      that we could use it on items in our cafepress shop:
      http://www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits/474090

      Lisa Anne Nicolai's passion for rabbits, particularly
      rescued rabbits, is clearly seen in her art:
      www.cafepress.com/runningrabbit
      Lisa Anne uses her artistic gifts to help rabbits, donating
      10% of the profits to The Bunny Bunch Rabbit Rescue,
      House Rabbit Society, Petsave/Rabbit911 and Best
      Friends Animal Sanctuary in Utah or, as is the case with
      "The Fortunate Ones", donating the original art to the
      rescue, enabling them to use the piece to raise funds. Lisa
      Anne is currently working on a drawing of Lucky.

      Lisa Anne also does private commission work. Although
      her primary focus is rabbits, she is open to incorporating
      other animals into her work: birds, cats, dogs, and guinea
      pigs. Prices start at $75. The costs will depend on several
      factors, including the number of animals in the piece,
      matting, framing, etc.
      Contact Lisa Anne Nicolai at: runningrabbit@...



      **  Bardot Supports Ban on Hare-Coursing

      Kudos to Brigette Bardot for standing up for the animals
      once again.   http://tinyurl.com/4xw2f



      ** Valentine's Day Post Cards!

      Want to have some fun? Now you can create and send
      picture-perfect rabbit valentines and postcards to your
      friends and family! Just visit the SaveABunny website at:
      http://www.saveabunny.com/postcards. It's easy and free.
      Select a card, add a message, then choose a music style
      from classical to disco to pop. Happy Valentine's Day!



      ** Dare to Care for a Hare -- Poetry Contest Reminder!

      Dare to Care for a Hare poetry contest judged by poet
      C J Sage, editor of And We the Creatures: Fifty-One
      Contemporary American Poets on Animal Rights and
      Appreciation, and author of Let's Not Sleep, and J P
      Dancing Bear, author of Billy Last Crow. Profits raised
      from entrance fees to support House Rabbit Society. For
      additional information, email: padmarajaoui@...

      All poems must relate somehow to rabbits and be 30 lines
      or under. All entries considered for an anthology. All ages
      are welcome to submit, but all poems will be judged
      together; there are not separate age categories. No limit
      on number of entries. First-place winner receives $250
      and publication onto an artistic broadside (small letter
      press poster on nice paper suitable for framing), plus 4
      copies. Second- and third-place winners receive 2 copies
      of the winning broadside. All winners will be published in
      the HRS e-newsletter and on the website. Send poem on
      one sheet; include separate sheet with poem title, poet's
      name, and contact info; poems must not contain poet's
      name. Include SASE. Fee is $5 per poem or 3 poems for
      $12. No phone calls please. Send poems, contact info,
      and check made out to Speed Bump Press by March 1,
      2005 to HRS Poetry Contest, 48 Avon Road, Berkeley
      CA 94707.



      ** Recycle. Good for the Rabbits and the Environment

      House Rabbit Society participates in a fund-raising
      program with Cash for Critters, an organization that
      recycles used laser and ink jet printer cartridges. HRS will
      receive between $1 & $12 for every cartridge
      returned. Tell your friends, family and co-workers to save
      spent cartridges. (All models EXCEPT Epson for ink jet.)
      If you live in the Bay Area, please feel free to drop
      cartridges off at HRS in Richmond. Otherwise, please
      mail them to:

      Cash for Critters
      P.O.Box 42293
      Phoenix AZ 85080

      Be certain in include a note specifying that the donation is
      to be sent to HRS, including the HRS address:
      148 Broadway
      Richmond CA 94804



      ** Chapter Updates


      * New York City  www.rabbitcare.org

      Donna Sheridan and Mary Cotter gave a presentation
      entitled "9 Things You Need to Know Before Adopting a
      Rabbit" in Central Park's Dana Discovery Center. Amy
      Sedaris (honorary NYC HRS educator) and Mary Cotter,
      with the help of RRR/HRS foster bunny Juliette, taped a
      segment for Pet Peeves, a local Cablevision show,
      focused on raising awareness of what rabbit fur "fashion"
      really entails. Jennifer Saver, DVM, Mary Ann Maier, and
      Mary Cotter taped two half-hour episodes on rabbit care
      for Cablevision TV's program "Party Pets."

      Cindy Stutts, along with volunteers Sarah Goodwin,
      Yoshi Bird, Jamie Baldanza, Sandra Miyamoto and
      Morrissey Perfetti, is setting up a rabbit adoption program
      for NYC Animal Care and Control (NYCACC) in
      Manhattan. The team cleans cages, brings hay and toys,
      lets bunnies out for exercise, and helps the facility with
      adoptions. Donna Sheridan is working on setting up a
      similar program at the Brooklyn branch. Dr. Jennifer Saver
      and Dr. Laura George (Lic. Ed.) are donating spay
      surgeries for the NYCACC female bunnies and are
      sharing their rabbit surgery techniques with staff
      veterinarians at the facility. Mary Ann Maier (Lic. Ed.) is
      working to promote bunny adoptions for the Animal
      Lovers League in Glen Cove. Mary Ann Maier and Mary
      Cotter gave a presentation on rabbit care for the staff at
      North Shore Animal League in March, arranged with the
      help of Tamar Romer. Mary Cotter is working with New
      Rochelle Humane Society to help get their bunnies
      adopted.


      * Rhode Island  www.rirabbits.org

      Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue in Rhode Island had a
      successful holiday campaign called "I'm Dreaming of a
      White Bunny". We placed four BWB's (big white bunnies)
      and had testimonials from all over the country from folks
      raving about their beloved BWB's! Thank you to all who
      adopted, supported, and enjoyed our holiday campaign.
      We will likely continue it every year!

      Sweet Binks was awarded full chapter status as an HRS
      chapter. We are very pleased to be a part of HRS and
      will strive to do our very best!
      (Congratulations Sweet Binks!)

      Sweet Binks had a record year with 180 adoptions and
      227 rabbits saved. Although these numbers are amazing,
      they are also alarming. Sweet Binks is launching another
      campaign to open communication between Sweet Binks
      and area pet stores to encourage pet shop owners to
      reconsider the sales of rabbits.

      Sweet Binks Chapter Manager Pamela Hood was on TV
      Jan. 25 on ABC 6 (Providence) to kick off
      February's Adopt-A-Rescued-Rabbit month.


      * St. Louis   http://tinyurl.com/22vn7

      The sale of the 2005 rabbit calendars was extremely
      successful and literally spanned the globe. When St. Louis
      members learned that the 2005 calendar had been sent to
      family and friends in 6 continents, they contacted a friend
      of a friend in the Antarctic, the 7th continent, and shipped
      a calendar off!

      St. Louis isn't wasting any time and already has the 2006
      calendar in the works! If printing costs stay steady, they
      will again be able to offer the calendars at $5.50 each
      (resale at $10), a real bargain and a great way for other
      chapters to raise much-needed funds.  A semi-professional
      photographer has volunteered his services to produce high
      resolution digital photographs for the 2006 edition and,
      once again, the new calendar will feature rescued rabbits
      and rabbit care tips.




      * New Jersey   www.njhrs.com

      The NJ HRS Board recently met and laid out plans for
      2005 and started to detail a very long-term project: a
      reduced-cost rabbit spay/neuter program at the Monmouth
      County SPCA. NJ HRS will have access to the surgical
      suite at the SPCA 2 days per week. Initially, the program
      will be open to shelters and rescue groups, then eventually,
      to the public. Three veterinarians are ready to volunteer
      their services and the shelter will purchase the iso., pain
      medications, and supplies.


      * San Francisco/Peninsula   http://tinyurl.com/5dsu9

      In late January, Chapter Manager Donna Jensen, her dog
      Teddy and two educational rabbits, Sawyer and Chelsea,
      paid a visit to some very special children at Francis Scott
      Key Elementary School in San Francisco. The children
      have muscular dystrophy and the majority are in
      wheelchairs. Donna writes, "With the help of their
      wonderful teacher Miss Emily Nail and several staff
      members, we got the children comfortable on ground mats,
      enabling them to get a better look at the rabbits up close.
      Most of the children cannot speak, but their bright eyes
      and wide smiles expressed more than words ever could.
      Most of these children had never seen a rabbit up close or
      touched one so it was a real treat for them. We will
      be visiting this class on a monthly basis."


      * Alabama    www.alabamaears.org

      EARS volunteers have put Adopt-a-Rescued-Rabbit
      Month at the top of their "hop to it list." Educators-
      in-Training Mary Alexander and Ruth Fledermaus-Stallsmith
      wrote letters to area newspapers, magazines, and TV
      stations asking for help in promoting the upcoming month,
      and to help dispel some of the myths surrounding domestic
      rabbit care and behavior. Immediately, their efforts paid
      off.

      On January 23, EARS Co-CM Linda Howard was
      interviewed by a reporter from the Tuscaloosa News. The
      article, "Rabbits keep group hopping: Program rescues
      these often-abandoned pets," was a short but informative
      article covering the basics and promoting the month. New
      fosterers Tony and Amber Majka were also interviewed
      for the piece.

      In addition, on January 23, WTTO channel 21 in
      Birmingham aired an interview with Linda Howard about
      Adopt-a-Rescued-Rabbit Month. "We couldn't have asked
      for a better day for the foster bunnies to be filmed," Linda
      says. "Brooklyn put on a show: she kept tossing her baby
      keys into the water bowl and jumping onto her bench, and
      she even groomed herself. Other bunnies also 'performed'
      for the camera." The piece aired at the end of the news
      broadcast, but not before two teasers about the story aired.

      Alabama EARS has also scheduled three public
      educational events to help promote adopting abandoned
      rabbits. On January 29, volunteers educated the public
      at one Pet Supplies "Plus" store in Tuscaloosa and one in
      Birmingham. Foster bunnies were present to demonstrate
      a home setup with an x-pen. Plenty of educational
      materials were handed out, and volunteers eagerly
      answered questions about rabbit care and living with a
      house rabbit. EARS is especially excited about these
      events because the owner of the PSP store chain in the
      area recently agreed to stop selling rabbits in all of his
      stores (the credit for this is due to Linda Howard's
      diligence and passion!). Mr. Yates, the chain owner, has
      also opened his store to EARS for another event on
      February 5.


      * Tampa Bay   www.tampabayhrs.org

      In January, the Tampa chapter coordinated a successful
      tabling at the North American Vet. Conference in Orlando,
      for the fifth year in a row! Linda Howard and Paris Grey
      from Alabama EARS, Janice Blasko and Steffanie
      Schrader from Orlando's ORCA, and Educator/Fosterer
      Missy Ott helped make the event a success. Dana Hakes,
      Tampa Bay Chapter Manager, writes, "We had a
      successful three days of educating veterinary personnel and
      reestablishing contacts at one of the largest veterinary
      conferences in the world. I am especially grateful for
      EARS help, as we learn so much from other chapters."
      Dana also writes that she has had a very positive response
      to the chapter's electronic newsletter. She chose Constant
      Contact as a provider to improve distribution and save on
      postage versus traditional paper newsletters. The first
      newsletter was distributed in January and the next issue
      will be sent out before Easter.


      * San Diego   http://tinyurl.com/2sdd9

      Recently, San Diego HRS volunteers lent a helping hand to
      the North County Humane Society & S.P.C.A. in
      Oceanside to move all their rabbits into a wonderful new
      "Bunny Cottage"! Rabbits, formerly housed under a lean-to
      structure, are now safely out of the rain and in a
      wonderful and cozy new cottage - built just for them! To
      see the "before" and "after" pictures, go to:
      http://tinyurl.com/6hmqe



      * MD/DC/NoVA Chapter  www.rabbitsinthehouse.org

      The MD/DC/NoVA chapter participated in the 4th annual
      World of Pets Expo Jan. 29-30 (www.worldofpets.org).
      The event was a great way to get the word out about
      house rabbits and raise some funds too.

      Even with wintry weather, attendance was impressive and
      we educated many people on topics like the importance of
      spaying and neutering. We are noticing a trend at these
      events that fewer and fewer of the rabbit people we talk to
      house their rabbits outdoors and more and more people
      house their rabbit indoors. And those people are eager for
      more information on rabbit care and behavior.

      The MD/DC/NoVA chapter is holding its eighth annual
      Easter candy sale! We sell high-quality Log Cabin
      chocolates every year to raise money for the rabbits. HRS
      receives 42% of the total amount of money collected.
      Volunteer Amber Elburn coordinates the entire sale. Since
      1997, this candy sales has brought in more than
      $10,000 -- an impressive sum, particularly so because the
      candy is sold by a relatively small group of volunteers.
      They sell candy to their co-workers and friends, including
      educational information about why Easter bunnies should
      be chocolate and not real.


      * Michigan   www.michiganhrs.org

      Kirk Lowis, co-chapter manager, just completed a
      pre-Easter interview with Kalamazoo Today magazine
      which will be published soon.

      In honor of Adopt-a-Rescued-Rabbit Month, the Michigan
      Chapter is planning a day-long adoption event on Feb.26
      in Portage.

      On March 10, Michigan HRS will conduct a Rabbit Care
      & Training Workshop at the Kalamazoo Humane Society
      covering topics such as litterbox training, diet &
      nutrition, safe grooming and handling and much more.
      This event has the honor of being the best-attended
      workshop/lecture event at the Kalamazoo Humane Society for
      several years running.


      * Richmond CA Rabbit Center  http://tinyurl.com/2vfxh

      February will be a busy month for the National
      Headquarters Rabbit Center. On Feb. 5 & 6, HRS will be
      tabling at PETA's popular seminar, Helping Animals 101.
      http://www.helpinganimals101.com

      On Feb 12, we will be hosting another Valentine's Day
      celebration. The focus of the event will be rabbit match-
      making sessions. (Many bunnies were adopted last year!)
      HRS photographer Ken Mark will be doing private photo
      sessions using a heart-motif background. A marvelous
      vegan luncheon will be served as we gather to celebrate
      our love for the bunnies. That same weekend, several
      Valentine's Day Kissing Booths will be will be set up in
      various East Bay locations. The tables will don banners
      reading "Kisses $1". Chocolate kisses will be given for a
      modest donation. HRS literature will be distributed and
      there will be many opportunities for the public to meet
      some of our educational bunnies.

      On Feb. 26, the Rabbit Center will host a one-day Clicker
      Training seminar. Clicker Training can help improve litter
      box habits, facilitate bonding, ease medical care, reduce
      aggression and generally improve communication with
      rabbits.


      *  Not a Member Yet?

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


      *  For Members Only

      If you are a member of House Rabbit Society, we
      thank you and ask that you check your membership
      expiration date on your latest Journal. If your
      membership has expired, please consider renewing
      soon!   http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


      ** In Memorandum

      For the unnamed little girl who was dumped in a
      shelter drop box, whose life was nothing but misery
      and neglect, whose life had to be taken the first day
      you were finally safe: for you we will continue working
      to make this a better place for all rabbits.



                  On behalf of the rabbits, thank you.

Friends of House Rabbit Society,

   We have a few corrections to the recently-mentioned Dare to
   Care for a Hare poetry contest. Sorry for any confusion!

   Please note that the first-place winner receives the $250
   top prize for personal use (of course they can donate to
   HRS if they like, but this is not requred!) and 4 copies
   of their poem printed as an artistic letter-press broadside
   (like a small poster on nice paper) suitable for framing.
   The second and third place winners also receive broadside
   copies of the first-place winning poem. (Only the first-
   place poem will be made into a broadside.) The top three
   winners will decide to which HRS chapters they would
   like the entrance fee profits to go. One quarter of the
   profits will go to HRS Headquarters in Richmond, and the
   rest will be decided by the top 3 winners.

   Here is the corrected contest submission announcement.
   Thank you for your participation.

   Dare to Care for a Hare poetry contest judged by poet
   C J Sage, editor of And We the Creatures: Fifty-One
   Contemporary American Poets on Animal Rights and Appreciation,
   and author of Let's Not Sleep, and J P Dancing Bear,
   author of Billy Last Crow. Profits raised from entrance
   fees to support House Rabbit Society. For additional
   information, email padmarajaoui@....

   All poems must relate somehow to rabbits and be 30 lines
   or under. All entries considered for an anthology. All
   ages are welcome to submit, but all poems will be judged
   together; there are not separate age categories. No
   limit on number of entries. First place winner receives
   $250 and publication onto an artistic broadside (small
   letter press poster on nice paper suitable for framing),
   plus 4 copies. Second and third place winners receive
   2 copies of the winning broadside. All winners will be
   published in the HRS e-newsletter and at the website.
   Send poem on one sheet; include separate sheet with poem
   title, poet's name, and contact info; poems must not
   contain  poet's name. Include SASE. Fee is $5
   per poem or 3 poems for $12. No phone calls please.
   Send poems, contact info, and check made out to Speed
   Bump Press by March 1, 2005 to HRS Poetry Contest,
   48 Avon Road, Berkeley CA 94707.

** What's New? at House Rabbit Society - New Year's 2005



   ** They Think No One Cares About Rabbits --
        Tell them Otherwise


   Clothing designers this season think they can get away with
   selling rabbit fur--assuming that rabbits are not as
   important as other furbearing animals and that no one will
   make a fuss.

   Juicy Couture, a company that is selling rabbit fur
   handbags, sums up its anti-animal position with a slogan
   on its website: "Juicy Couture...couture means never having
   to say you're sorry." Well sorry, but we're not buying it--
   rabbits want to live and be free of suffering. Contact Juicy
   Couture at both email addresses and ask the company to
   apologize for selling handbags made from rabbit fur. Not
   surprisingly, Juicy Couture's products are sold at Neiman
   Marcus, so be sure to send a copy of your email to
   Neiman Marcus, too.

   Juicy Couture:
   contactLA@...
   contactLondon@...
   Neiman Marcus:
   ecare@...

   Click here to learn more about how to encourage
   Neiman Marcus to stop selling fur and fur trim:
   http://www.neimancarcass.com

   (The above article was reprinted with kind permission
    from a Fund for Animals Action Alert.)



   ** Score Another Win Against Rabbit Fur!

   Congratulations to PETA for persuading Forever 21, a
   national fashion chain, to remove all rabbit fur products
   from their stores! Read more about this milestone at:
   http://www.peta2.com/tc/t-forever21.html



   ** Heroic Rabbit Saves Man's Life

   This wonderful story was carried by the BBC.
   http://tinyurl.com/5k996



   ** Pigeon Adopts Seven Baby Bunnies

   May this generous bird be an inspiration to us all.
   http://tinyurl.com/5gkua



   ** Bunnyproofing Tips and Tricks

   One of the most important things you absolutely must do to
   ensure your rabbit's safety is to "bunnyproof" your house.
   This San Diego House Rabbit Society article offers
   innovative solutions to problem areas in your home.
   (Please be certain to check out the last picture on the
   page. It's priceless!)  http://tinyurl.com/4d5ah



   ** Dare to Care for a Hare Poetry Contest

   You are cordially invited to enter a poem(s) into the
   Dare to Care for a Hare poetry contest. All entries must be
   about rabbits, or related to them in some fashion.
   Maximum length is 30 lines. Children are encouraged to
   enter the contest but all entries will be judged together, not
   by age groups. All contest entries will be considered for a
   poem anthology. The contest will be judged by poets
   C J Sage and J P Dancing Bear. Deadline for entries is
   Feb. 28, 2005.

   The First Place Winner will receive $250 for the HRS
   chapter of their choice and an artistic lithograph of their
   poem plus 4 copies;. Second and Third Place winners will
   receive two lithograph copies of their poems. Winning poems
   will be published in a Spring edition of the HRS online
   newsletter, as well as on one of the HRS websites.

   Please send poem titles, your name and contact info on a
   separate sheet; poem must not contain poet's name.
   Include SASE. The fee is $5 per poem or three poem
   entries for $12. Send poems, contact information and a
   check made out to: Speed Bump Press. Mail to:
   Poetry Contest 48 Avon Road Berkeley CA 94707
   For additional info: Contact padmarajaoui@...



   ** Your Rabbit Needs More Room?  Think Vertical!

   Is your apartment so small, your bunny has to hang out
   under your bed? Or, do you have so much furniture, your
   bunny has no place to call her own? If  you cage your
   bunny when you go to work or school, do you worry
   about him not getting exercise? Leith Petwerks, Inc. has a
   solution for you -- the Bunny Abode Condo.

   Leith Petwerks, a small company founded in 1997, is
   dedicated to manufacturing comfortable, functional and
   stylish rabbit condos in a range of sizes and levels to
   accommodate your bunny's needs. Bunnies need a space
   they can call their own. Leith Petwerks might just have
   the solution for your bunny and you.
   Please visit them at: http://tinyurl.com/7ymvk



   ** Hoppy Holidays Everybunny

   This delightful poem was written Mr Fritz, yet another
   talented and ever-so handsome New Zealand White.
   While we acknowledge that publishing a Christmas poem
   now might seem a bit late, we believe that it is never too
   late to share the extraordinary imagination of our beloved
   lagomorphs. Thank you Mr Fritz, for giving HRS reprint
   permission.  http://tinyurl.com/6lflz



   ** Three Petitions Need Your Support

   These three petitions still require more signatures. If you
   haven't signed them yet, please take a moment to do so
   now, then pass them on to all compassionate people you
   know. Thank you.

   http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/940099071
   http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/721866960
   http://www.petitiononline.com/bunaide4/petition.html



   ** HRS Chapter Updates

   * SF/Peninsula  (http://tinyurl.com/5r7w3)

   On Dec. 6, the SF/Peninsula Chapter was invited by
   Marguerite Judson, the Producer and Director of Tony
   LaRussa's organization, Animal Rescue Foundation
   (www.arf.net) to tape a 12 min. show at a Bay Area cable
   station. The program will air in Mountain View, Cupertino
   and Los Altos in January. ARF's CEO Brenda Barnet
   conducted the interview, asking excellent questions about
   rabbit care and behavior. Charlotte, our education rabbit,
   did a fantastic job and was a super ambassador as usual!
   They discussed rabbits as indoor pets, the importance of
   spaying and neutering, and proper diets. They also
   covered the issues of adopting at rescues and shelters and
   the abnormally high number of surrendered rabbits this
   year.

   Chapter Manager Donna Jensen writes, "I have been a
   volunteer at The Peninsula Humane Society for 14 years.
   Volunteers come every single day to care for and socialize
   the rabbits. This has been made possible by our chapter's
   ongoing partnership with the shelter. Volunteers also bring
   greens and carrots with them and are responsible for
   turning some not so social rabbits into real love bugs. We
   could not accomplish all that we do without the devotion
   of these volunteers."


   * Alabama EARS  (www.alabamaears.org)

   In late November, the Greater Birmingham Humane
   Society Shelter opened its doors to a brand new facility.
   EARS has worked extensively with the shelter over the last
   few years, and was asked to help prepare and furnish a
   bunny room at the new location. Thrilled with the progress
   EARS has made in the Birmingham area, Linda Howard,
   EARS' Co-CM, happily obliged and was accompanied by
   volunteer Connie Cowan to set up the room. The two
   brought bunny toys and helped arrange a bunny exercise
   area while educating shelter personnel about domestic
   rabbit care. In addition, Linda brought packets on bunny
   care to be given to potential bunny parents.

   On the opening day of the shelter Linda and Connie
   returned to show EARS' support to the new facility. "We
   were surprised," Linda says, "When we saw the evening
   news. Much of the footage showed us playing with the
   bunnies, bunnies munching on hay and climbing on toys!"

   On December 11th, volunteer Kathy Troup hosted EARS'
   annual Holiday BYOB (Bring Your Own Bunny Party).
   The party is always a mix of socializing, educating and fund
   raising. Volunteer Donna Yester, manager of EARS'
   Bunny Supply Store, took sales orders for litter, food
   pellets and toys from EARS' members. Members
   interested in Bunny Boutique items picked up toys and
   bunny-friendly toys amounting in $700 in donations.Santa
   made an appearance (looking suspiciously like member
   Bruce Stallsmith) for those bunny parents looking for
   holiday photographs.

   This year, EARS once again participated a gift-wrapping
   fund raiser. EARS' volunteers wrapped gifts for weary
   shoppers at a Barnes and Nobel in Birmingham, AL.
   Donations totaled close to $1330.

   Upcoming: Alabama EARS is proud to announce another
   victory in the battle to change attitudes about rabbits as
   industry commodities in Alabama. The Shelby County
   Humane Society is trying to introduce legislation that sets
   standards on humane and acceptable housing for all
   companion animals in Alabama. EARS has asked that
   rabbits be specifically listed as companion animals and the
   SCHS has said, "Yes!"


   * Indiana HRS  (www.indianahrs.org)

   In the second week of January, 2005, Indiana HRS is
   launching a partnership with PETCO, placing adoptable
   rabbits at the Carmel location. PETCO will cease the
   sales of rabbits at the Carmel location (48 last year). We
   are encouraged with the prospect of reducing shelter
   surrenders, 74% of which originated from the metropolitan
   area where individuals could have purchased their rabbits
   from one of the two Northside PETCO stores.

   In time for February "Adopt-A-Rabbit Month", we are
   placing binders identifying adoptable HRS rabbits and
   shelter rabbits in all metro-Indianapolis PETCO stores
   (4 locations) as well as any other pet store that is willing
   to display the information. The binders will be maintained
   by volunteers, updated monthly.


   * San Francisco/Marin (www.saveabunny.com)

   SaveABunny, House Rabbit Society's SF/ Marin Chapter
   has been extremely busy with many shelter overcrowding
   situations lately, most recently, a rescue in Monterey CA.
   Twenty-six rabbits were confiscated in a rabbit-meat
   cruelty case. Working closely with the Monterey SPCA,
   RabbitsNmore and Rabbit Haven, SaveABunny is
   struggling to find safe homes for these loving, gentle
   rabbits. To find out how you can help, please go to:
   http://www.saveabunny.com/newsflash2.php?nmid=89



   ** Support Rabbit Rescue While You Shop!

   100% of every item you purchase supports our ongoing
   rabbit rescue, rehabilitation and adoption work. Check
   out our newest items at:
   http://www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits/419757



   ** Join House Rabbit Society Today!

   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.
   http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html



   ** On behalf of all the rescued rabbits, we wish you a safe
   and peaceful New Year, a year filled with bunches of fresh
   produce and reasons to hope.

   Ike--you were loved and cherished and will be missed.

** What's New? at House Rabbit Society ~ Nov. 2004


   ** I'm Dreaming of a White Bunny

   From November 25th through January 5th, Sweet Binks
   Rabbit Rescue http://www.rirabbits.org is conducting a
   holiday event called "I'm Dreaming of a White Bunny."

   For those of us that are true bun lovers, we usually do not
   discriminate rabbits by the color of their coats or the color
   of their eyes. We see the "inner bunny" and the rabbits for
   who they are as individuals. But why are ruby-eyed, white
   bunnies not cherished and appreciated by everyone who
   loves rabbits? Why are white, ruby-eyed buns so hard to
   place many times?

   Those answers vary from what I have learned. After
   questioning many folks this question, several responses
   were given. One thought was that the red eyes seem to
   represent a devilish appearance or something evil. That
   thought is somewhat ridiculous but many people say they
   are "freaked out" by red eyes.

   Other thoughts range from a boring appearance,
   representative of  laboratory rabbits or just flat out dislike.

   Is it because albinism is somewhat rare and when it is seen,
   it is shunned as something abnormal? That doesn't make
   sense though as other albino animals are cherished, such
   as tigers, buffalo, snakes and wolves.

   For those folks that love our ruby-eyed friends, I have
   heard descriptions of their eyes being the most soulful, with
   eye colors ranging from lavender to pink with bluish tints.
   Some have described loving the white, ruby-eyed buns as they
   represent their childhood past - whether their first bunny
   was a ruby-eyed, white bun or they associate them with the book
   Alice in Wonderland.

   Sweet Binks currently has 13 ruby-eyed, white rabbits for
   adoption. Most of them have been here over 6 months and
   we have yet to have a single adoption inquiry for any of
   them. We push so hard for these buns but people just
   naturally fall for other more colorful rabbits. Some of our
   ruby-eyed friends here have the most incredible
   personalities and we know that if given a chance, folks
   would fall madly in love with them.

   Therefore, this holiday season, we are going to try to open
   some minds to consider adopting a BWB (big white
   bunny). If you are considering adopting a bunny soon, we
   hope you will consider a ruby-eyed, white friend first!

   To read more about our holiday event, check out our web
   site: www.sweetbinks.org

   Be certain to visit our cafepress store to see all of our new
   designs including, our wonderful holiday-themed white
   rabbit goodies: http://www.cafepress.com/sweetbinks



   ** Holiday Safety Tips

   Reprinted from Leith Petwerks FunBun newsletter:
   http://www.leithpetwerks.com/bunfun

   The holidays can be full of hustle and bustle. Make sure
   your home is safe for your rabbit by remembering these
   simple tips:

   - Natural, untreated Christmas trees (various evergreen
   varieties) are usually not dangerous to rabbits. Be sure to
   check for treatments including colorants, flocking,
   pesticides or fire retardant. Often you can be most
   assured of this information when purchasing a tree from a
   "tree farm." The people there will likely be very familiar
   with their product.

   - Eating the needles and wood will leave them with pine-
   fresh breath, but doesn't pose a serious danger. This is also
   true for poinsettias; while ingesting a fair amount of this
   plant may cause mild stomach upset (which is true for
   just about any item not in any animal's normal diet), there
   is no serious danger. (See the ASPCA for confirmation of
   this information: http://tinyurl.com/724zn.)

   - Consider natural decorations for your tree, and/or make
   decorations from non-toxic items found around the house
   and in craft stores. With animals in the home, it's the
   perfect time to make construction paper garland, string
   popcorn and cranberries into garland and using pinecones
   for decorations.

   - Christmas lights can pose a serious danger if your rabbit
   has access to chew on the wires. If wires are exposed,
   cover them in split-flex.

   - Don't use tinsel, the thin strips of colored silver, gold or
   other colors. These small strands are really attractive to
   pets of all types for some reason, and can cause serious
   problems if ingested. Likewise, avoid leaving strips of
   string or ribbon around; while many items can be chewed
   and ingested, the ingestion of a long string of matter can
   pose serious problems in the intestines that requires
   surgery. Some sources recommend leaving ribbons off of
   packages completely if pets could have access to them.

   - To improve safety, you can place a smaller tree on a
   table or other piece of furniture such as a sideboard or
   chest. The last time we had a tree in our home, we bought
   a small 4 ft variety and placed it in the center of our dining
   room table, laying the presents on the table. [We've since
   given up -- with four dogs and two rabbits, having a tree is
   just asking for a huge mess.]

   Another option that will provide the highest level of safety
   while freeing you to decorate with all the lights and glass
   you wish is to restrict your rabbit's access to the tree. You
   can set up an x-pen around the tree to keep bunny out, or
   place the tree in a room that your bunny doesn't have
   access to. This is sometimes tough, for of course you want
   the tree in a high traffic area... and you want bunny there
   too! But, it's an option.

   - While we all like a fat and jolly Santa, we don't want fat
   bunnies! To that end, don't deviate from your rabbit's
   healthy, balanced diet by sharing holiday treats with them.
   Some, such as chocolate, can cause serious dangers, and
   a spike in sugar intake can cause stomach upset and
   general GI tract troubles. Even natural treats such as
   raisins and dried cranberries can be overdone; play it safe
   and treat in moderation!


   ** Bunny Buddies

   Karen Johanson - HRS Rabbit Center Health Care Coordinator

   The Richmond Rabbit Center has launched an exciting new
   program called "Bunny Buddies." Bunny Buddies are
   regular volunteers who sponsor one particular rabbit with
   whom they feel a connection or who needs some extra
   attention. Buddies spend some extra time each week with
   their bunny, giving them love, grooming and playing with
   them, and assisting the shelter staff with monitoring their
   health. In this manner, volunteers can concentrate their
   time with one special bunny and establish a bond between
   them rather than everyone trying to give five minutes of
   love to 40 rabbits. The bunnies benefit because they gain
   a human whom they can trust and love; the volunteers get
   to spend time doing what they love best: playing with the
   rabbits; and the shelter staff has help with the day to day
   monitoring of health and grooming.

   Bunny Buddies has been a huge success in its first month
   of existence. Over twenty volunteers have chosen one or
   more buddies, and almost 3/4 of our rabbits now have a
   special friend! In particular, the children of volunteers are
   thrilled to have a rabbit who is their special pal, and they
   have started a new trend of reading to their buddies while
   their parents clean pens! The rabbits, in turn, enjoy the
   gentle attention given them by the soothing sound of a
   voice reading a book. Indeed, some of our shyest rabbits
   are already showing signs of increased trust and
   confidence!

   Helen was a very shy rabbit who ran from even the
   slightest touch. Terrified when approached, Helen hid in
   her box and avoided contact as though her very life
   depended on it. A month ago, one of our most dedicated
   volunteers agreed to work with Helen as her Bunny
   Buddy, and the results have been astonishing. Helen is
   still very cautious, but she will not hide when you
   approach her pen, will sit still for petting, and understands
   that she is safe in our company. Helen still has a long way
   to go, but with her Buddy's help, she is learning to trust
   and enjoy human companionship.

   The ultimate goal of the program was to make the bunnies
   happier and get them adopted more quickly, but it is
   showing perhaps an even greater success with the
   volunteers, who are finding extra time and loving every
   minute of it!



   ** Hayward Rescued Rabbits & Lucky Updates

   Both of these California rabbit cruelty cases are still on a
   legal track. All parties have entered "Not guilty" pleas and
   are scheduled for pre-trial in December. For more
   information about both of these cases, please go to:
   www.haywardrabbits.org
   www.luckyrabbit.org

   Following is a list of the fine people, organizations and
   companies who donated energy and supplies to help the
   Hayward Rabbits Rescue Post Card Drive and petition
   signing. We could never have accomplished such outreach
   without your invaluable help. Enormous thanks to each
   and every one of you.

   Susan & Tom Harrow- Rabbits N More
   www.rabbitsnmore.com

   Haviva- Rabbit Rescue Inc. in Ontario, Canada
   www.rabbitrescue.ca

   Jennifer Johannsen- Bunny Bytes
   www.bunnybytes.com

   Alex Logsdon - Zooh Corner Rabbit Rescue
   http://www.mybunny.org

   Lisa & Paul Matheson - The Busy Bunny
   www.busybunny.com

   Theresa Mazzei- S.E. PA/DE HRS
   http://houserabbit.usersource.com/

   Amy Spintman - Cats & Rabbits & More
   http://www.catsandrabbitsandmore.com/products



   ** Lavender Bunnies Help House Rabbit Society!

   Sweet smelling Lavender Bunnies have found a way to
   help House Rabbit Society.

   Cris De Cuyper, HRS member and owner of Lavender Fanatic
   (www.lavenderfanatic.com) has designed Lavender
   Bunnies (http://tinyurl.com/6u7rg) to sooth and delight you
   after a hard day of litter box scrubbing. Cris has generously
   offered to contribute 30% of the sales of these hand-sewn
   bunnies to HRS. Be certain to check out the other lovely
   lavender items available at: www.lavenderfanatic.com.

   Thank you Cris!



   ** Business Too Good at Refuge

   The Arizona Republic - Nov. 4, 2004
   Cary Aspinwall

   Business  booming for Regina Whitman, unfortunately.

   Whitman's business is caring for injured and abandoned
   animals, displaced by encroaching development and
   damaged by predators in the Queen Creek area.

   She rescues jackrabbits and cottontails, birds, tortoises
   and other animals, which live at her Desert Cry wildlife
   refuge until they can be released back to nature. Many end
   up living permanently at the refuge because they won't be
   able to survive in the wild. But the hares and rabbits are
   her calling. And a room in her home has become the
   temporary, rabbit-chewed refuge for the animals she saves
   since a pack of dogs recently destroyed one of her
   outdoor caged areas, killing two of her antelope
   jackrabbits.

   Another jackrabbit, Chew Chew, survived the attack and
   will live permanently at the refuge because it won't know
   how to survive on its own.

   Whitman studies her rabbits and hares while rehabilitating
   them, writing and publishing papers on caring for them.

   Her eyes well with tears and her voice shakes as she
   describes how they can become attached to one another,
   even life mates. In one corner of the room, she has a
   domestic rabbit and a guinea pig she rescued that are like
   an old married couple.

   "They can be very devoted mates and parents," she said.
   "That's a very big part of my work. It's not just raising and
   releasing them, but studying them."

   Chew Chew bats away her arms as she tries to pick up
   one of the younger cottontails, trying to protect it.

   "This is what people don't know about these animals, how
   social and protective they can be," she said.

   A former veterinary technician and Bronx Zoo volunteer,
   Whitman bought her acreage south of the Hunt Highway
   about 11 years ago to open her own refuge. She left 2
   acres of her 3.5-acre property untouched so as not to
   disturb the wildlife.

   But so much of the area around her is being disturbed by
   the shopping centers and neighborhoods breaking ground
   daily.

   She's worried about what will become of the native
   animals, and how she will be able to afford to care for
   the displaced ones.

   "These animals are losing their habitat hour by hour and
   day by day," she said. "They need square miles to survive
   and forage and eat."

   Not only does she need funding for the feeding and care
   of the animals she rescues. She said she needs donations
   of items such as bleach, trash bags, postage stamps, rabbit
   pellets, hay and pine shavings.

   She's also looking for anyone with construction experience
   and tools to volunteer to help her repair the outdoor caged
   area for the rabbits and hares.

   "It's what you do for the animals that counts," Whitman
   said.

   Donations to this marvelous sanctuary are needed and very
   much appreciated by all who safely  recover and reside at
   Desert Cry in Arizona: http://tinyurl.com/4e5o7

   Contact: desertcry@... or  480-987-3544



   ** Another Store Selling Rabbit Fur

   (Extracted from a Fund for Animals Action Alert)

   Juicy Couture, one of today's leading "hip" everyday
   fashion lines, has started selling rabbit fur handbags! Please
   contact them at: contactLA@... and at
   contactLondon@... to politely, yet firmly,
   let them know how thoroughly disappointed you are with
   their decision. Please point out some of the cruelties behind
   fur (see notes below), as well as some of the
   environmental hazards. Urge them to immediately pull
   these handbags from their line and let them know that until
   they do, you won't be a customer.

   Additionally, it would be good to inform Juicy that other
   international fashion houses like INDITEX (which owns
   ZARA) has recently made the compassionate decision to
   immediately remove fur from most of their stores and will
   be removing all fur from all stores as of January 2005.


* About Rabbit Fur

   On rabbit production farms, rex rabbits, the breed
   preferred by the fur fashion industry, are crammed into tiny
   cages and movement is restricted to increase their size.
   They are not able to run or hop. These stressful conditions
   can lead to disease and other health problems such as sore
   hocks and even cannibalism.

   The breeding females are on an endless cycle of
   reproduction, often giving birth to over 100 young during
   their unnaturally short 2 to 3 year life span. The rabbits not
   kept for breeding are killed at around 6-7 months of age,
   by methods that are totally unregulated by the government
   such as neck-breaking, bludgeoning, and throat-slitting.

   Furthermore, according to a recent report from the United
   Nations' Food and Agriculture Organization, rex rabbits
   are farmed primarily for their fur, with little value placed on
   their meat. Therefore, claims from companies that rex
   rabbit fur is simply a "by-product" of the meat industry
   are false.

   The fur industry's claims that fur garments are natural
   products that biodegrade quicker than synthetic fibers are
   false. While purely raw fur pelts may be biodegradable, the
   dressed pelts that are used by the fashion industry are not.
   Before they can be made into garments worn by the
   general public, pelts must be processed with caustic and
   toxic chemicals, such as formaldehyde and chromium,
   which are extremely hazardous to public health and the
   environment. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)
   actually sued 6 fur manufacturing firms in the US $2.2
   million for illegally generating, storing, transporting, and
   disposing of hazardous materials used to process fur pelts.



   ** Animal Under Attack:
   Rabbit with arrows through both ears is recovering

   The following Victoria, British Columbia, newspaper article
   is about a rabbit who was shot with an arrow (the rabbit is
   now recovering). Hopefully, the incident is an isolated one.
   We are including this article because of the impressive
   amount of coverage this story received in this West
   Canada newspaper: http://tinyurl.com/6oa86



   ** HRS Featured Chapter Item of the Month

   San Diego HRS sells a beautiful Sterling Silver Prayer Box
   necklace (http://tinyurl.com/56bwx).  The little box has a
   heart and bunny motif. Inside, you can secret away a
   special treasure (a whisker? a special little note?) and carry
   it near your heart everyday. This lovely necklace would
   make a perfect holiday gift for yourself or for a special
   bunny lover in your life. All proceeds from the sales of
   these silver necklaces go to the fantastic rescue, fostering
   and adoption programs run by San Diego HRS; 15 years
   now and still going strong! And, during the month of
   December (ends Dec. 31, 2004) they are running a
   special; $25 each or 2 for $45.



   ** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates


   * Rhode Island   (http://www.rirabbits.org)

   Sweet Binks recently installed a new sink, hot water tank
   and drainage system in our shelter. Due to stricter shelter
   regulations in the state of Rhode Island, Sweet Binks
   members and friends all pitched in at our recent fundraiser
   to make this possible. A very special thank you to all our
   friends around New England and the companies that
   donated their goods and services as well. Both rabbits
   present and future will all benefit by your hard work and
   generosity!


   * San Diego Update  (http://tinyurl.com/4nbgw)

   The San Diego Chapter is getting ready for their annual
   Holiday Party Dec 8th at the War Memorial building in
   Balboa Park. The event will have holiday fun, food and
   friends. They will have a vegetarian potluck, a fundraising
   raffle and gift items for people and their rabbits. Attendees
   will also be able to decorate a stocking for their rabbit and
   purchase lots of holiday goodies to fill it! To learn more
   about this event, see this web page:
   http://tinyurl.com/4c5u3


   * Colorado   (http://www.coloradohrs.com)

   The Colorado House Rabbit Society held its annual Bunny
   Boutique on November 21st. We had a good, but not
   great, turnout. At this time, we don't know what income
   was generated, but at least three people are interested in
   adoption, and many discussions were held with people
   about the care of their rabbits.

   A silent auction was incorporated into this event, one of
   the items being an incredible neck scarf made exclusively
   from the wool combed from our own shelter angoras (we
   keep them clipped fairly short, so this scarf is proof that
   angora wool can be used to spin without putting the
   rabbit through the discomforts associated with allowing
   the coat to grow to full length). Debby Schmidt was the
   person who collected the wool while grooming the rabbits.
   Nanette Blanchard spun it into yarn, and Kay Fritsche
   knitted the scarf. It brought in $110, by the way--a real
   bargain to the purchaser!

   We are very excited about the work that is under way to
   build safe, outdoor runs, and attach our shelter to the city
   sewer system. At the moment, there is little but torn-up
   ground to see, but the schedule calls for completion
   sometime in December. When complete, the rabbits from
   eight crates or runs can have outdoor exercise time at the
   same time. We have 64 crates and 6 runs, so we expect
   the rabbits to get lots of exercise every week, weather
   permitting.

   We now have the ability to contact all of our members
   who have email with a single command. The ability was
   created in order to tell our membership where to find our
   latest e-newsletter. This has proven extremely useful for
   other purposes, too, such as alerting our members of
   anything they should know right away.

   This capability was most recently used when the state of
   Colorado confiscated 187 mostly angora rabbits in
   October. We sent email to our membership and they
   passed it on to people who had interest in these rabbits.
   We understand that there are now no more than 30
   angoras remaining who need homes. Although the state
   has no requirements for these rabbits to be housed in a
   home, many of the people who have responded to our
   appeal intend them to be house-rabbits.

   In an effort to get the remaining angoras placed, one of
   our members, Sandy Roberts, has worked with a spinning
   and weaving shop in Hot Sulfur Springs (one of our
   mountain communities) to have a demonstration of using
   angora wool in spinning. Nancy LaRoche, co-manager of
   the chapter, will be there to discuss rabbit care (emphasis
   on living in the house) and explain that angoras should be
   kept clipped relatively short. Of course, that wonderful
   angora scarf will be there to demonstrate the realities of
   being able to spin the wool while keeping it clipped. Sandy
   and Nancy are trying to work out a plan whereby the
   remaining angoras will belong to the chapter, without our
   having to house them. We can then require that homes for
   them meet our requirements.


   * San Francisco/Marin  (www.saveabunny.com)

   A sweet SaveaBunny foster rabbit played the role of
   ambassador for white bunnies everywhere when he
   recently took part in a fashion photo-shoot for Klipingers
   Personal Finance: http://tinyurl.com/3oecy

   The SF/Marin Chapter is gearing up for their annual Open
   House Holiday Party, featuring fine foods, silent auction
   and gift sale, and bunny-love in abundance. The party will
   be held on Dec.12.


   * Richmond Rabbit Center   (http://tinyurl.com/5egtm)

   Our Nov. 28th Holiday Party was a wonderful success!
   Tons of bunnies were lucky enough to have their holiday
   picture's taken by our fabulous photographer, Ken Mark.
   Thanks to Carolyn Mosher for providing refreshments and
   items for yet another successful auction! Sales at The Hop
   Shop boomed thanks to Phyllis Tenney. Thank you to all
   the volunteers who helped with our 4th Annual fundraiser.
   Special mention goes to Aimee, Alex, Andrea, Carol,
   Gayle, Janice, Karen J., Mitsuko, Sara and Yuri for all
   their hard work.


   ** Holiday Shopping for You and Your Bunnies!

   Looking for great bunny-themed holiday gift ideas? Visit
   these bunny-friendly web-sites that help support their local
   rabbit rescue organizations:

1) www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits
2) www.cafepress.com/bunny_art
3) www.cafepress.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3
4) www.cafepress.com/evonnes_art
5) www.catsandrabbitsandmore.com/products
6) www.cafepress.com/sweetbinks
7) www.cafepress.com/michrr
8) www.cafepress.com/runningrabbit
9) www.cafepress.com/rabbithaven

  Check-out www.cafepress.com and do a search on
   "rabbit." You'll find many wonderful rabbit-themed items
   that are perfect for gift giving.


   ** Give a Holiday HRS Membership to a Friend!

   Purchasing a membership to House Rabbit Society would
   make a perfect holiday gift. It's easy to buy one. They only
   come in one size. You won't have to search for a parking
   slot and you won't have to look for a matching bow.

   You and the fortunate recipient will both know you are
   supporting the largest house rabbit advocacy organization
   on the planet. Please consider buying those on your
   holiday list a gift membership today. All members receive
   the Society's newsletter, House Rabbit Journal.

   A yearly tax-deductible membership costs only $18 or
   $25 for international memberships. Please go to:
   http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html



        * On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. *

What's New? at House Rabbit Society - Oct. 2004


   ** Accused Rabbit Abuser Arrested in California

   On Oct. 15, Hayward CA police arrested Janine Marie
   Cazares and charged her with animal cruelty for the
   alleged 10 years worth of suffering she inflicted on the
   Hayward Rabbits. http://tinyurl.com/6868e.

   Cazares' arraignment is scheduled for November 15.

   It is imperative the Hayward District Attorney prosecute
   Cazares to the full extent of the law. PLEASE, contact
   Hayward DA Tom Rogers and firmly request that his office
   work vigorously to prosecute this heartless woman to
   ensure her conviction. http://tinyurl.com/3n9w7

   Please sign this petition to the District Attorney requesting
   prosecution of Janine M. Cazares: http://tinyurl.com/5kkr2

   See where the Hayward Rescued Rabbits are today,
   please go to: http://www.tinyurl.com/5o95v



   ** Lucky Rabbit Abusers Go To Court Nov. 16

   Nicholas Sigmon and Paul Collins' Pre-Trial is scheduled for
   Nov. 16 in Hayward CA. They are accused of attempting
   to kill Simon's pet rabbit Lucky by allegedly strapping an
   explosive device to her belly and throwing her into a
   lake. Fortune had it that the explosive failed and Lucky
   survived her ordeal in the lake.

   House Rabbit Society has obtained the police reports on
   this case and will be posting excerpts on Lucky's web site
   http://tinyurl.com/6795f soon. In them, you will read
   how Sigmon and his friends planned this event days in
   advance, bragged about it to co-workers and lied to
   police, trying to convince authorities that this was just a
   joke.

   Please write to Deputy District Attorney Tom Rogers and
   ask that he vigorously prosecute Sigmon and Collins for
   this horrific act of animal cruelty: http://tinyurl.com/6t5ao,

   Sign the Lucky petition: http://tinyurl.com/6vjnr.



   ** RABBIT, (OVER)RUN

   Bunnies Run Man Out of His Home
   Tuesday, October 19, 2004 By Lynne Jensen Staff writer
   (New Orleans front page newspaper article)

   A Gentilly man recently called his doctor for help with a
   problem that sent a Louisiana SPCA crew hopping to his
   rescue. The man "just wanted some company in the house,
   so he bought two rabbits," Louisiana SPCA Executive
   Director Laura Maloney said Monday. The Louisiana
   Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals is
   withholding his name.

   In less than a year, he had 73 big-eyed fur balls of white,
   black and gray. The SPCA crew spent Monday morning
   on a rabbit hunt inside the house. The bunnies were
   allowed to roam, and their burrowing and constant
   chewing destroyed couches, chairs and mattresses. That
   mess, combined with rabbit refuse throughout the house,
   caused the owner to "pass out," Maloney said. He moved
   out Friday and called his doctor, who called the SPCA.

   As four SPCA workers collected the rabbits, their owner
   "was sad and embarrassed," she said. The man was not
   cited and is not guilty of animal hoarding, which is a form
   of mental illness, Maloney said. Animal hoarders collect
   strays and shelter animals in a misguided attempt to love
   and care for them, she said.

   Hoarders rarely seek assistance, Maloney said.

   "He was a very nice man who recognized he was in a
   situation where he needed help," said Kathryn Destreza,
   director of animal services at the SPCA. "The rabbits
   were clean and healthy, even though the house wasn't."
   As the rabbits were removed from the house, the man
   "was apologizing the whole time," Destreza said.

   Maloney did a bit of apologizing, too, as she updated the
   press release about the rascally rabbits several times. At
   first count, she thought the crew had rounded up 30
   rabbits. Then she increased the number to 69, then 73.
   Staff members, along with June Booth and Danielle Collins
   of the House Rabbit Society, spent Monday afternoon
   separating the animals by gender and neutering the males.
   Females can give birth within a month of fertilization and
   typically bear litters of four to 10 animals.

   Until permanent homes are found, the rabbits will live in
   stacked cages inside a former horse stall at the SPCA's
   animal shelter at 1319 Japonica St. The small black horse
   named Can in the neighboring stall, taken in as a cruelty
   case, doesn't seem to mind sharing his hay. The SPCA
   crew left water and rabbit food in the Gentilly home in
   case they missed a few rabbits, Maloney said. A check
   will be made in a day or two.


   ** New Orleans Rescue UPDATE

   For three years, HRS Louisiana Educator, June Booth has
   worked closely with the LASPCA in developing their
   rabbit education and adoption program. The results of
   June's dedicated efforts have been demonstrated in this
   rescue; the LASPCA has done a very good job helping
   these rabbits.

   The care and placement of these rescued rabbits has been
   a cooperative effort between the LASPCA, June Booth
   and the North Georgia HRS Chapter. NGHRS volunteer
   Danielle Collins has made regular visits to the LASPCA,
   working with June to help care for, and develop adoption
   strategies. Danielle states, "The LASPCA is a wonderful
   facility and June Booth too is spectacular! The shelter staff
   is terrific and I was greatly impressed!"

   Louisiana veterinarian, Dr. Greg Rich, has generously
   donated his time to spay and neuter the rabbits.

   As of Oct. 31, approximately 35 rabbits are waiting to be
   placed in permanent or foster homes.

   If you have any questions, ideas, or can help foster/adopt
   any of the remaining "couch burrowing" bunnies, please
   contact:

   June Booth
   Louisiana HRS Educator
   jhbooth@...
   985-649-8990

   Danille Collins
   Volunteer, NGA HRS chapter
   godotgonzales@...
   301-642-8281


   ** Join the Make Mine Chocolate! Campaign

   By Karalee Curry, Chapter Manager, Columbus HRS

   Each year, we face the inevitable problem of unwanted
   Easter rabbits. In addition to the suffering experienced by
   these often poorly cared for creatures, the costs imposed
   on our organizations' resources and volunteers are
   significant. Columbus HRS believes that the problem is
   best addressed at its source: change the public's attitude
   towards rabbits and reduce the number of uninformed
   purchases. In the same way that the need to spay and
   neuter cats and dogs is recognized by the majority of
   Americans, we believe that the message to not buy
   rabbits as Easter gifts can become an integral part of
   American views on companion animals.

   Two years ago, in an attempt to address the problem,
   Columbus HRS began the "Make Mine Chocolate!"
   campaign. Ceramic pins in the form of chocolate bunnies
   symbolize the campaign's goals of discouraging the casual
   purchase of rabbits and educating the public about the
   special needs of these often-fragile creatures. Wearing the
   pin provides the opportunity to share our message with the
   general public. These informal conversations are supported
   by a card that is distributed with each pin, and by business
   cards that can be handed out to interested parties. Both
   the pin card and the business card list important facts that
   should be considered before bringing a rabbit into the
   home.

   Although our campaign has been very successful, changing
   the public's attitudes requires a broad campaign of national
   scope. Because such an effort requires significant
   resources, our first step was to apply for a grant from the
   Kenneth A. Scott Charitable Trust to help with startup
   costs. In late August, we were extremely gratified to learn
   that our grant proposal was approved. However, financial
   resources are only one type of resource that a national
   campaign requires. Building off of the concept of strength
   in numbers, we would like to invite your HRS chapter,
   rabbit rescue, humane society, or animal welfare
   organization (or you, if you are an independent fosterer or
   educator) to partner with us on this important campaign.
   We believe that you and your organization can both
   benefit from the work that has already been done and
   contribute to broadening its effectiveness.

   We have a catchy theme, "Make Mine Chocolate!", which
   is supported by our "Make Mine Chocolate!" pins,
   magnets, and clothing. Our partnership wholesale pricing
   makes our products valuable fundraising tools for your
   organization. We have a marketing strategy in place that
   has already created interest in the campaign by the
   national media. Also, we have begun work on a new
   website, www.makeminechocolate.org that will feature
   interactive content and games to educate visitors about the
   responsibilities of rabbit ownership and proper care of
   companion rabbits.

   Columbus HRS is committed to supporting our partners in
   their efforts to bring this campaign to their local
   communities. We will encourage interested visitors to
   support our campaign through their local "Make Mine
   Chocolate!" campaign partner by providing a link to your
   organization's website or listing your individual contact
   information on the partners page. As partners, we can
   reach every community in America and change the way
   the general public thinks about companion rabbits.
   Together, we can improve the lives of thousands of
   domestic rabbits nationwide.

   If you would like more information about the "Make Mine
   Chocolate!" campaign, please visit our website:
   www.makeminechocolate.org and review our brochure,
   which can be found at: http://tinyurl.com/49tu2. If you
   have additional questions or would like to partner with us,
   contact Terri Cook at mmcinfo@...
   or me: karalee@....


   ** Newsweek Article Promoting Rabbit Fur

   Newsweek Article -Real Fur Is Fun Again
    It's less expensive and more popular than ever. But as
   young people snuggle up, where are the protesters?
   By Julie Scelfo

   Oct. 11 issue - On a visit to Fifth Avenue's chic Henri
   Bendel department store last week, Pietra Jones caresses
   a spiky, oval-shaped hat made from fox, dyed lilac and
   purple. "I love fur!" purred Jones, 26, unconcerned about
   the process that turns living creatures into fashion
   accessories. "My sister is totally into PETA (People for
   the Ethical Treatment of Animals) and she reams me out
   every time I buy fur, but I can't stop myself. I know it's
   un-PC, but when I shop I really separate myself from
   thinking about the animal."

   It's an attitude more and more people seem to be adopting.
   A decade after protesters stormed Calvin Klein's office
   and used red paint to write KILLS ANIMALS under his
   logo, fur is baaack. Thanks to hip-hop stars like Sean
   Combs and Foxy Brown, animal pelts have migrated from
   high society to youth culture, joining jewel-encrusted bike
   chains and 24-inch "spinner" rims as essential status
   symbols for the bling-bling set. And you don't have to
   drive your Hummer to Rodeo Drive to get a piece:
   Express, a fixture at malls nationwide, sells baby pink
   rabbit ear muffs for $32. "For me, wearing fur is old-
   school glamour," says Brown, who launched a line last
   month. "It's also versatile because it can be classic or
   funky."

   Fur is also, of course, controversial. Back in the early
   1990s, no red-carpet affair seemed complete without a
   paint-hurling protester redesigning a celeb's sable coat. But
   for twentysomethings who are too young to remember
   Joan Rivers's getting doused on her way to the opera, fur
   has little stigma. Not surprisingly, the fur industry is
   overjoyed. "So many of PETA's campaigns incensed
   people—urging kids to drink beer, not milk—people have
   decided it's time to make up their own minds," says Keith
   Kaplan of the Fur Information Council of America. PETA
   spokesman Dan Mathews blames the media for hiding the
   truth about fur production. "We live in such an escapist
   society that they don't even let you [air] ads that show
   graphic footage of animals' being killed or electrocuted on
   fur farms," says Mathews.

   Although fur sales peaked along with Alexis Carrington's
   shoulder pads in the late 1980s, they fell drastically in the
   early 1990s. Since 1999, sales have climbed steadily,
   reaching a record $1.8 billion in 2003, and are expected to
   be even higher this year. Much of that revenue will come
   not from high-end couture, but from lower-priced
   accessories, like BCBG's $178 rabbit poncho and
   Coach's $400 coyote-trimmed duffle bag. "In the 1980s,
   you had coats, jackets, stoles, and that's about it," says
   Timothy Gunn, head of fashion at Parsons School of
   Design. "Now, you can find fur almost anywhere. It's
   affordable to more people, and that makes a huge
   difference."

   Not everyone is blase about wearing this season's berry-
   colored rabbit shrugs. Some, like Amanda Harding, still
   think fur equals murder. Harding, 30, was shocked while
   shopping in New York last week to hear a 25-year-old
   fashion buyer touting the merits of fur. "Fake fur keeps
   you just as warm, looks the same and costs less," says
   Harding. Next, PETA launches a new antifur billboard,
   featuring Charlize Theron and her dog. As the fur
   continues to fly off shelves, it remains to be seen if the
   paint will fly again, too.

   Here are three things you can do to voice your opinion
   about this callous Newsweek article:

   1) Sign the petition: http://tinyurl.com/6asl9 and pass it on.
   2) Call Newsweek: 1-800-631-1040
   3) Write to Newsweek: Letters@...


   **  When Only the Love Remains: The Pain of Pet Loss

   A book by Emily Margaret Stuparyk

   Our companion animals play an important role in our daily
   lives as friends, confidants, and family members. When
   they die, it is very natural to grieve over this loss. "When
   Only the Love Remains:The Pain of Pet Loss" is a
   collection of poems written by Emily Margaret Stuparyk,
   following the sudden and untimely death of her beloved
   rabbit, Poochie. This hardcover book traces the journey
   of grief as the author moves through the stages of shock,
   anguish, denial, depression, hope and finally, acceptance.
   Emily's book offers compassion, comfort, and support for
   the grieving pet lover and is available at the HRS Rabbit
   Reading Room (www.rabbit.org ) or at Emily's website:
   http://home.merlin.mb.ca/~stuparyk



   ** HRS Featured Chapter Item of the Month

   Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy is proud to offer
   our supporters these quality 100% cotton, heavy duty, Fruit
   of the Loom T-shirts.The shirts display the VRRA official
   logo as well as the important message, "Some bunny needs
   you." Available in 5 color and 4 sizes (S, M, L, XL).
   All T-shirts are $15: http://www.vrra.org/gifts.htm

   Please show your support of VRRA , the only registered
   rabbit charity in Western Canada. All proceeds raised in
   the sale of these handsome shirts go directly to the care
   and housing of VRRA rabbits or to their educational work
   to ensure all rabbits are well cared for.


   ** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates

   * Tampa Bay Florida (www.tampabayhrs.org)

   Hurricane Update
   Dana Hakes, Chapter Manager writes: "We are fortunate
   to have weathered (pun intended) a historical period of
   hurricane activity. I am extremely grateful that there were
   no serious losses or injuries. One lady lost the two
   bedrooms that she uses for the buns, but friends helped
   her reconfigure her house. Several people lost cars.
   About everyone lost power, phone and other
   conveniences at some point.

   We all got a crash course in hurricane preparation, even
   those of us who thought we had plans. We still have alot
   of learning and planning to do, especially those people
   who have alot of buns. I am very proud of the way that
   the bun people in the state pulled together and helped
   each other out.

   When Charley came, Orlando stepped up and opened up
   their homes, even though they got hit far worse than
   Tampa. By the time Ivan came through, we were able to
   advise the people in the Panhandle with the wisdom that
   comes from two hurricanes in three weeks. Jeanne was
   just an annoyance, and everyone "made do" with what they
   already had. Things are quickly returning to normal and we
   continue to cope with shelters bursting at the seams with
   displaced animals, and the probability that already high
   insurance rates are going to skyrocket."

   Rabbit Ears TV:

   Rabbit Ears TV is a 30 minute show that is broadcast on
   Public Access TV. Each show has 2 segments on
   important education topics such as housing, toys and
   litterbox training. Every show also has a presentation from
   one of our recommended rabbit vets. Adoptable rabbit
   videos are shown twice during the show. Each show
   concludes with a fun segment such as a demonstration of
   rabbit-hopping or a music video that demonstrated the
   joy of rabbits at play.

   Rabbit Ears TV was nominated for Best New Series and
   Best Education/Instructional Program at the Suncoast
   Access Awards. Rabbit Ears TV did not win, but there is
   great success in being nominated. The clips shown during
   the ceremony got the best crowd reaction.

   Rabbit Ears TV is written, produced and directed by
   Maran Fulvi. Mike Rowan and Jennifer Richard, and
   Missy and John Ott have contributed pieces. A favorite
   segment of Chapter Manager Dana Hakes, is the one on
   nutrition. Mike Rowan shows a refrigerator full of greens
   for the buns and a tiny carton of Chinese food for him and
   Jennifer. I think most of us can relate! Several Tampa Bay
   HRS recommended vets, such as Dr. Peter Helmer and
   Dr. James Hughes, contributed pieces.

   Rabbit Ears TV was nominated for Best New Series and
   Best Educational/Instructional Program at the Suncoast
   Access Awards. Although they did not win, being
   nominated was quite an accomplishment. They also
   showed clips during the awards ceremony to a strong and
   positive audience response.

   Tampa Bay HRS is very pleased to announce that on Sun.
   Nov. 14, NYC HRS Chapter Manager Mary Cotter will be
   in Orlando to give a workshop on "Handling a Difficult
   Bunny" (see NYC HRS Chapter update below for
   details).


   * Vancouver Update (http://www.vrra.org)

   House Rabbit Society's newest chapter, Vancouver Rabbit
   Rescue and Advocacy has an incredible opportunity to
   have a shelter and education center. A major funding
   organization is interested in granting shelter start-up funds.
   $ 20,000 in matching funds must be raised by year's end.
   Chapter Manager Olga Betts writes, "Now we are writing
   our proposal and application for start up funds for a
   shelter and education centre and hopefully will be able to
   get $20,000. We need a matching $20,000 which is the
   tricky part; we're working on it! Several younger
   members are in music groups and bands and we now
   have a venue for a benefit concert in November."

   VRRA is the only registered rabbit charity in Western
   Canada. Please consider a cash donation to this important
   shelter funding project. Amounts of $10 or more can
   receive a tax deductible receipt.

   Checks may be sent to:
   Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy
   P.O. Box 45039, Dunbar R.P.O.
   Vancouver, B.C. V6S 2M8

   VRRA had a very successful "Rabbit Festival" in
   conjunction with the Vancouver SPCA. Lots of people
   came and many learned a lot. Many people brought their
   rabbits for a free checkup so they learned to clip nails and
   the importance of spay and neuter. Some of these people
   wouldn't spend the money on a vet so it was really good
   for the rabbits. Most were in good health, some needed
   attention for small matters. One set were in bad shape
   from being on wire - but the woman has stayed in touch
   and is helping her rabbits.

   VRRA had their Annual General Membership meeting in
   September, an exciting landmark to cross! "We brought in
   $10,000 last year which surprised us all. Of course almost
   all was spent on vet bills.", Chapter Manager, Olga Betts.


   * Monterey (www.rabbitsnmore.com)

   Susan Harrow, Monterey Educator and Fosterer writes:
   On November 6 & 7, I will have a booth at the Monterey
   Pet Show at the Monterey Fairgrounds. The Pet Show is
   co-sponsored by the SPCA of Monterey County, and all
   vendors/booths must be approved by the SPCA. It will be
   a great opportunity to show rabbits for adoption, and
   educate. The SPCA's booth will be close by so we will be
   actively working together at this local event
   For more information see: www.montereypetshow.com


   * Colorado (www.coloradohrs.com)

   Colorado HRS is installing eight protected outdoor runs
   across the drive from the bunny rooms. In a matter of
   several weeks, we expect to be able to put eight crates'
   worth of bunnies in them, on warm days. If each is out for
   an hour, we'll be able to get all of the rabbits out every day
   in the spring and fall, and at least every other day in the
   summer. "We're really excited about this!", writes Nancy
   LaRoche, Co-Manager, CO HRS.


   * Alabama (www.alabamaears.org)

   Bunny 101
   Alabama EARS held it's first Bunny 101 Care Class on
   Oct. 2 in Birmingham, AL. The free event was attended
   by people from all over the state of Alabama.

   Individual booths staffed by EARS' volunteers covered
   topics such as the importance of spay and neuter, litterbox
   training, nutrition, preparing for emergencies, bonding,
   grooming, and indoor housing. At registration, each guest
   was given a packet of information with HRS literature
   covering the topics, and additional topics not represented
   by a booth.

   Dr. Alvin Atlas from Riverview Animal Clinic in
   Birmingham attended to answer medical questions about
   rabbits. One worried rabbit mom even brought X-rays and
   her rabbit's medical file for a free consultation.

   Mary Alexander, an Alabama EARS educator-in-training,
   gave two 45 minute seminars "All About Bunny" which
   covered the basics about domestic rabbit care.

   Area businesses donated approximately $1,200 for
   printing, supplies, and event T-shirts. Volunteers wore the
   t-shirts and passed them out to guests. (The shirts had the
   Bunny 101 class title on it and "a rabbits place is inside the
   home" on the back.) Additional donations from local
   businesses included $300 in gift certificates to area stores
   and restaurants that were used as door prizes.

   Even though Bunny 101 was primarily an educational
   event, Alabama EARS brought in almost $900 in
   donations, new memberships, and sales from the Bunny
   Boutique.

   Fall Garage Sale
   Alabama EARS held its Fall garage sale on October 11th.
   The sale, organized by Connie Cowan, JB and Ron
   Cowen, and Kathy Troup brought in $760.

   Pensacola Bunnies Back Home
   When the threat of Hurricane Ivan became real, Alabama
   EARS became an emergency, temporary home for some
   Pensacola, FL rabbits. The 10 rabbits are now back in
   foster care in Pensacola.


   * Ohio (www.ohare.org)

   Buckeye HRS is participating in the Akron, Ohio Pet Expo
   called PetapaZOOla, at the Summit County Fairgrounds
   on November 27th & 28th.
   For more info, visit www.petapazoola.com


   * New Jersey (www.njhrs.com)

   New Jersey HRS held the third annual BunnyFest on
   Oct. 23rd at the Woman's Club Meeting House in
   Matawan. The turnout was wonderful! Approximately 120
   people, including 18 dedicated volunteers, attended for a
   day of bunny fun and education. Oakhurst Veterinary
   Hospital donated $10 gift certificates for all attendees and
   each pre-registrant received a goody bag with treats for
   rabbits and their people.

   The goody bag included a mini-willow chew ring from
   Busy Bunny, a hay bundle with wood chew (made by
   Tracy Turner), our NJ HRS magnet picture frame with our
   logo and contact information, another magnet from an
   area pet supply place, and for humans, a Panda licorice
   chew, a dried fruit treat and one piece of "bad for you"
   Halloween candy (either Reese's peanut butter cup,
   Mounds bar or Hershey chocolate bar). The goody bags
   were a major hit....everyone was opening them right away
   and enjoying contents!

   Dr. Michael Doolen gave a slide presentation about GI
   stasis, dental issues and ear infections, followed by a
   question and answer session which lasted right up until
   Mary Cotter's (NYC HRS) scheduled presentation.
   While we were re-arranging the room for the "Handling a
   Difficult Bunny' presentation, Dr. Doolen moved his
   question answering out to the entry way and continued
   talking to people for well over another hour!

   Mary Cotter's presentation fascinated the audience. She
   worked with 6 bunnies and people were calling her the
   "Bunny Whisperer". Many people wanted her contact
   information.

   Volunteers staffed the tables....we had a refreshment table
   complete with home made baked goods. We sold
   JenniSoy Candles and Busy Bunny items (and nearly sold
   out!). We had a Nearly New/Really Good Old Stuff
   table....with a large variety of items....these did not sell
   great until, at the end of the day, we announced that the
   items were half price and whoosh...they disappeared!
   Also a popular item were the chew toys made by Foster
   Health Coordinator, Tracy Turner. The rabbit care
   information table was supplied with the House Rabbit
   Handbook, Stories Rabbits Tell, handouts, membership
   information, etc. The silent auction included items
   such as CareFresh Litter, Oxbow items, a rabbit first
   aid kit and bunny gift baskets.

   Several people told Chapter Manager Shelley Stack and
   Treasurer Janine Motta how much they enjoyed
   themselves. The day was a genuine cooperative effort and
   everyone was pleased to partake in such a successful
   event, including the 19 bunnies who got their nails clipped
   by Tracy Turner!


   * Indiana (www.indianahrs.org)

   Dawn Sailer, Co-Chapter Manager Training writes:
   Each year, the October Indianapolis Monthly (magazine)
   features pets in Central Indiana: http://tinyurl.com/575h8.

   We have been working with staff over the past two years
   to increase their rabbit knowledge. We are pleased with
   the results in this year's issue:

   A full page spread featuring one of our rabbit-savvy
   exotics vets, detailing that non-dog cat species need
   special veterinary care. The spread included a 1/4 page
   photo of the vet examining a rabbit - looking in the rabbit's
   ear with an otoscope, but we'll take it.

   In the summary table listing "Where to Obtain Your Pet,"
   rabbits actually were listed in the table for the first time!
   Categories (listed from top to bottom) were "High End
   (HRS)," "Middle of the Road (Shelters in Central
   Indiana)," and "Low End (Pet Stores)." Indianapolis
   Monthly did a great job of mentioning that HRS rescues
   rabbits because they die in Indiana Shelters every day,
   adult rabbits are more widely available than baby rabbits
   (in shelters), and, finally, cautioning people that cute fuzzy
   bunnies should not be purchased on impulse from pet
   stores.

   Interestingly, the HRS adoption fee and shelter adoption
   fees for spayed/neutered rabbits ($45) are, at times, in
   alignment or lower than pet store fees ($25-40 dollars,
   higher at holiday time). The magazine did call out that
   HRS and shelter adoption fees included spay/neuter.

   The only "con" listed for HRS was that at times it can take
   volunteers days to contact people. If only there were 24
   hours/day and/or an unlimited supply of volunteers...


   * Rhode Island (www.rirabbits.org)

   Chapter Manager Training Pam Hood writes about
   proposed Rhode Island regulations concerning
   animal health, shelters, fostering, rabbits and more:

   Jennifer Sears (Ed) and myself attended the latest DEM
   (Dept. of Environmental Management) meeting yesterday
   and it seems the state will be slacking up some, but not
   much concerning foster care. However, I believe we will
   have the regulation changed that allows the sale of rabbits
   4 weeks and older to be changed to 8 weeks. We are
   very pleased about this.

   Also, we found out that any breeder who supplies rabbits
   to pet shops in RI must have a Animal Dealer's License
   from the state. This would require those breeders to
   comply with the same state regulations that shelters, pet
   stores, etc. must comply with. I need to get clarification
   from the state vet about out of state breeders supplying
   rabbits and what restrictions there are for them. (For
   instance, the already neutered 4 week old baby buns from
   Marshall Farms). I am pretty certain that no pet shops in
   RI that sells rabbits, gets these rabbits from a state
   licensed dealer. This may be the way we can make a
   huge impact regarding pet store rabbit sales.

   Unfortunately, hobbyists are exempt from these regs. That
   is quite a shame as it is usually the backyard breeders and
   hobbyists that make the news (like recently the American
   Rabbit Breeders Association breeders here had 70
   angoras seized from their basement). But we will continue
   to work on that one.

   According to the state vet, we would have to go through
   legislative procedures and have the current law changed for
   hobbyists to be fall under these regs. Because of our
   501c3 status, I really doubt we can pursue this, but we can
   have folks not affiliated with Sweet Binks work on that
   one. I know there are many dog/cat advocates here that
   want breeders regulated. As far as unlicensed rescue
   groups continuing rescue work in RI...it will be very tough
   if these regs are enforced. The latest revised (not including
   yesterday's revisions) can be found at:
   http://tinyurl.com/4bto6. Select: Draft Animal Care Regs.

   Another thing that will be changed is the state was going to
   require that EVERY animal in a foster home be presented
   to the licensed organization and/or veterinarian EVERY
   two weeks for evaluation.....the wording will be changed
   to something like "as needed or required by parent org
   or vet." I am feeling more confident about positive
   changes being made concerning rabbits in RI. The fact
   that rabbits will not be considered livestock in RI may
   open the gate to for more positive changes as well.


   * New York City (www.rabbitcare.org)

   NYC HRS just had their 9th annual rabbit care conference
   with Anne McBride (author of "Why Does My Rabbit?")
   as special guest speaker on rabbit behavior, and Dr Gil
   Stanzione doing a terrific powerpoint presentation on
   e.Cunniculi. The turnout was great, and participants
   seemed to love it.

   Many of the NYC Chapter "regulars" said it was their best
   conference yet. Chapter Manager Mary Cotter is busy on
   the East Coast presenting her workshop, "Handling a
   Difficult Bunny". Mary held her workshop at the New
   Jersey HRS BunnyFest in Oct. and will have another on
   Nov. 14 in Orlando. Of the NJ BunnyFest workshop,
   Mary writes: "The theme was "working with difficult
   bunnies" - participants were asked to bring in rabbits who
   are very resistant to,or traumatized by, handling, nail
   cutting, etc. We created a central "corral" out of a couple
   of puppy pens, and placed participants' chairs in
   concentric rings around the corral, so everyone could see.
   I worked with the "difficult" bunnies and their owners in
   the corral, one at a time.

   "I talked about some basic principles of working with,
   and communicating with, a small prey species, and
   demonstrated these principles for the owners, with their
   own rabbits. The results were really fast and fun to watch
   and very rewarding. One of the rabbits had NEVER been
   picked up by his owner (in the whole year since they had
   gotten him), and they were able to pick him up quite
   easily and peacefully, with no fuss at all, in just a few
   minutes!"


   * North Georgia (www.houserabbitga.org)

   The following article is from the North Georgia Chapter
   Fall 2004 newsletter, "The Literate Lagomorph".

   IHOP Renovations Under Way

   Our facility in Conyers is getting a facelift! A Building
   Committee has formed to plan out the steps needed for
   an Improved Habitat Overhaul Project (IHOP). The
   initial goal is an HRS Adoption/Foster Center located in
   Chapter Manager Debbie Trantin's converted garage. The
   ultimate goal will be our very own North Georgia HRS
   Shelter in a separate location.

   Work has already begun at Debbie's house, which has
   served as our main foster home for several years. The
   indoor/outdoor carpet in the garage has been ripped up
   and the concrete floor has been sanded and coated with a
   sealant that will make messes and spills easier to clean.

   The room has been painted a cheery yellow and green.
   Old cages have been pressure washed and cleaned for
   use until the new ones arrive, and litter pans were bleached
   and cleaned. Thank you to all volunteers who helped
   throughout the week so that the foundation could be
   layed for the new Adoption/Foster Center.

   The next step will be the installation of new stainless steel
   cages with large doors that will be easier to clean, the
   placing of new exercise pens, and the set-up of storage
   units. Architect Clare Eisenstein has used her skills to
   draw up floorplans for the new equipment. Purchase and
   delivery of the cages is currently being negotiated by Angel
   Holcomb. Builder Mick Haves is donating his time and
   expertise to set up the cages and install storage areas
   and a utility sink.

   The fundraising effort has been mounted by the Building
   Committee to collect the money needed for these
   renovations. Estimates have put the project at $8,000;
   which includes equipment, shipping and labor. Letters
   have been mailed out to all North Georgia House Rabbit
   Society members seeking donations at different
   sponsorship levels. Each level gives the sponsor a chance
   to be a part of a lasting memorial dedicated to this project.

   * UPDATE on the North Georgia IHOP

   Co-Chapter Manager Arlene Pabros writes: "Our goal
   was to raise $8000 for our main foster home improvements
   from membership donations. To date we have raised over
   $11,000 and the donations are still coming in. We have
   also been applying for grants and have received $5790
   from Petsmart and are now applying for one from Oxbow
   as well as working on other foundations. We have
   certainly come a long way in the last nine years."


   * San Francisco Peninsula (http://tinyurl.com/5r7w3)

   "Today is not only Halloween, it is a very special
   anniversary day for me.  Fourteen years ago on
   Halloween I became a volunteer at Peninsula Humane
   Society in San Mateo Ca. working with the rabbits.
   Thank you to Amy Espie for sharing her knowledge
   and carrying me under her wing to make me become
   the person I am today.  Thank you to Marinell and
   Beth Woolbright for there guidance and support during
   some of thoses trying times.

   I have seen so many changes in fourteen years, most
   of them I can say have been for the betterment for the
   rabbits.  Just knowing that back in 1990 we were
   seeing 750 rabbits a year coming in to the shelter with
   80 percent being euthanized.  Feeling helpless in knowing
   the only thing I could do for them would be to be with
   them at the end. Each and everyone knew they were
   loved.  Little did I know back then we would see a
   dramatic decline as the years went by in the number of
   rabbits coming into the shelter.  We're now getting less
   then 300 a year with most getting adopted.  The rabbits
   at the shelter now have an important voice and have
   become equal to the dogs and cats in acknowledging
   them.

   In those 14 years I can't say there haven't been days
   when I've told myself I can't do this anymore.  I only
   need to look into the eyes of the rabbits and hear them
   say.  You can't quit who will be our voice.  I know there
   is still more important work to do.  So I pick myself up
   brush myself off and say 'one rabbit at a time.'"

   Donna Jensen
   Chapter Manager San Francisco Peninsula Chapter HRS


   ** Join House Rabbit Society Today!

   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


                             ** To Beetle **

   Your youth was dreadful and you had a right to be bitter.
   You brought love to Violet, who misses you enormously,
   as do Erin and Andy. It isn't right that you had to leave so
   early.


               ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

* What's New? at House Rabbit Society - Sept. 2004 *


   ** Las Vegas HRS in the News

   BUNNY RESCUERS:
   Society members save abandoned pets from shelters
   Summerlin View - Northwest Las Vegas 9/1/2004
   By Jan Hogan - View Staff Writer

   Domestic rabbits are the third-most popular pet in
   America. They rank No. 1 when it comes to
   abandonment.

   Many are purchased as Easter bunnies and viewed as cute
   and cuddly when they're little. But many get dropped at
   shelters after interest in them wanes.

   A few years, ago. Summerlin resident Maria Perez began
   a one-woman crusade to capture and adopt out those
   bunnies. She rescued roughly 300 domestic rabbits since
   her crusade began. She adopted two, Pocket and Cloe.

   This year she established Las Vegas House Rabbit Society.
   The group, which also can be reached toll-free at
   (888) 887-4010, or on the Internet at
   http://tinyurl.com/688hl, rescues the furry critters from
   shelters, quarantines them to ensure they are healthy and
   gives them medical treatment if needed.

   The group also spays or neuters the bunnies.

   The latter is important because bunnies can reproduce at
   three months of age and litters can be as large as 12. In
   one year, Perez said, two rabbits and their offspring can
   result in about 300 bunnies.

   After their medical needs are seen to, volunteer foster
   families then take them and ensure they receive
   socialization skills, like potty training.

   The group will not take owner-relinquished bunnies nor
   does it rescue wild rabbits.

   Rabbits make quiet pets and it's best to play with them at
   their eye level. Notoriously near-sighted, they startle easily
   and "freak out," Perez said, if picked up. It's an innate
   predator response thing. They also don't like jingling
   jewelry and feel vulnerable on slippery floors. The animals
   are social and love attention. They will play with "noise
   toys" and toss them about. They purr when happy, oink or
   growl when mad. Thumping the foot sounds an alarm.
   Research shows they have a photographic memory.
   "They're also sugar freaks," Perez said. "There's nothing
   they won't do for a banana."

   When it comes to their constitution, domesticated rabbits
   are delicate animals and need to be kept indoors. They
   thrive in cold weather but will die if left outside in weather
   85 degrees or higher.

   The rescue group cannot even transport them in summer
   because car air conditioning systems are not sufficient.

   Just like dogs, they require a pet sitter as upsetting their
   daily regime can bring on anorexia, a condition they can
   only tolerate for a couple days.

   "It's not OK to throw down a bucket of pellets and go
   away on vacation, "Perez said. "I use a pet sitter."

   Like puppies, they are diggers and chewers but that
   behavior is something which can be easily addressed.

   Southwest resident Kathy Jung has always been an animal
   lover. She got involved in the rescue group after a
   backyard landscaping project exposed burrows with baby
   bunnies. She is raising them and is now a volunteer foster
   parent.

   At her first meeting with Perez, which took place at a
   veterinary office, Jung offered to house seven recently
   rescued rabbits. "How do you pick and choose which
   ones to take? she said. "I couldn't, so I took them all."

   For each rabbit rescued, the medical bill runs about $500.

   Area veterinarians who are working with the rescue group
   include Susan Keeney at the Lake View Animal Hospital,
   Jamie Sulliban with Hualapai Animal Hospital, Robin Miller
   of the West Flamingo Animal Hospital, Jason Sulliban at
   the Gentle Doctor Animal Hospital and Christine
   Kolhmstetter of Cheyenne West Animal Hospital.

   Last year, the group accumulated veterinary bills totaling
   $21,000.

   Anyone looking to adopt a rabbit from the group is
   carefully screened, must pass a house inspection and sign
   an agreement. The rabbit remains the property of the
   rescue group to ensure the bunny is not sold for some
   commercial purpose.

   The Las Vegas House Rabbit Society has 35 members
   and is looking for more. Volunteer foster families are
   needed and donations are appreciated. The group is trying
   to raise money for an Adopt-a-Mobile that will allow them
   to transport the animals in a climate-controlled vehicle.


   ** Hoarder's Love For Animals is a Cruel One

   Star Tribune Minnesota   8/14/2004
   Jon Tevlin and Deborah Caulfield Rybak

   Cathy Tarnowski brought home her first bunny when she
   was in the third or fourth grade. Afraid her mother would
   find out, she hid it under her bed for three days.

   "My mother heard it thumping," said Tarnowski. "She said
   it wasn't a good pet to have at the time. So we took it to
   the petting zoo at Como Park. I went to see it once a
   week."

   It was the first time someone took a bunny away from
   Cathy Tarnowski, but it wouldn't be the last.

   Monday, at Tarnowski's rambler in St. Anthony,
   firefighters and humane society officials removed 136
   rabbits, 77 of them dead in her freezer and most of the
   others in bad shape. It was the second time in five years
   that authorities had been called to her house. In 1999,
   they removed nearly three times that many.

   Tarnowski's situation is typical of a problem that is
   increasingly receiving recognition across the country. Pet
   lovers who take in more animals than they can handle.
   Experts call it animal hoarding. Society, however, often
   brushes it off as eccentric behavior by overly loving pet
   owners.

   But hoarding causes suffering and death to hundreds of
   animals each year in Minnesota; it creates a health hazard
   and burdens law enforcers; and it costs taxpayers and
   private organizations who often get stuck with the bill.

   Repeat offenders are the norm, not an exception. Keith
   Streff, director of investigations for the Animal Humane
   Society of Hennepin County, put the recidivism rate for
   pet hoarders at "100 percent."

   The handling of Tarnowski's case reflects a system that,
   despite the strengthening of Minnesota's animal cruelty
   laws in 2001, seems unable to protect the animals, nor help
   their misguided keepers, many of whom suffer from mental
   illness.

   Conflicting stories

   Tarnowski seems like the last person in the world to harm
   an animal. A slight, meek woman who trembled as she
   spoke to reporters Thursday, she immediately inquired
   about her bunnies.

   "How is Speckle?"

   Told that Speckle was fine, tears welled in her eyes.

   Tarnowski insists that none of her current rabbits was new
   -- they dated back to her first raid in 1999 and had been
   hidden with friends. "They were all sterilized, and all of
   them were very old, but they were healthy," she said,
   adding that she'd spent thousands in veterinary bills caring
   for them.

   The report from the Humane Society, in Golden Valley,
   told a different story.

   Of the 59 live rabbits recovered, all but 22 had to be
   euthanized. Of the remaining rabbits, none of the males
   was neutered; all had "grossly overgrown nails, and most
   had urine/feces-stained feet," the report said. Few had the
   glossy coats of a healthy animal, and many were scarred,
   either from fighting or mating.

   "We always have a feeling of dread when we know one of
   these cases is looming," said Dr. Kim Culbertson, a staff
   veterinarian at the Golden Valley facility who says she has
   seen dozens of cases. "It never gets easier."

   And it's never cheap. The cost of handling this latest batch
   of rabbits will come close to $10,000, said Kathie
   Johnson, manager of the Humane Society's veterinary
   department.

   Johnson said they see two or three such cases a year.
   Most of the state's hoarding cases end up in Goldern
   Valley -- one of the five largest humane societies in the
   country -- because it's the only facility capable of handling
   such large number of animals. "We end up eating a lot of
   the costs," said Johnson, whose organization is financed
   by private donations and grants.

   After the 1999 raid, Tarnowski sold a second house
   (inherited from her mother) to pay bills and to clean up the
   mess in her St. Anthony home. She is worried about the
   cost of this latest cleanup: "I don't want to lose my home."

   It will need some work. Two days after the raid, her
   garage was filled with furniture; sawdust and feces were
   heaped in a trash container in her driveway, and mice
   scurried down the exterior walls near the front door. Even
   outside, the odor was intense.

   Still, she maintains that she was a dedicated caregiver.

   "Every night before I went to work, I checked on
   everybody," said Tarnowski, who lives alone and says she
   has no relatives. "Even if I didn't eat, I always made sure
   they got fed."

   This was going to be the last bunch of bunnies, she swears.
   "I made a promise to them -- this is going to sound silly --
   but I made a promise to my bunnies that I wouldn't take in
   any more, that I would just see them through to the rest of
   their lives."

   The dead rabbits found neatly placed in plastic bags in her
   freezer were to be cremated one day. "I was going to
   spread their ashes on the grave where I am going to be
   buried," she said.

   Legal confusion

   Investigator Streff has heard stories like Tarnowski's all
   too many times, and any sympathy he feels for offenders
   has waned as the bodies of animals pile up.

   "I hate to sound callous," he said. "I can forgive once, but
   not twice."

   Streff knew that Tarnowski, like all the other hoarders he
   has encountered, would offend again. He said her will
   push for gross-misdemeanor charges or even a felony.

   In her first case, she was initially charged with animal
   cruelty. St Anthony prosecutor Steve Carlson said his
   office reduced the charge to creating a nuisance, provided
   that Tarnowski refrain from owning rabbits -- except for
   three she was allowed to keep -- pay some court costs,
   avoid any offenses for one year and get psychological
   testing.

   During the one-year probation, there were no complaints,
   Carlson said.

   Monday's seizure was prompted by a neighbor's
   complaint about odor.

   "How do you stop this? I don't know anything you can do
   but rely on neighbors," Carlson said. "It's like trying to
   stop DWIs."

   Gov.Jesse Ventura signed a law in 2001 making any
   cruelty to animals a potential felony. However, calls to
   numerous legal officials in counties where there have been
   problems revealed that most didn't know of the law or
   understand it. Most thought animal hoarding that leads to
   illness or death had to be treated as a misdemeanor.

   And even though veterinarians are required to report any
   signs of abuse, that's easier said than done, said Dr. Jim
   Winsor, president of the Minnesota Veterinary Medical
   Association.

   "We aren't in their homes; we might just see one animal
   that comes in," he said. "Usually we would just try to work
   with owners on the care, if the pet seemed neglected."

   He added, "Most vets feels that they don't have the
   authority or expertise to deal with it. I also think the other
   fear is that if we share medical information with outside
   parties, we could get sued."

   Anthony Spector, an attorney who does pro bono work
   for the Humane Society, also blames timid enforcement on
   what might be called "the Aunt Mabel effect." Most
   hoarders are older women, usually single. Prosecutors
   who wouldn't flinch from tackling cases against owners of
   illegal fighting dogs often back away from animal hoarders
   under the rationale that juries won't convict a nice lady
   with too many pets.

   "But at the end of the day, the results are the same," said
   Spector. "The animals (in a hoarder's house) have burns
   from lying in urine, fecal stains, tumors and parasites.
   Sadly, it's a fate worse than death."

   Jared Peterson, assistant Brown County attorney, knows
   how difficult prosecution is. Two years ago, county
   officials seized more than a dozen dogs from a Sanborn,
   Minnesota farm, just six months after they removed 85
   mistreated dogs from the farm.

   Amelia Odegaard, 52, a repeat offender, pleaded guilty to
   a misdemeanor. A second charge was dismissed under the
   condition that she follow several court mandates, including
   a limit on the number of pets. A county representative
   visits the farm monthly to check for mistreatment.

   Human cost

   Psychological profiling of animal hoarders is a new field of
   study. Offenders are thought to suffer from various
   afflictions, including delusion, pre-dementia, addiction,
   feelings of childhood abandonment or obsessive-
   compulsive disorders. Or, according to research by
   Arnold Arluke of Northeastern University, they may be
   deviants who learn to use illness as an excuse for
   controlling behavior of "passive cruelty."

   Tarnowski, 54, says she intends to see a counselor, but
   only to deal with the grief of losing her rabbits. "I'm not a
   bad person. I'm all alone," she said. "I have no one. This
   was my little family, and I would do anything for them."

   While she has lost her beloved animals, she said people
   have come forward to help her: "I never knew I had so
   many friends. Everyone has been wonderful."

   And she hopes one day to be reunited with her rabbits, at
   least in spirit.

   Until then, she said, "I'm done." Thinking it over, she
   added, "Or maybe I'll just get one bunny. Maybe two."

   (For more information about this case, please go to the
   Minnesota HRS web site: http://www.mnhouserabbit.org).


   ** KC and St. Louis Participate in Vet Conference

   Contributed by: Jennifer Habernal (aka Snowpea's Mom)
   Kansas City HRS

   The Kansas City (http://tinyurl.com/2rbk5) and St. Louis
   (http://tinyurl.com/22vn7) chapters worked the Central
   Veterinary Conference which was held in August in
   Kansas City. There were over 6,000 attendees for the
   conference (this number includes vets, vet techs and vet
   administrative staff). We had a good turnout at our booth
   this year. We handed out close to 200 information
   packets. We had a few vets come to talk with us
   specifically. We also educated many vets who are
   interested in learning more about rabbit health!

   We have 4 pages of vets from around the country who are
   interested in learning more about rabbit health and who
   were interested in working with their local HRS chapter.
   Once I get a chance to go through the list, I will email the
   chapters where the vets are located. These vet leads could
   have the potential to turn into great assets!

   We also had people tell us that they give out the national
   website all the time, and a few people told us that HRS
   saved their bunny, either from talking with their local
   chapter regarding a health problem, or getting a vet referral.
   It was very encouraging to hear that we are making a
   difference and that the website is a great reference tool for
   those wanting to be educated.

   We were surprised at the number of people who visited
   our booth that have rabbits as pets, they all seemed to
   want to tell us stories of funny things their bunny does. We
   estimated that about 60% of the people we talked with
   had bunnies of their own! Plus, we had some of the other
   exhibitors come and talk with us about the care of their
   own bunny. So, not only did we educate the vets, but the
   other exhibitors as well!

   It was a great experience for both chapters to participate,
   once again, in this conference.


   ** Lucky Update

   The pre-trial hearing in this cruelty case has been continued
   to November 16. Please check: http://tinyurl.com/6kevt for
   updates.


   ** National CourtWatch Center

   Pet-Abuse.com is dedicated to educating and advising the
   public about animal abuse. They have recently created
   National CourtWatch (http://tinyurl.com/5kd7f) a dynamic
   listing of upcoming animal abuse/cruelty court dates
   nationwide. If you know of animal abuse/cruelty cases in
   your state, please submit them to this site.


   ** Designing a Habitat for Your Rabbit

   Learn how to create a well-designed, easy-to-clean habitat
   for your bunny: http://tinyurl.com/5m7dd.


   ** HRS Chapter Item of the Month

   The Sacramento House Rabbit Society sells an
   entertaining poster which delightfully describes the physical
   features of rabbits which make them unique and marvelous
   companions. On the wall of your shelter or your office, this
   poster will certainly garner attention and be a conversation
   piece. To view this poster, please go to:
   http://tinyurl.com/3mzuj; and scroll to the bottom of the page.
   (Click on the poster image for a larger view.)

   The Sacramento Chapter was established in the mid-90's
   and works closely with the Sacramento SPCA to place
   rabbits into permanent and foster homes. Currently, they
   are working to place rabbits rescued from a trailer park in
   Galt CA.

   Please help support the work of the Sacramento Chapter
   by purchasing one (or more!) of these posters for yourself
   or as a gift for your bunny loving friends.



   ** Chapter Updates

   * Oregon

   National HRS educator, Mary Huey, of Portland, answers
   all the calls to the Rabbit Advocates' (a non-profit
   organization she helped found 2 1/2 years ago) helpline
   which resulted in her taking part in two recent Oregon
   rescues.

   Approximately 15-20 young rabbits were released into an
   Aloha neighborhood street late one night when their
   hutches were deliberately opened and the rabbits were
   released. Their owner immediately moved from the junk-
   strewn property which was rumored to be a drug house.

   Mary did the rescue by herself, over a period of several
   days, but not before one rabbit was killed by a car. She
   was able to rehome four of these rabbits and has added
   the remaining nine to her warren.

   Shortly after this rescue, a variety of rabbits were released
   into a local Beaverton park. Accompanied by other
   rescuers from Rabbit Advocates, Mary was able to help
   place the ten rabbits into safe custody.

   Mary took an active part in the Rabbit Advocates' annual
   garage sale last June. Over $5,000 was earned. Much of
   this money was designated for their medical fund. This
   money is used to help needy rabbits with spays/neuters
   and other health problems. (http://www.adoptarabbit.org)


   * New York City

   The NY City Chapter's 9th annual Rabbit Care
   Conference is coming up on October 17th. Author Anne
   McBride is being flown in from England to be the
   conference's guest speaker. She will be talking about
   rabbit behavior and signing her book "Why Does My
   Rabbit?"

   Anne McBride is an animal behaviorist at the University of
   Southampton. She has done extensive research on rabbits
   and lives with bunnies in Southampton, England.

   "Rabbits are now the third most popular animal pet in the
   United Kingdom, following cats and dogs, but few owners
   understand their behavioral needs. Many pet rabbits
   develop problems which could be avoided if their living
   conditions were adapted to allow them to follow their
   natural instincts, and in this important book Anne McBride
   explains how this can be done and why it should. She
   describes the influences on behavior, the history of the
   domesticated rabbit, how rabbits live and breed and the
   instincts, inherited from the wild rabbit, which make a
   rabbit do what it does."  - amazon.com -

   To purchase a copy of Anne McBride's, Why Does My
   Rabbit?, go to amazon.com via the HRS link at
   www.rabbit.org so that HRS receives 5% of your
   purchase price from amazon.

   Join us for our 9th annual Rabbit Care Conference!
   Sunday, Oct. 17, 2004, in New Rochelle NY
   Special guest speaker: Anne McBride, author of "Why
   Does My Rabbit?"
   Details at www.rabbitcare.org


   * San Diego

   HRS San Diego Chapter (www.sandiegorabbits.org) held
   their Bunnyfest on September 19th. There were craft
   vendors, gifts for people and their rabbits as well as great
   food and a huge auction. Dr. Jeff Jenkins spoke to the
   crowd about rabbit care and Jodi McLaughlin, an animal
   massage therapist, showed massage techniques that can be
   used on rabbits. The event drew hundreds of people to
   Heritage Park to learn more about rabbits and to celebrate
   these special animals. The San Diego Chapter is happy to
   announce this fundraiser brought in approximately $8,700.
   to help further the chapters goals of rescue, adoption and
   education.

   Special thanks goes to the following HRS Educators who
   worked so hard - Judith Pierce pulled together more than
   100 auction items, Debra Doerfler organized the Cottontail
   Cafe which did incredibly well, Sandi Stewart kept a
   watchful eye on the rabbits resting at the Lagomorph
   Lounge and Larry Dudus worked the surprisingly popular
   Compost Info Table. Thanks to these wonderful
   volunteers and others, Bunnyfest was a huge success.

   To see photos of San Diego's Bunnyfest 2004, go to:
   http://tinyurl.com/3wy3l


   * Rhode Island

   Sweet Binks (http://www.rirabbits.org) had our first major
   fundraising event on August 28th at VASA Park in Foster,
   RI. There were five live music acts, a huge raffle, good
   food and more. We are pleased to announce we raised
   over $3500. for shelter improvement projects. Thank you
   everyone who came out and supported Sweet Binks on
   that very hot day!

   Sweet Binks is also donating $5 for every adopted rabbit
   in the month of October to the Susan G. Kormen Breast
   Cancer Foundation. Several members are matching or
   exceeding Sweet Binks pledge. We feel because many of
   our adopters, friends, and volunteers are women and have
   been through breast cancer or know someone who has,
   that we would not only support our rabbit friends this
   October, but also another important cause.

   Sweet Binks expects to conduct our 300th adoption in
   October as well!



   * Colorado


   Colorado HRS (http://www.coloradohrs.com) made close
   to $1300 at its garage sale this summer.

   Our annual Bunny Boutique will be held November 21st.
   This is our largest fund raiser. Toys, treats, housing, etc.
   will be available for people to purchase for their rabbits,
   and there will be all sorts of bunny-motif items for humans
   as well.

   We continue to participate in a variety of booths at
   everything from pet expos to farmers markets.

   We have appointed a "Construction Manager", Kerry
   Endsley who is organizing a variety of construction
   projects. The first of these, well underway at this time, is
   the creation of six bunny-and-predator proofed outdoor
   runs for the rabbits so they can get fresh air, sunshine and
   exercise on a regular basis (weather permitting). Windows
   and possibly skylights will soon be added to the bunny
   rooms so we'll have more natural light there.

   Initial designs are being considered for a new building to
   house the rabbits which will provide all of them with runs,
   and hopefully, both indoor and outdoor space. The
   realization of such a building is, of course, further in the
   future, but if and when it happens, the current bunny
   rooms may be converted to boarding space and a larger
   shop, with the current shop space being used for a meeting
   room.


   ** Support HRS with eBay Auctions

   Now your eBay auctions can benefit House Rabbit
   Society! To learn how you can participate in this exciting
   new program, please go to:
   http://www.rabbit.org/links/missionfish.html


   ** Shop at cafepress.com and Support HRS

   Browse and shop at the following five cafepress stores and
   support House Rabbit Society rescue and education work
   nationwide.

   Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue of Rhode Island
   http://www.cafepress.com/sweetbinks

   Minnesota House Rabbit Society
   http://www.cafepress.com/mnhrs

   Colorado House Rabbit Society
   http://www.cafepress.com/4cornersbuns

   Hayward CA Rabbit Rescue
   http://www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits

   House Rabbit Society National
   http://www.cafepress.com/hrs2

   Use coupon code 5ANNVRYSAL before October 11
   and save $2 on mugs, white tee shirts and mousepads.


   ** Join House Rabbit Society Today!

   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


   ** Baxter, Chester and Beautiful Diana **

   All three of you died swiftly and unexpectedly.
   Go gently little ones.


       ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

** What's New? at House Rabbit Society - August 2004


   ** Lucky

   On July 13th, 2 men and 5 juveniles, took a pet bunny to a
   Northern California lake. They taped a half-stick of
   dynamite to the 4 pound defenseless bunny, lit the fuse and
   threw her into the water. They took photographs of the
   entire incident, presumably hoping to document the rabbit
   being blown to smithereens upon impact with the water.

   The rabbit's name is Lucky and a lucky rabbit she is.

   The fuse went out upon impact and Lucky swam in panic
   until she was exhausted. Lucky's "owner", 18 year old
   Nick Sigmon, a lifeguard at that very lake, jumped in the
   water and retrieved his pet.

   Nick Sigmon was going away to college and would no
   longer be able to care for Lucky, so he got together with
   some friends and decided to kill Lucky in a most sadistic
   and cruel fashion. Taking photographs of the incident was
   his downfall. A compassionate acquaintance anonymously
   published the photos online in a public forum, with a plea;
   "Help This Rabbit". The photos came to the attention of a
   House Rabbit Society volunteer who immediately
   contacted authorities.

   The two men are charged with misdemeanor animal cruelty
   and face one year in jail. There is a pre-trial hearing
   scheduled for September 24th but, it is highly likely that the
   case will be settled out-of-court very soon.

   Please, write to the Hayward DA and ask that these men
   serve time in jail and that they be fined. It is essential we
   demonstrate to the DA that cruelty to rabbits demands the
   serious consideration given to other species. Please, write
   to the Hayward DA (http://tinyurl.com/5hxjr)  as soon as
   possible and politely demand maximum sentencing, for
   Lucky's sake and for thousands of rabbits just like her.

   To read more about Lucky and her incident at the lake, the
   media attention she gained, and to see a photo of Lucky
   with her new best friend in her forever home, please go to:
   http://tinyurl.com/6kevt


   ** Cruelty to Animals - SF Chronicle Op-Ed

   In response to the Lucky incident, the following Op-Ed
   piece appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle on
   August 2, 2004. It was written by House Rabbit Society
   Director and author, Margo DeMello.

   Cruelty to Animals a Warning of Possible Violence to Come

   Last week's story of Lucky, the rabbit who was duct-taped
   to a powerful explosive and thrown into Lake Don Castro
   in Castro Valley by two young lifeguards, illustrates that
   even in the animal-friendly Bay Area, cruelty to animals is
   not only present, but may be growing.

   As a representative of House Rabbit Society, a rabbit
   rescue and education organization based in Richmond, I am
   all too familiar with stories like this. This month it was
   Lucky, whose teenage "owner" decided that blowing her up
   in a lake was a good way to dispose of an animal he could
   no longer care for as he was going away to college. In May,
   it was 30 rabbits found in a Hayward backyard, literally
   living on bread and water, and sharing space with their
   dead and dying brethren. And last year, it was Samosa, a
   rabbit who was tossed out of a car on a Peninsula
   highway, presumably as an easy way to dispose of an
   unwanted pet.

   But Lucky's story tells more about our society than the fact
   that we are rapidly becoming a throwaway culture, in which
   dogs, cats, rabbits and other animals are tossed away like
   an old sofa when their usefulness has diminished. It also
   should serve as a warning to the friends and family of
   people who so easily can turn on - and inflict cruelty upon -
   a family pet.

   Humane educators, crime-prevention organizations and
   psychologists have for years known of the connection
   between the abuse of animals and violence toward humans.
   Cases of serial killers who started out their careers
   torturing animals have been well documented, and we see
   this especially among young killers, such as Columbine
   High shooters Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold and other
   teen killers (Kip Kinkel, Andrew Golden, Luke Woodham
   and Michael Carneal). All of these boys tortured and
   mutilated animals before turning their guns on their
   classmates and teachers.

   Yet every time we hear of a young person abusing an
   animal, it is explained away by family and often authorities
   as a "youthful indiscretion." In the case of Lucky, the
   Alameda County district attorney has charged her abusers
   with misdemeanor animal cruelty, rather than felony cruelty,
   because the young lifeguards had no previous criminal
   records. What the authorities and parents of these young
   men fail to realize is that their behavior may signal that
   something is wrong with these men, which could very
   easily escalate into something much worse. The evidence
   is not just anecdotal; numerous studies, including the 1998
   work of Randall Lockwood and Frank R. Ascione
   ("Cruelty to Animals and Interpersonal Violence," Purdue
   University Press), have shown that children who engage in
   animal cruelty are more likely to commit more violent acts
   as adults. There is also a strong link between abuse of
   animals and domestic violence, with animal abusers much
   more likely to batter their wives or girlfriends as well.

   While the two young men who taped an explosive to a
   terrified rabbit and tossed her into a lake may be sorry for
   what they did now, it is undeniable that their behaviors
   warrant a serious response. To slap them on the wrist and
   send them off to college sends a message that not only is
   the abuse and torture of an animal OK (as long as it is
   carried out by a young person with no criminal record),
   but also that abuse such as this is always an isolated
   incident. As the above referenced studies show, it most
   likely will not be.

   The story of Lucky should serve as a wake-up call,
   especially for parents. Youthful violence toward animals is
   a very serious issue, and it needs to be taken seriously by
   not only animal advocates like myself, but by those who
   are concerned about violence in our society.


   ** Minnesota Rescue -140 Rabbits in a Single Home

   In early August, 140 rabbits were confiscated from a home
   in the Twin Cities area. The majority of the rabbits were
   either dead or required euthanasia. Thanks to the
   dedication of Minnesota House Rabbit Society
   (http://www.mnhouserabbit.org) volunteers, the surviving
   22 rabbits have received necessary medical care and
   almost all are safely living in foster homes.

   To read more about this evolving case, please go to:
   http://www.mnhouserabbit.org/adoption/confiscation.html.

   Minnesota HRS needs donations to help defray the
   medical expenses accrued during this rescue, as well as for
   the ongoing care while these rabbits are in foster homes.

   Please send donations to:
   Minnesota House Rabbit Society
   PO Box 390691
   Edina MN 55439


   ** Large Scale Rescue Effort In Watsonville

   On June 10, 2004 the Watsonville animal shelter received
   a call from a concerned citizen regarding a piercing
   ammonia smell coming from a neighbor's yard where an
   unknown number of rabbits were being kept in disgusting
   conditions by a hobby breeder. On arrival, animal control
   officers found 53 rabbits crammed into eight small wire
   cages caked with feces, urine, insects and moldy hay. In
   many cages there was no water and in others, water was
   pooled in rusty old coffee cans with debris and waste
   floating in the stagnant water. Also found on-site were
   several rifles.

   Only 8 of the rabbits were adults. 45 were babies between
   2 days and 7 weeks old. Of the 8 adults, 5 were nursing
   moms, one rabbit was pregnant and the other two females
   were not pregnant. Officers found mixed litters, in which
   babies had been moved around to other mothers. No
   males were found and the property owner casually
   mentioned that her friend had "got rid of them."

   The owner is now facing criminal charges for the unsanitary
   conditions in which these poor rabbits were housed and
   the absence of providing basic care and medical treatment.
   Many adult and baby rabbits had serious injuries, including
   broken bones, eye injuries and malnutrition. They had
   obviously endured very severe neglect.

   The Watsonville shelter is a small, friendly shelter in a
   sleepy, little town---accustomed to housing only two to
   three rabbits at a time seeking adoptive homes.  Faced
   with a crisis of nearly overwhelming magnitude, this shelter
   and its very limited staff, moved into immediate action
   under the guidance of Lara Walker, volunteer liaison.
   Amazingly, all 53 rabbits were safely rescued from the
   situation and treated for injuries. Many were placed in
   foster homes and others placed up for adoption.

   Sad and tragic situations like this one in Watsonville, can
   easily burn out rescue groups and shelter staff. Feelings of
   hopelessness, despair and bitterness are common. Yet,
   these intense crises can also serve as extraordinary
   opportunities to learn under fire, as well as unite in helping
   others. Handled strategically, cooperatively and creatively,
   as this rescue was, many lives can be saved and valuable
   lessons can be shared with the rescue community.

   What worked especially well was sending out an
   immediate and urgent request for assistance from other
   shelters or rescue groups---along with photos. The more
   details and information that can be shared with others, the
   better the response. Photos are very important to get
   people motivated.

   Media coverage is also a crucial component to the success
   of a rescue. Early media coverage increased visibility and
   awareness of the situation, especially within the local
   community.  Compassionate retailers, such as The Funny
   Bunny Toy Company (http://tinyurl.com/62xsw) in
   Alameda and Sunnyvale's, For Other Living Things
   (http://tinyurl.com/4bg9s ), sent bunny toys and supplies to
   ease the rabbits' transition and provide comfort and joy.
   The most important medium was newspaper with photos.
   At least twenty adoptions resulted from media coverage
   and the majority of adoptions were local. Volunteers and
   concerned citizens came forward with donations and
   support. Reminder stories and updates to the media are
   important to keep alive public interest in the story.

   Networking with other rescue groups is key to effectively
   leveraging resources beyond one's own locality and
   limitations. Rescue groups outside the immediate area can
   often provide needed resources, foster homes and moral
   support that can turn an impossible situation for a single
   group into a manageable project taken on by the broader
   rescue community. For example, one nursing Mom and
   litter of babies was fostered by For Other Living Things
   for SaveABunny and then also taken to adoption outposts
   by The Rabbit Haven. Rabbit Haven also took in several
   other moms and litters into their rescue network.

    In another example, updates and pictures of the rabbits
   were posted on the SaveABunny website and online
   donations were accepted for their care via PayPal and then
   directed to The Rabbit Haven and the Watsonville shelter.
   Working together can lead to a continued sense of
   cooperation and sharing of ideas that benefits all of the
   rescue groups and helps to save more rabbit lives.

   Good leadership and volunteer recognition is paramount.
   Lara Walker, volunteer liaison, accepted responsibility for
   leading the rescue effort and volunteered the majority of the
   summer and at least 30 hours/week to keep the bunnies
   and shelter from suffering.  Her consistent, professional
   and positive handling of the media, volunteer, and shelter
   resources enabled the tiny Watsonville shelter to perform
   a miracle in its community.  Without such a dedicated
   organizer and leader of the effort, sadly, most of the
   rabbits would have been euthanized because of lack of
   staffing and space.

   Lastly, especially with a large scale rescue effort, receiving
   expert veterinary assistance at a workable rate is a major
   factor in both the short and long term management of
   resources and providing necessary care for the rabbits.  In
   this case, Creekside Vet in Soquel became a, integral
   partner in the rescue effort, as well as Dr. Hawklin who
   came to the Watsonville shelter and examined every single
   rabbit on her days off.

   Now, three months later, many of these beautiful and brave
   rabbits are still awaiting their forever homes at the
   Watsonville shelter, and at the rescue groups that stepped
   in to help---The Rabbit Haven, in Santa Cruz, and
   SaveABunny, the San Francisco/ Marin County Chapter
   of HRS. These groups are actively seeking permanent
   homes for the now delightful adolescent bunnies who were
   rescued as newborns. The gentle, caring, momma bunnies
   who endured so much, yet still tenderly cared for their
   babies, are also deserving of safe haven and forever
   homes.

   If you would like to adopt a single or pair of these
   exquisite, little survivors, or the adults, please contact:
   Lara Walker 831-763-4177 (Watsonville Shelter) at
   laraadam@...,  Heather 831-239-7119
   (The Rabbit Haven) at www.therabbithaven.org, or
   Marcy at 415-388-2790 (SaveABunny-SF/ Marin HRS)
   at www.saveabunny.com .


   ** Hayward Rabbit Rescue/Cruelty Case Update

   Unlike the rescue cases listed above, I am sorry to write
   that this case has not yet been presented to the District
   Attorney (http://tinyurl.com/6jt59).

   Two of these precious rabbits have died, but, as a whole,
   the Hayward rabbits are doing quite well.. One has been
   adopted, two are in private foster care and eight have gone
   to live in marvelous sanctuaries. All others are still living in
   their initial foster-rescue home in San Leandro CA, where
   they receive excellent medical care as well as attention and
   love from several dedicated volunteers.

   They still do not grasp the concept of toys but, they have
   learned that cardboard castles are meant for chewing!
   Most know their names and delight in hearing them.
   Occasionally, we will see them working on their binkie
   moves.

   Judith Pierce from San Diego HRS, web-mistress
   extraordinaire, has volunteered untold hours designing
   creative merchandise items to raise funds for this costly
   effort: http://www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits. Please
   purchase a new tee shirt, an HRS wall clock or a button
   to show your support of rabbit rescue and to help ensure
   that these rabbits' every needs will continue to be met.

   We wholeheartedly thank each of you who has expressed
   concern and generosity for these rabbits, but, the surgeries,
   medical and daily care costs continue. Your continued
   support is still needed and is most greatly appreciated.
   To make a donation, please go to: http://tinyurl.com/2kzrx

   To read more about this case and these marvelous rabbits,
   please see the new web pages at:
   http://www.rabbit.org/rabbit-center/hayward_rabbits.html


   ** 300 Rabbit Rescue 2004

   The following link will take you to a marvelous photo-essay
   update on the 300 bunnies rescued earlier this year in
   Chino,California: http://tinyurl.com/5lqzu


   ** Alabama EARS takes on Carnival Cruise

   On June 16, an article in the Birmingham News newspaper
   highlighted the growing rabbit industry in Alabama and the
   Southeast.

   The article cited examples of rabbits for meat, medical
   purposes, and generally focused on the business end of
   farming rabbits. One part of the article, mentioned Carnival
   Cruise Lines has a major player in the meat industry. It was
   estimated in the article that the cruise lines purchases
   approximately 4,000 rabbits per month to serve on their
   cruise ships. Ron Sparks, Commissioner of the Alabama
   Department of Agriculture and Industries Commissioner
   was quoted as saying, "Developing the rabbit industry is
   one of my top priorities and I am committed that we see
   this project through that that we open a new market for
   our Alabama farmers and their products."

   Alabama EARS' member Rhonda Wright was the first to
   write Carnival Cruise Lines in protest of their dinner menu.
   She received a response from Carnival stating, "the story in
   the magazine contained an error. Carnival Cruise Lines
   does not serve rabbits on its ships." Rhonda then emailed
   the reporter who wrote the article and he responded,
   "This took some tracking down through the Alabama
   Department of Agriculture, but Carnival Corporation
   owns several cruise lines. Carnival owned Princess Cruise
   Lines [which] purchases the Alabama rabbits. The ships
   branded "Carnival Cruise Lines" does not serve rabbit but
   acknowledges that its sister cruise line [Princess Cruise
   Lines] owned by the Carnival Corporation does."

   So far, Alabama EARS' E-T Ruth Fledersmaus-Stallsmith
   has drafted letters to the Birmingham News, Princess
   Cruise/Carnival Cruise, and to Ron Sparks expressing
   extreme dissatisfaction and explaining the role of rabbits as
   house rabbits. EARS has also planned a Bunny 101 class
   for October 2, and plans to advertise over the entire state.
   "The more people who are familiar with house rabbits, the
   better the hold we can keep on rabbits as companion
   animals in our state," says Paris Grey, EARS'
   Corresponding Secretary.

   Knowing this will be a long and difficult campaign, EARS
   will be posting copies of the letters on their website at
   www.AlabamaEARS.org. They hope members from every
   chapter of the House Rabbit Society downloads the letters
   or writes their own and sends them to Princess Cruise
   Lines and to Ron Sparks (addresses below). When writing
   Princess Cruise Lines, EARS recommends firmly stating
   that they would never take a cruise on a line a or sister line
   of a company that serves rabbits on board.

   Alan Buckelew, President
   Princess Cruises
   24844 Avenue Rockefeller
   Santa Clarita, CA 91355

   Ron Sparks, Commissioner
   Alabama Department of Agriculture and Industries
   Post Office Box 3336
   Montgomery, AL 36109-0336


   ** San Francisco/Marin Chapter in The NY Times!

   For the Diligent, a Soft, Furry Reward
   New York Times - Late Edition 7/8/2004
   By Michelle Slatalla

   The biggest mistake a parent can make is to promise a
   6-year-old a special reward if she works really, really hard
   at school. I learned this the hard way one morning last week
   when a voice hissed, "Mommy, wake up, the clock says
   almost 7, can we go get my bunny now?"

   Not everyone in my household wants a pet rabbit. There's
   the pro-hamster contingent, for example. Then there's Otto
   the dog, who according to his chief apologist (my husband)
   would prefer the company of a puppy if we have to get
   another pet in the first place. The only family member who
   has not voiced an opinion is Davis the goldfish, but then
   he's always the last to know.

   But Clementine has been promised. She says she has it in
   writing and for all I know, she does. I dimly remember
   telling her, back in March when the June report card
   seemed a distant threat, that if she brought home a good
   one, she could get a rabbit.

   Things looked dire last week, after a woman from the pet
   store left a message on the answering machine that I
   unfortunately played when Clementine was standing next to
   me: five baby bunnies were available.

   Given the desperate nature of the situation, I tried to buy
   time. I told Clementine we couldn't get a rabbit before we
   had all the necessary equipment - a cage, food, a litter box,
   a water bottle - which I said we would have to buy online.
   Although the list of necessary supplies looked fairly short,
   by specifying "standard shipping" one can always buy a
   reprieve of another 5 to 10 business days.

   A site operated by the House Rabbit Society
   (www.rabbit.org), a nonprofit animal welfare group with
   headquarters in Northern California, was the logical place
   to start. It described a philosophy of rabbit care meant to
   make the pet an integral family member. No outdoor
   hutches. Daily playtime. Mental stimulation. Rabbit toys.

   Toys? That's the world of rabbits for you. The list of online
   suppliers included sites like www.leithpetwerks.com,
   where a rattle ("A small colorful little ball with a bell inside")
   cost $1.29 and Fruity Chews ("Colorful, fruit flavored
   cardboard tubes are a perfect toy for tossing and chewing")
   were 36 cents apiece.

   At www.bunnybytes.com a cardboard playhouse (the
   Cottontail Cottage, $16.99) is available. For $6.35,
   www.bunnyluv.com had "Bunny Wobbles" (keep
   bouncing back, even when nudged and tossed"). And
   www.busybunny.com stocked a rabbit ring toss ("beads
   and hearts are held together with natural cotton rope and
   non-toxic glue") that cost $4.99.

   I tried to picture rabbits playing with toys.

   Instead, the only mental image that appeared was of my
   childhood pet Paul, a white rabbit that for two years had
   huddled in a corner of his cage without comment. Then
   one day he ate a dishtowel and died, leaving as his legacy
   a strong smell of urine in our family room.

   Toys? Maybe I had overlooked something.

   How else to explain the zillions of rabbit-related sites I
   stumbled across, where doting rabbit owners could buy
   everything from Super Pet Bunny Shake N Chews
   ("perfect for fetching, $3.59") at www.rabbitcentral.com
   to unpeeled willow chew rings ("for those of you whose
   bunny is a willow purist, $2.95") at
   www.rabbitsnmore.com?

   For clarification, I phone my local House Rabbit Society
   representative. "Rabbits are as cuddly as puppies and
   kittens," insisted Marcy Schaaf, who runs the society's
   Marin County chapter and operates a site called
   www.saveabunny.com. "They're really opinionated. They
   like to play with toys. They will follow you around the
   house. They will sit at your feet."

   This image contradicted the information I had gathered
   from rabbit-owning friends. "What about biting and
   kicking and scratching and spraying?" I asked.

   These complaints were not unknown to Ms. Schaaf.
   Patiently, she explained that the problem lay with people,
   not bunnies. "People buy babies at pet stores and then the
   bunny grows into a teenager and the novelty wears off,"
   she said. "When they become sexually active at three to
   four months old, they spray, they're ornery, they chew,
   they're destructive. People call me saying, `My rabbit is
   crazy.' But altering the rabbit will stop those behaviors."

   I remained skeptical.

   So Ms. Schaaf, who happened to live in my town, invited
   Clementine and me to her home to meet some of the
   rabbits she had rescued from shelters. On the drive over, I
   told Clementine these would not be cute little babies. They
   were mostly full-grown, I said, hardened rabbits. They
   might scratch.

   I would like to give a home to a bunny that needs one," she
   said, ignoring my dark innuendoes.

   In Ms. Schaaf's basement (which, for the record, did not
   smell strongly of urine) were two dozen or so cages whose
   occupants had names like Chip, Salsa, Noodle and
   Doodle.

   Ms. Schaaf introduced them. Emily was black-and-white
   and shy. Earnest was white with charcoal gray markings
   and allowed Clem to hole him for 10 minutes. Duncan had
   lop ears and snubbed us by retreating into his Busy Bunny
   tent tunnel (mad of unpeeled willow, $16.95 from
   www.busybunny.com with a toy rattle in his mouth.

   "Anastasia, you're such a pretty girl," Ms. Schaaf cooed to
   a white rabbit in a wire pen. Anastasia, who had a coat like
   a carpet, cocked one long, delicate ear in response, and
   then hopped over to investigate.

   Ms. Schaaf explained that Anastasia was a standard Rex,
   a breed known for plush coats, and had survived a serious
   car accident that had left her with a broken shoulder and
   motor oil caked all over her body. Ms. Schaaf asked
   Anastasia, "Do you want to play?"

   Anastasia hopped to the cage lock and waited for Ms.
   Schaaf to open it. "This is Clementine," Ms. Schaaf said.
   Anastasia hopped over. Clementine gently stroked her
   between the ears. I heard a clicking sound. "That's how
   they purr," Ms. Schaaf said.

   "What about problems with litter training?" I asked,
   grasping at straws. Ms. Schaaf said most rabbits will learn
   to use a litter box if owners are vigilant about placing the
   box in the cage corner for which a rabbit has shown a
   preference.

   "Such a smart bunny," Clementine praised Anastasia.
   Anastasia cocked her other ear.

   In the presence of these two Bunny Whisperers, I had no
   choice. I complimented Carmen on her plush silvery coat.
   I cooed, "Hi, Brewster.: I cradled Aimee like a baby.

   After an hour or so, I was hooked. When Clementine
   asked Ms. Schaaf if we could adopt one - in the past four
   years, Ms. Schaaf has successfully placed 250 rescued
   rabbits with new owners - I didn't demur. Ms. Schaaf,
   who never places a rabbit on the first visit, said there were
   at least three rabbits that seemed to like us enough to
   consider living with us. On our next visit, Clem will learn
   how to lift and hold a rabbit properly.

   And I volunteered to clean litter boxes.

   Slatalla@...


   ** Product Safety and Your Rabbit

   Written by: Dana F. Hakes, CM, Tampa Bay House
   Rabbit Society www.tampabayhrs.org

   The House Rabbit Society maintains a list of suppliers
   who provide consistently good products that improve
   the well being of our rabbits. However, even the most
   conscientious manufacturer can have problems with raw
   materials, production, packaging, and/or distribution.
   Sometimes the problem is due to things beyond their
   control.

   A good company will work with its customers to quickly
   identify the problem, notify other customers, and take
   steps to avoid problems in the future. We recently
   contacted Purina, manufacturer of Yesterday's New, with
   questions regarding staples and plastic found in some of
   their bags. They were very apologetic, expressed concern
   over the well being of our rabbits, and asked for details.
   Purina keeps good records and they were able to tell me
   that this was an isolated incident. Definitely an example of
   a good company!

   Unfortunately, many people claim that problems exist in
   hopes of getting money or recognition from the company.
   Most manufacturing companies have state-of-the-art
   research and development labs to help catch these
   "phonies".

   If you do find something suspicious in your rabbit's
   supplies, contact the manufacturer immediately. They will
   want to know details including where and when you bought
   the product. Most products are stamped with a date/time/
   production code that will allow the manufacturer to identify
   the production issue. They will probably ask you to send
   in the problem product and hopefully will provide
   reimbursement or coupons for future purchases. You'll
   also want to contact the retailer where you purchased the
   product, and contact House Rabbit Society so that they
   can alert other people. Working together, we can keep
   our rabbits safe and healthy.



   **  PetCo Tests Rabbit Adoption

   Cooperation with local rights group could be pet model
   nationally

   By Bob Shaw
   Pioneer Press - Minnesota 7/5/04

   In Apple Valley, you can't buy a rabbit at the PetCo store.
   You must adopt a rabbit, and that's not just a figure of
   speech. You must fill out an adoption form, read
   educational material on rabbit care, and then wait up to 48
   hours for a call from an animal welfare group.

   The caller will ask if you can offer a suitable home, food
   and the required 30 hours a week of exercise. You then
   pay $50 for the rabbit, which is only available spayed and
   implanted with a microchip, to identify it if it gets lost. And
   if you don't like those conditions? Well, you can always
   buy a gerbil. At least, for now.

   In a experiment being watched nationally, four PetCo
   stores in Twin Cities suburbs are moving out of the
   business of selling rabbits, turning the business over to
   animal adoption agencies.

   Next up? Gerbils, mice, birds and reptiles.

   "There are no limits to this," said Lori Mornard, PetCo
   regional manager, standing in the Apple Valley store beside
   a rabbit-adoption display. "We are trying to do what is
   right, totally. This is a drastic change from our past
   philosophy, and in the industry."

   The group handling the adoptions is equally delighted. "It's
   a win-win for everyone. The bottom line is that more
   rabbits are being treated better," said Joanna Campbell of
   the Minnesota House Rabbit Society.

   The arrangement is a truce - some call it a sellout -
   involving two long-warring sides.

   In one corner are PetCo and other pet stores, part of a
   $31 billion pet industry that has doubled in 10 years. In the
   other corner are animal rights groups, some of which believe
   that selling animals is morally akin to selling human slaves.
   By surrendering control of pet ownership to animal groups,
   pet stores give up some profits, but they are able to take
   moral high ground in the animal welfare debate.

   The compromise is drawing national attention. Campbell
   will give a speech on the subject to the American Humane
   Association's national conference in September. Animal
   welfare groups are applauding the idea. Local animal
   shelters are abuzz with speculation about how the
   pet-buying public will react.

   But the rabbit compromise hasn't got everyone feeling
   warm and fuzzy. "It's ridiculous," snapped Larry Olson,
   manager of the Petland store in the SunRay Shopping
   Center in St. Paul, where you can buy a cat, dog or rabbit
   without any forms, interviews or delays.

   "If you want to buy a bunny or hamster or ferret for your
   children, they want it now," Olson said. "You don't want
   hassles. You don't want a third party."

   But like it or not, adoption of animals is the wave of the
   future, said Martha Armstrong, a senior vice president at
   the Humane Society of the United States.

   "Animals are not commodities like a toaster or a dress,"
   Armstrong said. "They are living creatures."

   THE NEED TO BREED

   The problem with pet stores, say animal advocates, is that
   they breed animals into a world overpopulated with
   abandoned pets.

   Americans own about 65 million dogs and 78 million cats -
   and there are an equal number of feral cats. Each day
   about 10,000 people are born in America, and 70,000
   dogs and cats - a built-in gap between pet supply and
   demand.

   That's one reason animal shelters have become animal
   morgues. About 4 million dogs and cats are killed by
  shelters in this country yearly, including about 20,000 in the
   Twin Cities metro area, according to Mike Fry, director
   of the Animal Ark No-Kill Shelter in Hastings.

   Many shelters kill half of the animals they receive, including
   St. Paul Animal Control and the Minneapolis Animal Care
   and Control Program. In the face of criticism, the nation's
   two largest pet sellers, PetCo and PetsMart, agreed to
   stop selling dogs and cats years ago. Instead, they agreed
   to refer customers to shelters.

   But in the 1990s, PetCo started to draw special criticism.
   Laura Brown, spokeswoman for the People for the Ethical
   Treatment of Animals (PETA), said PetCo is a corporate
   abuser of animals - with more than 1,000 complaints
   lodged by customers and employees. Complaints range
   from depriving animals of food to slamming a mouse to the
   floor before feeding it to a snake.

   Brown said the Minnesota compromise was being used by
   PetCo to improve its corporate image. "They are very
   hypocritical," Brown said. "They are in the business to
   make a profit."

   Company spokesman Don Cowan said the PETA charges
   are false or exaggerated and based on isolated cases. He
   said any complaint is met with a quick response, and
   veterinary care is always available.

   He cited the company's nonprofit foundation, which has
   given $17 million to 1,900 animal shelters for spaying and
   animal care programs. One of them was the Minnesota
   Rabbit Society, which got a PetCo Foundation grant for
   $3,000 to help spay rabbits. "They did a good thing for
   rabbits," Campbell said.

   Said Cowan: "We rest on our reputation," including the
   company's rapid growth to 670 stores in 45 states. In
   America, he said, the company has the right to sell animals.

   A RADICAL SOLUTION

   As the two sides snarled at each other, the Rabbit Society
   proposed the compromise in 2003.

   The move was a break from animal-rights orthodoxy, which
   called for boycotting pet stores. "Other groups think I am
   the devil," Campbell said. The compromise was based on
   a common cause - finding homes for animals, with people
   who will spend money and give love to them for a lifetime.

   The problem for PetCo is to guarantee a steady supply of
   animals. There may be an overpopulation of rabbits and
   other small pets, but arranging thousands - or millions - of
   adoptions is immensely complicated.

   In fact, Cowan said the only reason the Minnesota
   compromise works is because of the dedication of the
   Rabbit Society. For example, the group screens potential
   "parents," who must list their reasons for wanting the rabbit,
   and their current and past pets. They agree to care for the
   rabbit for its 12-year life span. They agree to exercise the
   animal for 30 hours a week - playing with it, taking it for
   walks or letting it romp in a separate exercise pen.

   But what if someone wanted a rabbit in a hurry? What if
   someone had a pet python who ate live animals and loves
   rabbits? "Then we don't need to proceed with the
   adoption," said Campbell, unamused. Cowan said no
   comparable group has emerged to manage adoptions of
   unwanted gerbils, mice or birds. Until that happens,
   Cowan said PetCo will continue to sell such animals.

   CONVENIENCE MATTERS

   Even with good intentions, PetCo has to compete. And
   while adoption might be best for animals, what's best for
   consumers has traditionally been convenience and low
   prices.

   At the Petland store in St. Paul, one wall is stacked with
   well-lit cages in which puppies rassle with each other.
   Clean, fluffy rabbits wait in an aisle, selling for $10 less
   than the adoption price. Here, customers don't have to
   pick from animals rejected by other owners. They can buy
   a pet in the time it takes to whip out a charge card.

   Olson, the manager, was asked about PETA's objections
   to his business. "Well, according to PETA we shouldn't be
   drinking milk because it's bad for cows," Olson said. The
   idea of handing his pet sales to an animal welfare group
   strikes him as hare-brained. "We sell lots and lots of
   bunnies," Olson said. "People come in, pick one up, fall in
   love and buy it."

   But Jennifer McCarthy, manager of Pet Supplies Plus Inc.
   in Burnsville, had a different reaction to the PetCo
   compromise. "It's a great idea," she said. Even though
   rabbits are her store's best-selling animal, McCarthy said
   she'd turn the rabbit business over to a group willing to
   handle adoptions - if she were unexpectedly forced to do
   without her rabbit breeder, who supplies the store with
   rabbits.

   She said her own employees breed the store's hamsters
   and gerbils, from attractive farms and loving environments.
   Sara Orsted, a store salesperson, agreed that the PetCo
   compromise was good for animals - despite the fact she
   has a PETA sticker on her car.

   Until animal adoption agencies make pet-selling obsolete,
   Orsted said, Pet Supplies Plus will sell rabbits to customers.
   "Unfortunately," Orsted said, "you can't deny them a
   rabbit." For more information on the Minnesota House
   Rabbit Society, visit the group's Web site at:
   www.mnhouserabbit.org


   ** Police Revive Rabbit Caught in House Fire

   Berlin (Reuters) July 12, 2004

   German police successfully resuscitated a dwarf rabbit
   named Napoleon by breathing through a ball point pen
   after he passed out in a house fire, authorities said
   Saturday.

   Two officers were called to a Berlin flat where firefighters
   had dragged the unconscious rabbit's cage outside. The
   officer's opened Napoleon's mouth with a pen and
   breathed down it while giving the pet a cardio massage, a
   police spokesman said. The officers then rushed Napoleon
   by police car to a vet, who will keep him for observation
   for a few days.


   ** Cottontail Cottages

   Several years ago, House Rabbit Society Educator and
   volunteer Amy Spintman, from the San Diego Chapter,
   developed the Cottontail Cottage, a multi-story cardboard
   playhouse for rabbits. The Cottage has proven to be quite
   a hit with rabbits who enjoy hopping from level to level,
   running through and peeking out of the different openings,
   and just hanging around inside of it resting. Another popular
   bunny activity is the remodeling or chewing on the chew-
   safe Cottage instead of on other inappropriate items in the
   home!

   Amy's is altruistic with her cottages and often donates them
   to local shelters in need of rabbit supplies. Amy recently
   shipped several cottages to the Hayward Rescued Rabbits
   in Northern California, much to the delight of the bunnies as
   well as their foster mom, who is constantly searching for
   new ways to keep them entertained. Amy, your generosity
   is most appreciated!

   The Cottontail Cottage is available for purchase from many
   HRS chapters throughout the U.S., helping with their
   fundraising efforts, plus several online retailers. For a list of
   purchase locations, more information about the Cottage,
   and pictures of lots of bunnies enjoying their Cottontail
   Cottages, go to: http://tinyurl.com/6sxek



   ** HRS Featured Chapter of the Month

   Central Alabama EARS
   (Encouraging Alabama Rabbit Support)

   Written by: Laurie Gigous, HRS Vice President

   Chapter Co-Managers: Linda Howard, Val Rocco
   Board of Directors
   Val Rocco, President
   Kelsey Rocco, Vice President & Recording Secretary
   Linda Howard, Treasurer
   Paris Grey, Corresponding Secretary, Rabbit's Tale Editor
   Deb Kirkland, Educator
   Blythe Monheit, Director

   The Alabama Chapter of the House Rabbit Society started
   their "in training" status in 2001. In 2003, the chapter split
   into two separate groups: North East Alabama House
   Rabbit Society and Central Alabama EARS. EARS
   became a fully licensed HRS chapter in March of 2004.

   Currently, EARS boasts four fully licensed fosterers, three
   fosterers in training, 2 satellite foster homes, 5 fully licensed
   educators and 4 educators in training. They have 21
   volunteers in addition to those licensed educators. To date,
   EARS has rescued 44 rabbits (21 in 2004) and adopted
   out 32, 12 in the first quarter of 2004! They currently have
   22 rabbits in foster care.

   EARS has been working with the Greater Birmingham
   Humane Society, Shelby County Humane Society, Lee
   County Humane Society, Tuscaloosa Animal Shelter, and
   Alexander City Animal Shelter to help place their rabbits,
   either in foster or permanent homes, and to educate their
   staff, volunteers and the general public on the care,
   behavior, etc. of rabbits. One of their proudest
   accomplishments was putting a halt to the horrible act of
   giving away rabbits at carnivals by Helena Elementary
   School and the Shelby County schools. Happily, Linda
   Howard was asked to come back to the Helena
   Elementary School this year to give a talk to the students
   and faculty about the proper care of rabbits, thus
   educating them on the reason rabbits, or any live animal,
   should not be given away as prizes.

   Several times a year, Central Alabama EARS hosts a
   B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bunny) party. I was privileged
   to be invited to attend their most recent event at Chapter
   Co-Manager Linda Howard's home. Several (only the
   healthy and sociable please!) bunnies came by to visit,
   along with their humans. And of course, those rabbits who
   do not like to travel sent their humans alone. Not only was
   this a terrific fund raising event, with items such as logo
   baseball caps and hand painted bunny picture frames to
   lots of bunny toys and treats available, but it also gave
   those attending the opportunity to meet other rabbit people
   and, of course, to talk about their critters.

   Events -

   Some of the events that Central Alabama EARS attends
   are listed below. Not only do these events bring the idea
   of rabbits as companions, they also allow the EARS
   volunteers to teach people about rabbits and their care. In
   Birmingham: Bark in the Park, DooDah Day, and
   Wagathon. In Tuscaloosa: Brownie's Pet Extravaganza,
   Homeless Pets Rally, And Pet Paw-Loosa.

   Fundraising -

   To raise funds for the spay and neuter of their foster buns,
   and any medical care that may be needed while they are in
   the fostering system, Alabama EARS has the following fund
   raising programs (among others). They provide boxes of
   timothy hay to one of their veterinary hospitals who puts
   the income "on account" to cover the costs of EARS'
   spays and neuters.

   For a $20 donation, your own rabbit can sponsor an
   EARS foster rabbit! The sponsor bun's picture will appear
   on the website next to the foster rabbit.

   Spare change? EARS will provide you with a Fun-Bun
   Money Jar. All you have to do is drop in your change at
   the end of the day. When the jar is full, exchange it for an
   empty one!

   Another wonderful fundraising activity they participate in is
   a program at Barnes and Nobles Book Stores where non-
   profits are given the opportunity to sign up for several days
   and wrap gifts at their local stores. B & N provides the
   space and all materials needed to wrap gifts while
   non-profit organizations provide the manpower in
   exchange for donations. We usually take the three days
   preceding Christmas and wrap gifts from 10 a.m. to
   11 p.m. These are the busiest and most profitable days
   during the entire Christmas season.

   Donations -
   Currently, Alabama EARS is looking for donations of:
   x-pens (to house foster rabbits); a digital camera to take
   pictures of the foster rabbits for publication; stamps for
   mailing out care information; photocopying of handouts;
   litter boxes with grates, food and water bowls; Care Fresh
   litter; gift certificates to: Petmed, Riverview Animal Clinic
   or Becker VMA Animal Clinic for spays & neuters,
   Oxbow Hay Company.

   To contact Alabama EARS, please visit their website at:
   www.alabamaears.org. To contribute a donation to support
   Alabama EARS, please send a check to:

   Alabama EARS
   940 Beech Lane
   Birmingham AL 35213

   You can also make a donation to Alabama EARS through the HRS
   website at http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/donation.html. Please
   be sure to include "Alabama EARS" in the designation field to
   ensure that we are able to direct your donation to the chapter.



   ** Chapter Updates

   * San Francisco/Peninsula Chapter

   San Francisco/Peninsula Chapter (http://tinyurl.com/yskdd)
   Manager Donna Jensen writes: "We are in the process of
   teaching are annual Summer Camp 101 at Peninsula
   Humane Society. It is a week long camp which runs
   during the months of July and Aug. The children mostly
   come from the Peninsula and range in age of 8 to 10 years.
   There are about 15 children in the camp. The rabbit class
    is about 30 min. longs for two groups of children 8 in
   each group.

   They see the video on activities that promote a Bunny's
   Fitness first and then I give a talk on rabbit care. My dog
   Teddy's always come to the camp to show he kids that
   dogs and rabbits can be friends. We bring Charlotte
   or Sawyer one of are educational rabbits for the kids to do
   a hands on with. They can pet or even feed the rabbit.
   Charlotte has been teaching this class for five years now
   and is always a big hit."


   * Buckeye Chapter

   The Buckeye Chapter (www.ohare.org) celebrated their
   Southern Ohio summer picnic on July 24th at Julefs Park in
   Cincinnati.

   The Buckeye House Rabbit Society has fantastic news
   about Finn, a sweet bunny born with a cruel leg deformity
   and, was thought, destined for a wheel-cart. To read the
   update and see current photos of pretty Finn, please go to:
   http://www.ohare.org/specials.htm#finn.

   Kudos to all involved in Finn's foster and medical care.
   This is rabbit care at it's finest!


   * Rhode Island

   Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue in Rhode Island
   (www.sweetbinks.org) had a Members' Potluck Luncheon
   on July 3rd. It was a great day with lots of wonderful food
   and a very good turnout. Member Elizabeth Lloyd
   conducted a NIC Condo demonstration and 3 large
   condos were donated to Sweet Binks for our sponsorship
   program. A great opportunity for Sweet Binks members to
   get together and share bunny tales and more!

   Sweet Binks had a large fundraising party on Aug. 28th at
   VASA Park in Foster, RI. There were several live music
   groups, food, beverages. and many great raffle prizes such
   as a week Maine vacation home, original artwork and
   more.


   * Solano/Sonoma Chapter

   The Solano/Sonoma Chapter (www.northbaybunnies.org)
   has created a tri-fold brochure entitled "Rabbits Make
   Great House Pets" which is loaded with pictures and
   practical, easy to understand care directions. The
   brochure is available in English and Spanish and any group
   can add their logo to the front panel. It is under
   consideration by Solano County Animal Control. For a
   copy in Quark X-Press or .pdf, email:
   auntsylbun@...

   Another myxomatosis case has been confirmed in the
   Solano/Sonoma Chapter area. The chapter has a 2-page
   article about this horrific & deadly disease which describes
   how symptoms develop over the incubation period and
   discussing one experimental treatment. To obtain a copy
   of this article, write to: auntsylbun@... with the
   phrase "short myxo" in the subject line.

   Partly due to the myxomatosis cases, chapter leadership
   has committed to building screened outdoor exercise areas
   for their foster and sanctuary homes. They urgently need
   building materials and would welcome gift certificates from
   Home Depot as well as cash donations.

   If you can help, please send donations to:
   HRS - Solano/Sonoma Chapter
   8045 Mirabel Ave
   Forestville CA 95436.


   ** NEW HRS Items Available at Cafepress

   Dozens of brand new tee shirts, mugs and buttons are
   available at a new cafepress.com shop:
   http://www.cafepress.com/hayward_rabbits. Proceeds
   from the sale of these items go to the care of the Hayward
   Rescued Rabbits and other bunnies in need. More items
   are on the drawing board so please, check the store for
   more new items in upcoming weeks. Thank you!


   ** Join House Rabbit Society Today!

   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


   ** Aimee, Apple, Hope, Lulu, Toby and Zorro **

   This newsletter is dedicated to these six very special rabbits.
   Some were horribly abused. Most were special needs. All
   left us far too soon.

   http://tinyurl.com/6dvzw
   http://tinyurl.com/3r83r


          ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

What's New? at House Rabbit Society - June 2004


   ** California Rabbits Confiscated in Cruelty Case

   On May 12, after a two day House Rabbit Society
   investigation, HRS and East Bay Animal Advocates
   volunteers joined 3 Animal Control officers in confiscating
   29 rabbits from a private residence in Hayward CA. The
   rabbits were kept in unimaginably horrific conditions. All
   the rabbits (plus 2 others, later relinquished to Hayward
   Animal Control) are currently in HRS quarantined foster
   care. Several require medical treatment, some extensive.

   Hayward Animal Control Services will be presenting a
   report to the Alameda County District Attorney's office
   later this month; recommending that "cruelty" and
"failure
   to provide medical care" charges be filed against the
   Hayward couple that kept these poor rabbits.
   Additionally, Hayward Animal Control will propose that
   the couple never again be allowed to keep rabbits.

   When the District Attorney receives the report, we ask
   that you write to his office in support of prosecution of this
   heinous crime. Go to: http://tinyurl.com/37osd for
   background on this case. Check this same page regularly
   for updates and look for the announcement that Your
   Letter To The District Attorney is NEEDED NOW. We
   MUST demonstrate to the DA's office that cruelty to
   rabbits is as big a concern to the public as it is for other
   species.

   All of the Hayward rabbits are being spayed and neutered.
   A few have required other surgeries and yet others will
   require long-term care. Taking care of the Hayward
   rabbits, on top of the usual four to five dozen rabbits in the
   care of the HRS National Shelter and its fosterers, has
   driven the House Rabbit Society veterinary bill to over
   $11,000. We need your support now, more than ever
   before. Please, donate whatever you can.

   Please remember too, many of our chapters have led such
   large rescues as well, and all could use your support. To
   specifically support the medical fund for the Hayward
   rabbits, you can securely donate to:

   http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

   just put "Hayward rabbits" in the designation field. To
   donate to another chapter's efforts, please visit their
   website directly at: http://tinyurl.com/34hjw


   ** Proposed Rat & Rabbit Kill on Hawaiian Island

   State and federal agencies want to rid little Lehua Island of
   the rats and rabbits that have left it denuded and with
   limited habitat for seabird nesting. For the full story, go to:
   http://tinyurl.com/27fsn
   http://tinyurl.com/29pw7


   ** Love All the Animals

   The following letter, entitled "Love All the Animals" was
   published in the New York Times on 5.30.04:

   To the Editor:

   Re "One Man's Cuddly Critter Is Another Man's
   Varmint" (Week in Review, May 23):
   Most people don't want to kill or harm animals they are
   educated about. Compassion knows no bounds, and we
   humans have plenty of compassion to share with all
   animals, human and nonhuman. When we save animals,
   we save ourselves.
   SHERRIL DURBIN ~ Mounds, Okla, May 24, 2004


   ** Every HRS Chapter Needs a Bobby

   A little rescued Dutch boy named Bobby earns his keep at
   a shop in Northern Scotland.
   http://tinyurl.com/ywvzr
   http://tinyurl.com/38m82


   ** HRS Chapter Item of the Month

   In July 2003, The Buckeye House Rabbit Society
   http://www.ohare.org took a little girl bunny named Finn
   into their foster program. Finn was born with a deformed
   kneecap and, as she grew, her leg grew terribly twisted
   forcing her good leg to grow twisted also. In March 2004,
   surgery on Finn's right leg did not go as well as hoped;
   some of her brittle bones shattered. Now, with her left leg
   deformed as well, Finn's doctor feels that her only chance
   at having an acceptable quality of life is to amputate her
   right leg and have a custom-built cart, enabling Finn to be
   sufficiently mobile. http://tinyurl.com/22f2m

   In order to pay for the supplies and veterinary bills for
   Finn and other bunnies in their foster program, the
   Buckeye HRS Chapter sells lovely note cards, created for
   the chapter, by Ohio artist Patti Seligman. Patti designed 4
   cards, drawing charming pictures of her own animal family.
   Each card includes important information about rabbit
   care. The cards are bundled in packs of 12 (3 of each
   design) for $9.00. http://tinyurl.com/2tbo9

   All proceeds from the sale of these cards go directly to the
   Buckeye Chapter foster program. So when you purchase
   these cards, you're not only spreading the word that rabbits
   are great indoor companions, you are also helping a bunny
   in need, a bunny like Finn.


   ** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates

   * Las Vegas

   Las Vegas HRS http://tinyurl.com/2zdll was recently
   accepted as a Chapter in Training!

   Chapter Manager, Maria Perez, currently directs a
   Nevada Community Foundation, The Bunny Rescue Fund,
   which supports local nonprofit organizations in their efforts
   to spay/neuter and care for bunnies; place them for
   adoption in caring homes; and provide necessary
   education to their future owners. The Bunny Rescue Fund
   hopes to incorporate as the Las Vegas House Rabbit
   Society and will then grant the BRF monies to Las Vegas
   HRS. The fund was specifically set up as a stepping-stone
   to an HRS chapter.

   In addition to educating the Las Vegas community about
   rabbits and their care, this chapter will begin with three
   primary focuses:

   1) Golf Courses – Rabbit dumping on Las Vegas golf
   courses is rampant, and, as they can have a litter of babies
   every 30 days, the problem escalates quickly. Solutions to
   this "problem" are, flooding their burrows and drowning
   them, poisoning them, or burying them alive. There is no
   any agency in Las Vegas to deal with this problem in a
   more humane way.

   2) Housing Developments - With the rapidly expanding
   housing developments moving into the wilderness areas,
   incidents of coyotes killing pets are on the rise. Las Vegas
   HRS is designing an anti rabbit dumping campaign to
   inform Las Vegas residents that if they do not want their
   cat or dog eaten, they best stop dumping rabbits. Maria
   Perez announces, "We will launch a media campaign to
   drive membership and educational outreach promoting the
   anti dumping campaign."

   3) Climate - Another important issue in the Las Vegas
   region is the scorching heat and how poorly domestic
    rabbits handle the desert climate.

   Congratulations Maria and welcome to HRS!


   * Colorado

   Colorado House Rabbit Society http://tinyurl.com/35fkw
   welcomes Dr. Matthew Johnston to Colorado!! Dr.
   Matthew Johnston is the new assistant professor of exotic
   animal medicine at the James L. Voss Veterinary Teaching
   Hospital at Colorado State University. He recently moved
   to Fort Collins from Philadelphia, where he had completed
   his exotic animal residency at the University of Pennsylvania
   and served on staff for one year. While at Penn, he worked
   closely with the HRS of Pennsylvania, helping to establish
   Penn as a nationally recognized center for rabbit clinical
   work. He is working to establish this same reputation here
   at CSU. Colorado HRS Co-Chapter Manager Nancy
   LaRoche writes, "We are delighted to have Dr. Johnston
   at CSU! At last, we can expect our rabbits to receive
   quality treatment there."

   Colorado HRS announces, "SPRING HAS SPRUNG!
   Our FLING WILL BE FLUNG!" The annual Colorado
   HRS Spring Fling will be held on June 19th from 11:00 a.m.
   until 3:00 p.m. at their beautiful chapter headquarters.
   Though the Spring Fling 2004 is still in the planning stages,
   they guarantee tons of fun for their members and their buns.


   * New Jersey

   In March and May, New Jersey House Rabbit Society
   http://www.njhrs.com held community meetings in Old
   Bridge and Whippany. At these meetings, chapter
   representatives met with NJHRS members and supporters
   and discussed volunteer opportunities with NJHRS to help
   rabbits in need. NJHRS will be scheduling these meeting
   throughout the year across the state.

   NJHRS joined with the Monmouth County SPCA and
   North Shore Animal League for a day of outreach and
   adoption on April 23. They hope to continue partnering
   with MCSPCA and NSAL for similar events in the future.

   NJHRS, with the help of Sondra Edwards, participated in
   Petco's annual Adoption Weekend, May 1 at the Edison
   store. We had educational literature on proper rabbit care,
   brought rabbits for adoption and were available to answer
   questions. Two bunnies, Clooney and Belle, found a great
   home! (NJHRS thanks Jenny Lach for providing Clooney
   and Belle with a wonderful foster home until their recent
   adoption.)

   That same weekend, volunteers Nancy Amacker and Beth
   Platner staffed the NJHRS table at the Totowa Petco that
   same weekend. On Saturday, May 8, NJHRS Board
   Member Tracy Turner, with the help of Tammy Spilliotis
   and Lynn Zguro-Velluzi, staffed a table at PNC Bank's
   Second Annual Pet Adoption Day. On that day, in addition
   to distributing NJHRS information, networking and
   answering questions, Tracy assisted the Monmouth
   County SPCA and placed 5 shelter bunnies in homes. The
   adopters went home laden with bunny care information.

   NJHRS was recently contacted for their input on a book
   called "Rabbits for Dummies". The book is described as a
   useful reference for those who aren't experts as well as
   those who know zero about rabbits. Even people who
   know a thing or two about bunnies can benefit from this
   book, as it's a reference for behavior and health. NJHRS
   imparted valuable information to the author and NJHRS
   will be acknowledged in the book.

   NJHRS recently appeared on News12 New Jersey's
   adoption segment titled "Furry Friends". The NJHRS
   rabbits were a big hit. The producers were so pleased that
   they have asked NJHRS to be regular on the show!
   NJHRS thanks Andrea and Jo Lubin for arranging this
   wonderful public outreach opportunity.


   * Kansas City

   The Kansas City MO Chapter http://tinyurl.com/393ws
   held their first ever public Everything Bunny meeting on
   May 15th at one of their vet's offices training rooms.
   Attending bunnies received free nail trimmings and, for
   those with long hair, free haircuts! Kansas City Chapter
   will host these meetings on the 3rd Saturday of every
   month. Potential adopters and those wishing to volunteer
   with the chapter are more than welcomed to attend.

   On Saturday June 5th, the Kansas City Chapter held an
   adoption day at the Petsmart in Merriam, Kansas. On that
   same day, the Kansas City Chapter was invited to
   participate with all Kansas City rescue groups, to sell
   chapter items at a local shopping mall.


   * Alabama EARS

   On May 1, EARS participated in the 25th Annual Do Dah
   Day (an animal care awareness event in Birmingham). They
   had a float in the parade and spent the afternoon educating
   people from all over Alabama about bunny care and
   behavior. Photos of the float and the parade can be found
   at www.AlabamaEARS.org by following the link "events
   2004."

   EARS volunteers Connie Cowan and Connie Troop
   organized a yard sale that brought in $850 for foster bun
   care.

   In June, EARS will be featured on the cover of Critter
   Magazine! Paris Grey, EARS Corresponding Secretary
   wrote an article entitled "Bringing up Bunny: 10 Tips for a
   Happy and Healthy Bunny" for the premier issue of Critter
   Magazine Birmingham, AL edition. The cover will feature
   an EARS foster bunny and will include several foster rabbit
   photos inside. The editor refers to it as the "bunny issue".

   On May 20, Linda Howard, CM, and volunteer Connie
   Cowan spoke at Critter Career Day at Helena Elementary
   School. Linda and Connie spoke to a large group of
   kindergardners, first and second graders about what it is
   really like to live with rabbits. They also passed out the
   HRS coloring book and lots of take home information for
   those homes that already have rabbits.


   * San Francisco/Peninsula

   Evening Magazine, a hugely popular Bay Area television
   program, recently filmed a show at San Francisco/
   Peninsula HRS http://tinyurl.com/yskdd chapter manager
   Donna Jensen's home. Evening Magazine ran a story
   filmed at the HRS Richmond shelter a few months prior
   and they weren't certain they wanted to do another rabbit
   story, that is, until the producer went to Donna's home
   and was impressed by Donna's work on behalf of rabbits.
   The program will include this HRS chapter's work as well
   as Donna's rescuing efforts from the Peninsula Humane
   Society and, as Donna puts it, "The rabbits will be the
   stars of this show."


   * San Francisco/Marin

   SF/Marin HRS Chapter http://www.saveabunny.com
   participated in the Marin Human Race, a countywide
   walk/run benefiting over 140 nonprofit agencies – and
   won!! A regular chapter volunteer recruited her friend, a
   champion, high school cross-country runner, to "RUN FOR
   THE BUNS," and her friend was the first woman to win to
   the race!  Theses compassionate and caring volunteers,
   both 17 years old, were each awarded $100 in prize
   money, which they generously donated to SaveABunny!
   Marin County Newspapers covered the event and
   interviewed the winners who spoke on behalf of rabbits in
   need.

   SaveABunny-SF/ Marin Chapter bunnies are giving back
   to the community, by sharing their love with people in need.
   Chapter Manager, Marcy Schaaf, partners with Marin
   Humane Society and San Francisco Animal Care and
   Control to bring a rabbit for animal assisted therapy with
   high risk and special needs children in San Francisco and
   Marin. Many of these children are victims of domestic
   violence and have witnessed acts of cruelty and abuse to
   animals and people. For a few hours, they deeply respond
   to the healing power of the unconditional love and
   incredible softness and gentleness of a rescued rabbit that
   they can kiss and share their secrets with.

   Resident chapter sanctuary bunny, "Oinky," a dapper and
   charismatic, senior gentleman chocolate and white Dutch
   rabbit mingled with and wowed rock 'n roll legend Grace
   Slick of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship at an art
   exhibit and party featuring her artwork in a Sausalito
   gallery. While Oinky had not officially RSVP'd to attend
   the event... Chapter Manager Marcy Schaaf and volunteer,
   Chris Asimos, figured that Oinky would fit right in with
   Grace Slick's stunning artwork (many including white
   rabbits) and her fondness for "breaking the rules."

   As soon as Grace held Oinky she was mesmerized, as was
   the entire crowd at the gallery. Grace told the crowd about
   a neighbor from her childhood who always had 40 white
   rabbits, and her sad realization later in life that he was
   raising them for food and fur.  Since then she has always
   felt a special connection with rabbits and features them in
   her music and artwork. Oinky was a highlight of the
   evening, and shared the spotlight with Grace for the rest of
   the event, meeting and touching the hearts of a good
   portion of the attendees. http://tinyurl.com/yplk8

   On June 5th, San Francisco/Marin Chapter hosted
   "Bunderful", a fundraising garden party featuring a
   scrumptious vegan and vegetarian dinner, fine wind and
   live jazz. The event sold out early and received rave
   reviews.


   * Indiana

   Indiana HRS Chapter http://www.indianahrs.org  has been
   very busy the past two months, participating in a host of
   large, public-outreach events. In April, Indiana HRS
   worked with the North Shore Animal League on the Tour
   for Life event, Earth Day, and, participated with the
   Humane Society of Indianapolis in a shelter fundraiser, the
   Mutt Strut.

   On May 1st, Indiana HRS ambitiously worked two events
   on the same day, the 500 Kids Festival (50,000 people)
   and a Pet Fest Adoptathon at the State Fairgrounds (3000
   attendees) and finally, worked an 8 hour Rabbit Expo on
   May 8th.

   With December's "Home for the Holidays" adoption event
   (15 adoptions), Indiana HRS provided complimentary
   local and national HRS memberships for Humane Society
   of Indianapolis (HSI) Rabbit Adopters. The drive was
   designed to reduce re-surrenders and to provide the
   necessary support critical for rabbits adopted from shelters
   where rabbits are not altered prior to placement. After the
   holiday promotion ended, Indiana made the decision to
   extend the complementary local membership to HSI rabbit
   adopters - to date, 26 have been issued. Indiana HRS
   recently committed to expand this program statewide and
   is working out the complex logistics of the program.

   Indiana HRS trained Humane Society of Indianapolis
   customer service, vet techs, and kennel staff on rabbit care,
   behavior and adoptions. This chapter is currently working
   with the shelter to rewrite all of their staff training for intake
   profiles, behavior evaluation, rabbit care, and adoption
   policies. The shelter was generous in sharing resources
   and the feedback has been very positive.

   Co-Chapter Manager, Amy Young-Leith will be serving as
   a "peer trainer" for other shelters. The Indiana chapter has
   been working with HIS, an excellent shelter model, for 4
   years. Amy is currently developing resources for shelters
   statewide, in an effort to help them build high-quality
   rabbit adoption programs.



   ** Please Help Us Help All the Rabbits.

   At this time when House Rabbit Society's needs are so
   great, please consider providing additional support by
   making as generous a tax-deductible donation as you
   possibly can:

   http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685


   ** Join House Rabbit Society

   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, The House Rabbit Journal. Please go to:
   http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


              ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

What's New? at House Rabbit Society ~ May 2004


    ** Rabbits Are Not Easter Presents ~ Media Coverage

    Nationwide, in magazines, newspapers, radio spots, letters
    to editors and on local evening news, the message was
    broadcast, "They're not just Easter bunnies, they're year-
    round bunnies." Stories appeared as early as three weeks
    prior to Easter. Following is a sampling of the coverage,
    listed in order by date.

    Print:
    Long Island:  http://tinyurl.com/29b5a
    Oakland:       http://tinyurl.com/2an9p
    San Diego:    http://tinyurl.com/ywp74
    Seattle:         http://tinyurl.com/2e6xf
    San Diego:    http://tinyurl.com/2cbrh
    Warwick RI: http://tinyurl.com/ytsay
    (Sign-up required to view next three articles.)
    Kansas City: http://tinyurl.com/2syx6
    Minnesota:    http://tinyurl.com/24alw
    Philadelphia:  http://tinyurl.com/yq6v5

    Video:
    CBS The Early Show: http://tinyurl.com/237ur
    Rhode Island Sweet Binks video: http://tinyurl.com/28nfl

    Kudos to everyone who helped spread the word.


      ** PETA's "Get That Bunny Off Your Back!"

    PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) has
    added a new element to their well established "Fur Is Dead"
    campaign, focusing solely on the rabbit fur industry. As
    reported here in March, the rabbit fur industry is rapidly
    expanding to meet this hugely popular fashion demand.
    House Rabbit Society applauds and supports PETA's
    efforts to combat the rabbit fur industry.
    http://www.furisdead.com/feat/bunny/index.html

    ~ What You Can Do: http://tinyurl.com/29oao
    ~  Free "Fur Is Dead" Stickers: http://tinyurl.com/2rw44


    ** Plant City Florida High School Teacher Update

    Last month, What's New? informed you of a Florida High
    School agriculture teacher killing sick baby rabbits in front
    of her students. PETA had issued an action alert calling for
    the revocation of her teaching credentials. Please send a
    message to the Florida State Board of Education in
    support of this effort.   http://tinyurl.com/ystbx


    ** Summer Vacation Planning for Your Rabbits

    Are you thinking about taking your rabbits with you on
    vacation? Should you board them or would it be better to
    have in-home care? Carolyn Mixon's article, "Will Your
    Rabbit Travel or Stay Home?", offers pros and cons of
    each of these options, helping you make the best decision
    for your rabbit's holiday. http://tinyurl.com/2tk2g


    ** Trouble Trimming Nails?

    Here is a great tip from San Diego HRS to help keep
    your rabbit's nails trimmed: http://tinyurl.com/3h98w


    ** HRS Chapter Item of the Month

    Kansas City Missouri House Rabbit Society has two
    brand new tee shirt designs, just in time for the hot
    summer months. The shirts feature charming cartoonish
    rabbits, with an emphasis on their houses. The silly happy
    shirts are available in Sea Foam Green or Steel Blue. To
    view and order the shirts, please go to:
    http://tinyurl.com/28abm. (If you scroll to the bottom of
    the page, you'll find the ever popular "Bunny Hugger"
    shirt!)

    The Kansas City Missouri Chapter was founded in 1987
    and has saved over 1,500 rabbits. Currently, this chapter
    is providing lifetime sanctuary for 40 rabbits, rabbits such
    as the adorable Snowpea (http://tinyurl.com/2jxu2).
    Snowpea developed head tilt just 3 days after entering
    the Kansas City foster program. Snowpea's foster mom,
    Jennifer Habernal writes, "She is my special girl and lives
    in our living room and when it's playtime, she is all over
    the room. She has developed quite a case of "ham-i-ness"
    lately. If anyone comes over, she comes running so that
    everyone can tell her how beautiful she is. Amazing how
    they completely consume one's life, isn't it?"

    When you purchase one of these shirts, you help the
    Kansas City Chapter continue their valuable and effective
    work. When you purchase one of these shirts, you help
    Snowpea, and all of the other Kansas City bunnies just
    like her.


    ** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates

    * New York City
    On April 17, New York City Chapter of House Rabbit
    Society (http://www.rabbitcare.org) began working with
    the NYC shelter system, doing Saturday adoptions
    directly out of the Manhattan shelter. NYC HRS is
    currently working on plans to expand the program to
    Brooklyn shelters.


    * Monterey Peninsula
    The Monterey Peninsula Chapter (http://tinyurl.com/2fwkx)
    recently had a very busy day at the 47th annual Good Old
    Days festival in Pacific Grove, educating all who visited
    their booth about house rabbits and their care. Disturbed
    that the Festival once again had rabbits in their petting zoo,
    Monterey Peninsula chapter has teamed up with Animal
    Friends, a local dog & cat rescue group. Together, they
    will approach the City to convince them to cancel the
    petting zoo indefinitely.


    * Columbus Ohio
    HRS Columbus Chapter (http://www.columbusrabbit.org)
    had an Easter segment on a local news station featuring
    Harper, a chapter foster bunny. The venue was a perfect
    opportunity to promote the Make Mine Chocolate!
    campaign. On April 17th, Columbus HRS participated
    in the Pet Fest America tour, sponsored by HSUS and
    featured IAMS Super Dogs.


    * Wisconsin
    Wisconsin HRS (http://www.wisconsinhrs.org) is enjoying
    their strongest year ever. Their website, recently
    redesigned by Karla Ortman, is generating a record number
    of inquiries and HRS rabbits are finding "forever homes"
    almost weekly. Wisconsin now has 4 foster homes, taking
    in shelter rabbits all across southern Wisconsin. On April
    3rd, they sponsored their first fund-raiser, a Spring Fling at
    the Humane Association of Waukesha Society. Forty-five
    attendees learned about rabbit care and nutrition from
    guest speakers including Dr. John Wirtz, DVM. It was a
    great opportunity to give their shelter rabbits more
    publicity.


    * Solano/Sonoma
    The Solano/Sonoma Chapter kept very busy hosting Meet
    the Bunnies!! events at all 3 shelters for the 3 Saturdays
    prior to Easter. That's a grand total of 12 events in one
    month. Whew! They happily welcome five new Shelter
    Team members to assist in their ambitious efforts.


    * Southern Yosemite
    People don't litter much in national parks, but even so,
    Southern Yosemite HRS is vigilant in keeping the chapter's
    stretch of highway clean. Chapter manager Jan & husband
    Don, donned their rabbit ears and did their bi-monthly
    clean-up on Easter Day, cheered on by many friendly honks
    and waves of support. Vandals recently knocked down all
    signs on a 10-mile stretch of the highway, except one, the
    House Rabbit Society sign just outside Yosemite's
    Southern Gate (http://tinyurl.com/2zmj8). Southern Yosemite
    HRS has been invited to host Rabbit Education Day in
    Yosemite Village. Shelter rabbits will participate in teaching
    the residents about the wonders of Bunnydom and Jan will
    lead discussions on issues concerning rabbits.


    * San Francisco Peninsula Chapter
    In March, the San Francisco Peninsula Chapter
    (http://tinyurl.com/2sugp) hosted a Rabbit, Chinchilla and
    Guinea Pig Day at Peninsula Humane Society. There were
    educational presentations about all of these animals and a
    few shelter bunnies were adopted. A highlight of this event
    was the visits from rabbits who had been adopted from
    the shelter, making for wonderful reunions.

    Then, in April, the San Francisco Peninsula Chapter
    participated in the Peninsula Humane Society's Spring
    Camp 101.  The camp is a week-long educational event to
    teach local children about all of the animals at the shelter.
    Chapter Manager Donna Jensen, her Shih Tzu Teddy, and
    Sawyer (one of the chapter's education rabbits) teach the
    children about rabbits and their care. Admirably, Donna
    discusses the issue of rabbit overpopulation and the fate of
    far too many shelter rabbits, leaving a marked impression
    on the children.


    * Alabama EARS
    Prior to Easter, Alabama EARS (http://tinyurl.com/2r3ar)
    had four television appearances airing in Birmingham,
    Greensboro, NC and Tuscaloosa. The Tuscaloosa
    appearance was a 15-minute segment on a local television
    program, "Great Day Tuscaloosa". Also in Tuscaloosa,
    EARS participated in PetPawloosa - an all day pet
    education event. But their proudest accomplishment for the
    month of April was permanently stopping Helena
    Elementary School from giving rabbits away as carnival
    prizes, something the school had been doing for many
    years.

    EARS Corresponding Secretary, Paris Grey writes:
    "EARS started its campaign to stop rabbits as carnival
    prizes about 1 ¦ years ago when a daughter of one of our
    members won a 3-week old bun at a carnival. Her bunny,
    Baby, was lucky because an EARS family won him. Until
    now, we had little luck stopping the practice."

    This year, EARS got tough. They found an Alabama state
    law that prohibits giving animals as prizes. EARS member
    Ruth Feldersmaus-Stallsmith, along with the EARS Board,
    wrote a letter explaining the law and FAXED it to the
    County Superintendent, the Helena Principal, the School
    Board, Animal Control and, the Police Department. All
    parties were listed on the letter so everyone knew who
    else had received it. Paris happily states," The Helena
    Elementary School contacted us immediately (they found
    Co-Chapter Manager Linda Howard's home number
    which wasn't even listed on the letterhead!) and left a
    short but worried message on our Hopline."

    Helena Elementary agreed to stop giving rabbits away as
    carnival prizes!

    The media got wind of the story and Birmingham's
    WTTO 21 interviewed EARS Co-Chapter Manager,
    Treasurer and Fostering Director, Linda Howard on April
    18th. The reporter described the all-too-common fate of
    "Carnival Prize" rabbits, stating that the rabbits are usually
    discarded at shelters or let go in wooded areas. He cited
    the state law the school district was violating and asked
    Linda for a statement: "EARS will work towards having
    this practice eliminated in all Alabama city and county
    schools and communities." The news segment ended with
    footage of several EARS foster bunnies happily eating,
    grooming and playing where they should be, in a house.

    Paris writes, " We are so encouraged--we look at the
    Helena School system victory as the first of many
    dominoes that will fall. We have a lot of carnival fairs to
    go after this summer. This victory is for the bunnies!"


    **  House Rabbit Society Photo Randomizer

    Big thanks to all of you who sent photos for the HRS web
    site. Several dozen adorable new photos can be seen at the
    Net Bunny Gallery: http://tinyurl.com/2csp2. You can
    submit your rabbit's "Kodak Moment" by emailing it in
    .jpeg format to: photos@....


    ** Join House Rabbit Society Today!

    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, The House Rabbit Journal. Please go to:
    http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


        ~ On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. ~

What's New? at House Rabbit Society - Easter 2004


   ** Easter Gifts Result in Summertime Orphans

   New York City Chapter Manager Mary Cotter and HRS
   Founder and President Marinell Harriman write this year's
   House Rabbit Society Easter message:
   http://www.rabbit.org/easter/hrs2004prnewswire.html


   ** Things You Can Do to Help Rabbits at Easter Time

   ~Distribute Easter Flyers~

   Help Spread the Word: Easter and Bunnies Don't Mix.
   House Rabbit Society has six educational flyers for you to
   post at schools, veterinary clinics, libraries and every other
   public place you visit before April 11th. Spend an hour in
   front of a pet shop handing one to every person entering the
   store. http://www.rabbit.org/easter/flyer/index.html

   ~Send a Letter to the Editor~

   Shelley Stack, manager of the NJ Chapter writes: "Please
   help NJHRS dispel the myth that Easter, kids and rabbits
   are perfect together. Send a letter, well in advance of
   Easter (4/11), to the editor of your local paper to raise
   awareness of this issue with people in your community.
   Write to the editor of your daily newspaper as well as
   your local weekly one. If they receive enough letters, the
   likelihood of one or more being printed is greatly
   increased. For letter writing tips, visit www.rabbit.org. At
   the bottom of the home page, do a search for 'Easter'.
   This will give you many articles and fliers that you can use
   to craft your own letter. Your letter might just be what's
   needed to enlighten a parent and save a rabbit from the
   usual dismal fate of those bought as Easter gifts. Do it
   today. Help make Easter a joyful time for our long-eared
   friends."

   ~ Wear your 'Make Mine Chocolate' Pin ~

   Wear your chocolate rabbit pin everywhere you go and
   educate everyone who inquires about it. If you don't
   already have a pin, you can order one at:
   http://www.columbusrabbit.org/chocolate.html
   (These pins make ideal Easter gifts.)

   ~Read this Book~

   This newly published book is a true story about an Easter
   rabbit. Give this book to all the children you know, young
   and old alike. http://tinyurl.com/3347g

   ~Spend a Day at Your Local Animal Shelter~

   Devote one afternoon to volunteering at your local animal
   shelter educating visitors about the wonderful and complex
   world of rabbits.


   ** Hats Off to the Solano/Sonoma HRS Chapter!

   On March 13, the Solano/Sonoma HRS Chapter launched
   their 'Meet the Bunnies' program at the Solano County
   Animal Control and Care shelter in Fairfield, California.

   Apparently their press releases made it to the newspapers
   and local radio station. The Fairfield paper came and took
   photos for a longer Sunday edition article. The shelter was
   swamped with bunny lovers and potential bunny lovers
   who came to meet the rabbits living at the shelter, and
   their first public workshop had six paid attendees!!!
   Volunteers sat in X-pens with the rabbits, answering
   questions from visitors, sold House Rabbit Society
   Handbooks and distributed HRS educational materials.

   Chapter Managers Sylvia WynnLindeman and
   Julia Homenko write: "'Meet the Bunnies' is now a weekly
   event at this shelter and the new Director, Ron Whitfield,
   tells us that when their new reception/administration wing
   is built, the rabbits will be housed in condos in the beautiful
   new adoption room!

   Just to put it all in perspective, the rabbits at this shelter are
   currently relegated to a three sided shed in a field out
   behind the buildings and up until Ron came on board in
   November, had no visible presence whatsoever as far as
   the public was concerned.

   In the two years we've been involved at this shelter, the
   shelter has made precisely one rabbit adoption - and that
   only after a staff member (trained by Patrick, a Team
   Anchor) took it upon himself to call the paper and ask
   that they run a picture of the several rabbits whose time
   had run out. (We've taken nearly 100 rabbits out of this
   facility in the past two years and found homes for them,
   losing only 7 feral and diseased bunnies.) The shelter's
   former rabbit adoption fee was $5 and they did not spay
   or neuter.

   Now the new HRS 'Did You Know?' poster is proudly
   displayed in the reception area and we are in the process
   of helping them develop a 'Rabbit Wall' of literature and
   pictures. All adopted rabbits are spayed or neutered and
   the adoption fee has been raised to $75! (The same fee as
   for cats.)

   A local business-sponsored television ad, promoting one
   adoptable animal per spot, now includes bunnies! And -
   chapter volunteers will be showcasing bunnies housed at
   the shelter for 4 hours every Saturday in X-pens set up in
   their reception area.

   At the Humane Society of Sonoma County, chapter
   members and volunteers have lobbied ceaselessly for the
   rabbits' right to live indoors, be prominently displayed, be
   spayed or neutered and have an adoption fee that
   correlates more appropriately to their worth as
   companions.

   This branch of the chapter began their 'Meet the Bunnies'
   program 1-? years ago. The shelter now has five regular
   bunny-huggers and boasts 2 to 3 two hour Showcases per
   week (where resident bunnies are displayed in X-pen
   habitats). Volunteers help the staff to screen potential
   adopters and the trend is clearly to have more adopters
   setting up their new lagomorph family members in the
   house!

   The shelter has done a good job of publicizing these dates,
   ran an excellent article about rabbits as companions - and
   HRS - in its magazine, regularly shows bunnies in their
   television spots, invites volunteers to contribute bunny-
   wise to staff meetings and, generally come a long way in
   supporting our work there. Needless to say, rabbit
   adoptions at the Humane Society of Sonoma County have
   increased over the 1 ?  year term of the 'Meet the
   Bunnies' Showcase program.

   Well! On March 14th we learned that in the brand new
   HSSC facility (scheduled to open within the next 30 days)
   rabbits will live not only indoors but will dwell merrily in
   twelve X-pen based habitats, each complete with toys,
   tunnels and bunny condos! The habitats will be set up in
   three rooms - one at the front, near the entrance/reception
   area and two further back in the building.

   What major steps forward for Bunnykind in our two
   counties! Hats off to our wonderful shelter team!"


   ** SF/Marin Chapter Letter to the Editor (Correction)

   In the February 2004 What's New? at House Rabbit
   Society, the link to the San Francisco Chronicle letter,
   written by SF/Marin Chapter Manager Marcy Schaaf, was
   misprinted. The correct link is: http://tinyurl.com/yrzsz
   Apologies to all, especially Marcy!


   ** What is this Teacher Really Teaching Her Students?

   In early February, a Florida High School Agriculture
   teacher killed 2 newborn rabbits with a shovel, in front of
   her students. Animal Control has charged her with animal
   cruelty violations while the school district "might" issue a
   warning letter.
   http://tinyurl.com/37x3k
   http://tinyurl.com/37u6j

   Should you wish to express your thoughts:
   Plant City High School Principal:
   Charles.Raburn@...
   Plant City High School Teacher:
   Jane.Bender@...


   ** HRS Chapter Item of the Month

   San Diego House Rabbit Society offers a stunning sterling
   silver Prayer Box necklace, decorated with a rabbit and
   heart motif. This unique piece of jewelry would make a
   wonderful Easter or Mother's Day gift. Buy one for a
   rabbit lover in your life or be indulgent and get one for
   yourself.  http://www.tinyurl.com/2bvrq

   The San Diego HRS was founded in 1990 and has over
   650 members. This chapter has ambitious foster, adoption
   and public education programs. Additionally, SDHRS has
   an enormous presence in the area shelters, educating shelter
   workers, volunteers and visitors about rabbit care. Every
   necklace you purchase helps support these vital programs.


   ** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates

   As we move closer to Easter, our educators, fosterers, and
   chapter volunteers are extra busy, fielding interviews,
   hosting educational events, and holding fundraisers.

   For instance, one of our NYC (http://www.rabbitcare.org)
   educators was interviewed for an excellent article in the
   Long Island Press, and the NYC chapter manager (and
   national Public Relations and Marketing Director) did a
   radio interview for an Iowa show called "Pet Talk".
   Our MD/DC/NoVA chapter (http://tinyurl.com/2j9gj)
   manager recently appeared on the CBS Sunday morning
   news and will be on a local news program just before
   Easter.

   The SF/Marin chapter (http://www.saveabunny.com)
   had a half page article published in the Marin Independent
   Journal this past week and, Margo DeMello was
   interviewed for national pet columnist Steve Dale's
   Easter column on March 31. One of our San Diego
   HRS (http://www.tinyurl.com/2sdd9) volunteers was
   interviewed for the local Fox television affiliate and has
   another 2 interviews scheduled for next week.

   A reporter for the Arkansas Democratic Gazette
   interviewed our Arkansas educator for a pre-Easter
   story following a successful educational program for first
   graders. One of our Buckeye chapter
   (http://www.ohare.org) representatives was interviewed
   on the 'Louie Free Radio' show in Ohio last week, and
   another representative there wrote an article about the
   chapter which will be published in Country Living
   Magazine this month. The Kansas City chapter
   (http://tinyurl.com/2rbk5) has a big article coming out this
   week in the Kansas City Star. The St. Louis chapter
   (http://www.tinyurl.com/22vn7) had an article in the
   St. Louis Post Dispatch and another coming out in the
   Belleville News Democrat, as well as a radio interview
   earlier this month.

   Comedienne, actress and playwright, Amy Sedaris (a
   House Rabbit Society "honorary educator" who speaks
   about rabbits and HRS on television and in articles
   nationally) recently received a letter from a Maryland
   woman who wrote: "After reading so many interviews and
   articles and watching interviews in which you talked about
   Tattletale and Dusty, and what great pets rabbits make, I
   decided to find out more about rabbits. Last week I ended
   up adopting 2 dwarf rabbits from the local animal shelter.
   They're a bonded pair, believed to be a mother and
   daughter. They're such fun and fascinating animals. I'm so
   glad I adopted them. If it weren't for you and your
   "recommendations", I never would have even considered
   rabbits, so thank you!"

   The Kansas City chapter (http://tinyurl.com/2rbk5) is
   gearing up for their 2nd annual benefit concert, to be held
   April 4th, and hosted by the Heart of America Wind
   Symphony. The theme for this year's concert is "At the
   Hop", with 100% of all proceeds going to the Kansas
   City chapter. Minnesota HRS (http://tinyurl.com/22o5w)
   reports that they had a very successful Adopt a Rabbit
   month (February). Of the four shelters participating, over
   60 rabbits found new homes, with each new adopter
   receiving a goodie bag with a complimentary one-year
   HRS membership, a rabbit toy, educational materials, and
   coupons good for up to $50 off rabbit supplies.

   The North Georgia chapter (http://www.rabbitga.org)
   recently had a one-day sale, 'Shop for a Cause', where they
   sold $5 coupons at Rich's, a local store. They allowed the
   chapter to bring a few bunnies and to educate the public on
   house rabbit care. The sale of the coupons netted the
   chapter $3000.00 in one day! And in the Bay Area,
   headquarters (http://tinyurl.com/2vfxh) is gearing up for this
   weekend's third annual pre-Easter luncheon and auction.
   This popular event is a great way for local members to
   meet the adoptable rabbits, bid on great rabbit items, and
   eat a wonderful vegetarian lunch, prepared entirely by local
   volunteers. Finally, we are proud to announce that
   Vancouver Rabbit Rescue (http://www.vrra.org) has
   become our newest chapter, the first ever non-US House
   Rabbit Society chapter!


   ** For Beemer

   Beemer was a little Dutch boy who lived at House Rabbit
   Society for many years. He was a crotchety little man who
   touched the hearts of all who met him.

   He started life as a classroom rabbit. Then he came to
   HRS Headquarters and lived happily with a beloved friend.
   After her death, Beemer's health began to fail him. Little
   Beemer struggled with a severe case of E. cunniculi for
   several years. Every day, he sat by his window, waiting for
   the mail to arrive or an inquisitive neighborhood cat to
   peek in on him.

   Two years ago, another E.cunniculi rabbit named Allie,
   arrived at the shelter and eventually befriended Beemer.
   More often than not, they would be seen snuggled
   together; Beemer straddled crosswise over Allie, sound
   asleep.

   Beemer and Allie went to live with House Rabbit Society
   Founder and President, Marinell Harriman and her
   husband Bob Harriman in the fall of 2003. Just off the
   kitchen, the Harrimans built a special pen for these special
   bunnies. They constructed a platform, level with the
   window, so that Beemer and Allie could watch the daily
   antics of the neighborhood squirrels. Two other special
   needs bunnies joined them and the four became a quirky
   and wonderful family.

   Little Beemer died on March 8th after fighting an infection
   that was bigger than he was.

   Marinell wrote, "I picked up his body from VCA (hospital)
   this morning, and we will bury him this evening under the
   redwood tree, where the squirrels play and can continue to
   entertain him. Allie, Michelle and Apple can watch from the
   window, but it's not as meaningful to them as it was to him.
   I really miss having him on this side of the window."

   Little Man, you are missed more than you could ever
   possibly know.   http://tinyurl.com/27eaw


   ** The HRS Photo Randomizer Wants Your Rabbits!

   Many new photos have been added to the HRS
   randomizer: http://www.rabbit.org/fun/net-bunnies.html .
   We invite you to submit your own special rabbit pictures
   by emailing them to: photos@... . It is best if the
   pictures are sent as email attachments and as jpg files, but
   we can also handle other formats.


   ** Amazon.com Shoppers Help Rabbits for Free

   The next time you purchase a bestseller, teapot or garden
   hose from Amazon.com, 5% of the purchase price will go
   to House Rabbit Society when you use the following link:
   http://tinyurl.com/28afu
   Please tell your friends, family, co-workers and teammates
   about this link so that they too can donate to HRS while
   they shop. For future reference, this link can be found on
   the home page of House Rabbit Society web site:
   www.rabbit.org


   ** Give an HRS Membership to a Friend

   Do you know someone who loves rabbits but is not
   currently a member of House Rabbit Society? Please
   consider buying them a gift membership today. What more
   poignant Easter gift could there be than sharing the support
   of the largest house rabbit advocacy organization in the
   world?

   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


           ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

What's New? at House Rabbit Society - February 2004


    **  SF/Marin Chapter Publishes Letter to the Editor

    On January 11th, The San Francisco Chronicle ran a
    restaurant review in the "Meet and Eat" column, which
    featured a $19. rabbit dish. Marcy Schaaf, manager of the
    San Francisco/Marin chapter of House Rabbit Society,
    wrote a letter that was published in the Chronicle's Sunday
    magazine a month later. The Sunday Chronicle is read by
    literally millions of people. Way to go Marcy!
    <http://tinyurl.com/yrzsz>http://tinyurl.com/yrzsz



    ** Rabbits in the News - Rabbit Haven

    The following news item about Adopt a Rescued Rabbit
    Month appeared in the Register-Pajaronian, a Central
    California newspaper: http://tinyurl.com/2cbkf
    Rabbit Haven has worked in Santa Cruz County since
    1987, focusing on public education and adopting rabbits
    out of the area shelters. Please visit them at:
    <http://www.therabbithaven.org>www.therabbithaven.org
    (They are in need of plush bunny toys for an Easter
    campaign, so if you have any extras, please contact them.)



    ** Make Mine Chocolate! Easter Campaign

    For the second year in a row, the Columbus Ohio chapter
    is sponsoring its Make Mine Chocolate! Campaign. This
    educational campaign focuses on the Easter season,
    encouraging the public to make humane choices when
    selecting Easter gifts. To read more about the program,
    please go to: http://columbusrabbit.org/chocolate.html



    ** Rabbit Fur Becomes Popular in the US

    The following article about the increasing popularity of
    major designers using rabbit fur was published in the Wall
    Street Journal in January 2004.

                                      ***
    Roberta Amon, a fur lover who divides her time between
    New York City and Switzerland, has a mink and a sable in
    her collection of fur coats. But Ms. Amon has a confession
    to make to her Park Avenue friends: She has fallen in love
    with rabbit.

    "They expect me to be in sable," says Ms. Amon, who
    recently bought two rabbit coats. "But when they touch it,
    they go wild."

    Long the poor country cousin of chic mink, the lowly rabbit
    is suddenly growing more fashionable. This season, London
    designer Alexander McQueen chose rabbit to construct his
    best-selling $2,000 bomber jacket covered with metallic
    sequins. Dress designer Diane von Furstenberg used rabbit
    to make a snowy white $1,750 cropped jacket.

    Retailers are cottoning on to rabbit, too. In Manhattan,
    Bergdorf Goodman is showcasing rabbit wraps, coats and
    hats on its main floor next to the fine jewelry and status
    handbag department. At Bloomingdale's, a $198 pale pink
    rabbit poncho from BCBG Max Azia has become a hot
    item. BCBG says one East Coast department store
    recently sold 240 of the ponchos in a week.

    Fueled by a growing demand for affordable luxury, and big
    leaps in rabbit fur quality, rabbit is even catching on among
    women who can afford sable, mink or chinchilla. Denise
    LeFrak Calicchio, a New York socialite who last year
    bought two rabbit tops by Sherry Cassin -- one in pink and
    another in blue -- says her rabbit furs are more "fun" to wear
    than her mink and sable coats while still feeling luxurious.
    "Everything doesn't have to be the most expensive to feel
    good," she says.

    Much of rabbit's new higher status is due to a special breed
    of rabbit known as the "Rex," whose fur is denser and silkier
    than regular rabbit fur. The Rex's growing popularity,
    especially among designers not normally known for working
    with fur, is helping democratize the once elite fur market.
    Now, instead of spending $20,000 and up on a floor-length
    mink status symbol, fur fans are buying a rabbit vest, shawl
    or poncho for just $150 to $2,500.

                                      ***
    Following is a list of links to email addresses and /or guest
    books for the stores and designers mentioned in the above
    article. Please take a few minutes to send them your
    thoughts about rabbits as companions and about the
    inherent cruelty involved in the fur industry.

    Diane von Furstenberg guestbook:
    http://www.dvf.com/guestbook_frameset.html

    Bergdorf Goodman guestbook:
    http://www.ny.com/guestbook/

    Bloomingdale's email form:
   http://tinyurl.com/ze1n

    Designer BCBG:
    http://www.bcbg.com/sp04/web/index2.html

    Alexander McQueen Head Office, street address:
    10 Amwell Street, London, EC1R 1UQ



    ** HRS Chapter Item of the Month

    The Indiana House Rabbit Society chapter is selling note
    cards that would be perfect to carry your Easter messages
    to friends and family. An active and very talented volunteer,
    Sandra Connelly, created these beautiful renditions of
    rabbits she has known and loved.

    The cards are printed on high quality card stock, are blank
    inside and come in sets of four: http://tinyurl.com/3ckts  On
    the same Boutique page, you will find other items which
    also benefit Indiana HRS:  http://tinyurl.com/2cqlv

    Please help support the dedicated and ambitious work of
    this very active House Rabbit Society chapter. 100% of the
    proceeds from any of these items go directly to Indiana
    House Rabbit Society.


    ** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates

    House Rabbit Society's partnership with ASPCA to
    sponsor "Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month" this month has
    been quite a success. HRS has sent out over 600 of our
    new "Did you know" posters to animal shelters and rescue
    groups across North America. And as you can see, our
    chapters have been busy in their own ways in educating
    the public about rabbits.

    In the mountain states, the Colorado House Rabbit Society
    chapter (http://www.coloradohrs.com) just put in a new
    septic tank and plumbing which is the first step towards
    building 16 new aluminum 'runs' for their sanctuary. The
    chapter is also excited to report that the Boulder College
    of Massage Therapy developed a new program of
    massaging animals, based on a year's worth of students
    training at the Colorado HRS sanctuary. Evidently the
    results have been fantastic, with shy rabbits starting to think
    people are wonderful, badly stressed rabbits starting to
    relax, etc. The chapter is now offering massage classes
    themselves!

    In sunny Southern California, the San Diego chapter
    (http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/index.html) is
    getting ready for their Spring Open House slated for
    Saturday, March 27th, which will include refreshments and
    a raffle. If you are in the area, stop by and shop for bunny
    supplies or gifts for yourself (including their beautiful new
    sterling silver prayer box adorned with rabbits and hearts).

    In San Francisco, the SF/Peninsula chapter
    (http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-francisco/index.html)
    held a special bunny class for staffers from Peninsula
    Humane Society and showcased one of their rabbits on a
    local news program.

    In the south, our newest chapter, Alabama EARS
    (http://www.alabamaears.org), participated in 15
    educational events last year, 6 of which the chapter hosted,
    were featured on two local television shows, produced the
    first two issues of their chapter newsletter, and even were
    featured in the DoDahDay parade! They are now gearing
    up for their March BYOB (bring your own bunny) party,
    with bunny boutique, photographer and contest. They are
    also proud to announce that one of their local shelters is
    working with the area veterinary school to develop a
    medical protocol for rabbits at the shelter.

    In New England, the Rhode Island chapter
    (http://www.rirabbits.org) just received their state license to
    operate as an animal shelter, one of eight private shelters
    in RI, which includes other organizations such as the Rhode
    Island SPCA. Animal Print magazine is doing a cover story
    about rabbits for their March issue, written by the chapter
    manager and chapter secretary.

    The New York City chapter (http://www.rabbitcare.org)
    has been working on new fundraising bunny-bracelets with
    the generous help of jewelry designer Kim Renk Dryer, to
    be combined with in-store promotional materials about
    house rabbits. The New Jersey chapter
    (http://www.njhrs.com) is proud to announce they just
    received their tax-exempt determination letter from the
    IRS, after an especially long process. NJ HRS's chapter
    manager will also be speaking about living with house
    rabbits on the regional radio program, Animal Talk, on
    March 29th. NJ HRS is also holding the first of several
    planned Volunteer Drives on March 21st at a Central
    New Jersey library. Busy Bunny treats for bunnies will be
    for sale as well as Jenni Original Soy Candles to raise
    funds for medical costs. The chapter hopes to recruit new
    bunny friends.


    On the East Coast, the Maryland/DC/NoVa chapter
    (http://www.rabbitsinthehouse.org) just had a very
    successful  booth at the World of Pets Expo, followed by a
    visit and talk by Dr. Susan Smith of the Wisconsin chapter,
    who spoke on rabbit nutrition. In March, the chapter will
    have a booth at Pet Fest America, sponsored by the
    Humane Society of the United States, and in April they will
    have a booth at the Super Pet Expo.

    Up in Canada, our British Columbia (<http://www.vrra.org>http://www.vrra.org)
    representative reports that due to HRS's influence, shelters
    are implementing rabbit adoption forms, adoption fees have
    gone up, and spays and neuters are being performed on
    rabbits. Overall treatment is improving at four local shelters
    and ongoing training for shelter staff is continuing, thanks to
    the good work of our Canadian volunteers.

    In the Midwest, the PETCO adoption program being
    piloted by the Minnesota chapter
    (http://www.mnhouserabbit.org) is doing very well and
    recently expanded from two stores to four stores in the
    Twin Cities metro area. In addition, there are plans in the
    works to continue to expand the pilot into 30 or more
    stores. Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month appears to be a
    huge success in Minnesota. So far this month, the total
    number of rabbits looking for a home in the chapter's
    region has dropped from an average of around 100 to an
    average in the low 70s!

    Also in the Midwest, Wisconsin House Rabbit Society
    (http://www.wisconsinhrs.org) continues to expand its
    operations across the state. Wisconsin volunteers now
    operate rabbit socialization and exercise programs in Ozaki,
    Waukesha and Dane County Humane Societies, and at
    Milwaukee's Wisconsin Humane Society. Upcoming spring
    events include Easter education events at the Madison area
    Mounds Pet Food Warehouses, the Wisconsin Pet Expo
    in Madison in May, and their first ever Bunny Day for
    Milwaukee, to be held at the Humane Association of
    Waukesha on April 3rd.

    Finally, the Kalamazoo, Michigan chapter
    (http://michiganhrs.org) is hosting its annual rabbit care and
    training workshops at the Kalamazoo Humane Society in
    early March. This event has been the highest attended
    workshop at the Humane Society for several years running.

    To contribute directly to the work of any of the above
    chapters, please visit their websites.


    ** Wear Your Support for the House Rabbit Society

    A tee shirt? A hat? How about a nightshirt or a new coffee
    cup? All carry the HRS logo and 100% of the profits go
    directly to help the rabbits. Check them out at:
    http://cafeshops.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3



    ** Join House Rabbit Society

    If you are not a member of the 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.
    http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html



    ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
House Rabbit Society
http://www.rabbit.org

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

What's New? at House Rabbit Society - January 2004

** February is National Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month

    House Rabbit Society is proud to announce that we have
    once again partnered with the American Society for the
    Prevention of Cruelty to Animals to sponsor the third
    annual Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month, to be celebrated
    in February. This year's theme is "Warm Your Heart,
    Warm Your Home - Adopt a Rescued Rabbit."

    House Rabbit Society is offering a beautiful four-color
    poster free to shelter and rescue groups wishing to promote
    Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month. The poster is 18" x 24"
    and was created by Hareline Graphics and printed with the
    assistance of Oxbow Hay. The poster features wonderful
    photos by Ken Mark and Mary Cotter. To receive your
    free poster, email margo@... including the address.

    HRS and ASPCA have produced educational materials,
    including articles, a sample press release, sample PSA's,
    fact sheets and more, about adoption of shelter rabbits and
    proper house rabbit care. To obtain these items and for
    more information about Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month,
    please go to:

    http://www.rabbit.org/adopt-a-rabbit-month/press-release-04.html
    http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=rabbitmonth

    Join us in making Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month a
    success. Write a letter to your local newspaper! Send a
    PSA to your favorite radio station! Go to your local animal
    shelter and educate the visitors about house rabbits. And,
    of course, always adopt a rescued rabbit!


** San Francisco/Marin HRS Chapter Has a New Home!

    Nestled, creek side in the woods of Mill Valley, about 15
    minutes north of San Francisco, the facility functions as both
    a private home, for Chapter manager Marcy Schaaf and her
    husband Rob, as well as the Chapter headquarters and foster
    center.

    The two-story home was renovated using the ancient art of
    Feng Shui, generously donated by a talented bunny adopter
    and volunteer. Colors and decoration were specifically
    chosen to facilitate harmony and balance the needs of the
    rabbits and the people who care for them.

    Volunteers enjoy mingling with bunnies in a serene creek
    side setting with an organic vegetable garden coming in the
    spring. The new facility also offers deluxe bunny boarding,
    energy healing work and matchmaking services for the
    discriminating rabbit.

    The San Francisco/Marin Chapter became an official
    House Rabbit Society Chapter in 2003. They have worked
    with HRS for four years and have rescued close to 200
    rabbits. Please visit them at their wonderful new website:

    http://www.SaveABunny.com


** Rabbits in the News in Scotland

    The Scottish SPCA advises parents to reconsider getting
    a pet rabbit for their children. To read the full BBC News
    article, go to:

    http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/scotland/3403693.stm

    Please send a note of thanks to the Scottish SPCA for
    their efforts to educate the public about the plight of the
    domestic rabbit: enquiries@...


** San Diego, California - Feature Chapter of the Month

    The San Diego House Rabbit Society, founded in 1990,
    was the first official chapter of House Rabbit Society. San
    Diego has a solid membership base, with over 650
    members! In addition, they have a dedicated group of
    volunteers including:
    * 6-7 foster homes that care for an average of 35 foster
       buns plus a handful of sanctuary buns
    * 7 Educators volunteering in various capacities
    * 10 volunteers in local shelters
    * Another 12+ volunteers that make everything else the
       chapter does possible!

    Their dedicated volunteer force is able to provide regular
    volunteers to six of the nine area shelters, which has a great
    impact on the rabbits in those shelters! San Diego House
    Rabbit Society volunteers make the difference for these
    shelter rabbits by continuously providing toys, carpet to
    lay on and hay as well as educational information for
    adopters. Their regular presence also helps the shelters to
    learn more about rabbit behavior and care, while
    simultaneously building a positive relationship between the
    shelter and San Diego HRS.

    The San Diego chapter is fortunate to have an official
    office, which is open to the public the 1st and 3rd Saturday
    of each month so people can buy supplies. The office also
    functions as a meeting place for volunteers and members.
    For anyone in the area, San Diego will be having an Open
    House at their office on March 27, 2004. Details on this
    and other chapter events are available on the on the San
    Diego House Rabbit Society website at:

    http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/aboutus/events.html

    Their big annual event is Bunnyfest held in late September.
    This one-day event has grown to attract more than 500
    people - providing the chapter a great fundraising
    opportunity while bunny lovers get an opportunity to shop
    for items for their rabbits and themselves, learn about
    rabbit care, meet other rabbit lovers and bid on nearly 100
    auctions items to help support the chapter.

    Michelle Wilhelms, Chapter Manager, is proud to share
    that the San Diego chapter was able to help sterilize over
    250 rabbits in 2003! That's an average of five rabbits
    every week. Wow!

    Looking forward to 2004, San Diego chapter hopes to
    further expand the number of volunteers working in area
    shelters. Wilhelm says, "It helps in so many ways - helps
    socialize the rabbits there, helps educate the staff and
    public, places an importance on the rabbits in the shelters
    and helps them get adopted before they need to come into
    HRS foster care." If you are in the area and this interests
    you, contact 619-718-7777. If you are not in the San
    Diego area, shelters (and rabbits) all over the country
    could benefit from having rabbit volunteers - contact your
    local HRS chapter, if available, or simply go to a nearby
    shelter and tell them you want to work with the rabbits.

    Anyone interested in keeping up with the activities of the
    San Diego chapter can join for just $10 per year and will
    receive a quarterly newsletter which includes chapter
    activities, heartwarming rabbit stories and general
    information and news about rabbits.

    While their greatest need is for more volunteers, you can
    make a donation to SD HRS right now by going to:

    http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/donation.html

    Click on the
    link for online credit card payments and BE SURE to
    include 'San Diego HRS' in the destination field. We will
    make sure to send the chapter all of your donations. You
    can also contribute via mail by sending donations to:

    House Rabbit Society
    San Diego Chapter
    P.O. Box 2628
    Spring Valley, CA 91979

    To find out more about San Diego's efforts, please visit
    their website at:

    http://rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/index.html

    Here you'll find information about recent and upcoming
    events, photos of all of their adoptable rabbits, information
    on volunteering, and much, much more.


** HRS Chapter Item of the Month

    The Monterey Peninsula Chapter sells the most useful towel
    for your kitchen, The Bunny Towel! They dry dishes like
    magic; they are great for polishing. They are meant to be
    used! The towel measures 29" x 28" with the delightful
    design on one end. The towels are lightweight and easy to
    mail. The cost is $6.95 and will gladly be shipped as gifts
    (remember to provide addresses), perfect for Easter! For
    an additional $2, a special bunny-shaped writing pen,
    complete with fuzzy tail, will be included.

    Every towel you purchase helps support the dedicated
    rescue, foster and adoption work of the Monterey
    Peninsula Chapter. "Thank you for helping support our
    rescue rabbits. Sincerely, Susan Harrow, Chapter
    Manager/Educator."   Please go to:

    http://tinyurl.com/26ga2

** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates

    The New York City chapter is very excited to announce
    that they have become a part of the Mayor's Alliance for
    NYC Animals. This will allow volunteers to participate in
    any and all animal events sponsored through the Parks
    Department, additionally, NYC HRS will be able to list
    their adoptable rabbits on the "Pet Ark" kiosks through-
    out the city. In Rhode Island, our newest New England
    chapter celebrates adopting a house rabbit to Annie of
    Annie's Homegrown, a continuing happy relationship
    between both organizations.

    Indiana HRS made the news as a participant in the Central
    Indiana Home for the Holidays Initiative (the first time that
    rabbits were included) which resulted in the adoption of 17
    rabbits in the Indianapolis area. This was in addition to 45
    educational events that they participated in statewide, with
    the HRS message reaching approximately 70,000 people
    in Indiana.

    Our most recently added chapter, Alabama EARS, held
    their first BYOB (bring your own bunny) event in
    December, and made almost $800 through the sale of
    fundraising goodies. Alabama volunteers also wrapped
    gifts for donations at Barnes and Noble, generating over
    $1200 in extra income. Also in the South, Georgia HRS
    made $2000 at their holiday silent auction, an especially
    amazing figure since it was their first.

    Some of our chapters are starting to look at their 2003
    numbers, and report some very exciting statistics. For
    instance, St. Louis HRS adopted 170 rabbits in 2003.
    Rhode Island rescued 173 rabbits last year. Indiana saw
    their adoption figures increase by 42% over 2002 levels,
    and San Diego HRS spayed or neutered 275 rabbits, both
    from HRS foster homes and in shelters in the San Diego
    area. Also, becoming a chapter in training was a huge step
    for Sweet Binks of Rhode Island and an excellent decision
    on our part.

    In the Bay Area, the director of our biggest local shelter,
    Peninsula Humane Society, visited the San Francisco/
    Peninsula chapter to see the rabbits and interview the
    chapter manager for a newspaper article.  San Francisco/
    Marin chapter reports that they will be working extensively
    with children and teachers in Marin County during January
    and throughout Spring 2004; specifically, they will
    participate for the second year in the Children's Garden
    Program and other local educational efforts aimed at
    teaching special needs and high risk children compassion
    and loving guardianship of animals. At the end of the month,
    they will be co-exhibitor with the Marin Humane Society at
    the BAEER Festival, which is the largest environmental
    education event designed for the teaching community.

    At our headquarters and adoption/education center, we
    will soon be receiving a visit from Evening Magazine, a
    local news magazine show, which will be shooting their
    February 5th show at our shelter. On the 14th, the shelter
    will host a day of bunny matchmaking in celebration of
    Valentine's Day. Guests are invited to bring their bunnies
    to be photographed in a holiday-themed setting. On the
    28th of February, we will have an Open House, offering
    shelter tours, bunny counseling and a rabbit-themed art
    show.

    http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/index.html
    http://www.rabbit.org/rabbit-center/index.html

** Valentine's Day Special at House Rabbit Society Store!

    House Rabbit Society has many items bearing the charming
    HRS logo which would make great Valentine's gifts for
    yourself and the rabbit lovers in your life. A few items,
    including hooded sweatshirts and long sleeved tee shirts, are
    discounted for a short time only. Additionally, receive $5
    off when you spend $45 or more by using coupon code
    CPLUVSU at checkout. This offer expires 2/4 (also the
    deadline for Valentine's Day delivery via ground shipping).
    100% of all profits go directly to support the rescue and
    educational work of House Rabbit Society. Please go to:

    http://www.cafeshops.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3


** Join House Rabbit Society Today!

    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,
    The House Rabbit Journal. Please go to:

    http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


    * On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. *

--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
Paige K. Parsons                            House Rabbit Society
Director of Technology                      http://www.rabbit.org
volunteering since '93

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

** What's New? at House Rabbit Society  December 2003 **


Things You Can Do to Help House Rabbit Society in 2004

   *** Spread the Word About Shopping at Amazon.com ***

As Amazon.com expands their merchandise lines, so does the potential
donation amount for House Rabbit Society. Every time you make purchase
at Amazon.com using the following link:

     http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/houserabbitsocie

(found on the HRS home page www.rabbit.org), 5% of your purchase price goes
straight to HRS. Please help spread the word about this program by giving
the link to your friends, family and co-workers. Jot the link down onto an
index card and post it at your veterinary clinic, pet supply shop and
local library. If more people get involved in this easy-to-participate-in
program, more rabbits can be helped by House Rabbit Society.


     *** Recycle Your Computer Printer Cartridges ***

Several months ago, House Rabbit Society teamed up with Cash for Critters,
an organization that recycles laser and ink jet printer cartridges. HRS
receives between $1 & $12 dollars for every recycled cartridge.
Please tell everyone you know about this wonderful opportunity to help the
rabbits keeping materials out of landfills. Collecting cartridges from local
businesses, libraries and schools are great ways to help us
expand this program. To find out more and for a full listing of the
cartridges Cash for Critters accepts, please go to:

	 http://www.cashforcritters.com

Mail printer cartridges directly to:
	 Cash for Critters
	 P.O. Box 42293
	 Phoenix AZ 85080

Please include a note indicating the donation is to be sent to:
	 House Rabbit Society
	 148 Broadway
	 Richmond CA 94804


     *** Adorn Your Wall with a 2004 Rabbits Calendar ***

Photographed by the New York City chapter's Mary Cotter, all rabbits featured
in this calendar are rescued rabbits. Calendars may be purchased at many House
Rabbit Society chapters, benefiting that specific chapter. Or, you may purchase
a calendar from calendars.com. where 15% of the purchase price will go directly
to House Rabbit Society. http://www.rabbit.org/links/calendar.html


        *** Use Checks that Help Support House Rabbit Society ***

Every box of checks purchased from petchecks.com provides another donation
to House Rabbit Society. You can even customize your checks with a picture of
your rabbit printed on them!
Please go to: http://www.petchecks.com/bunnies.html


       *** HRS Chapter Item of the Month ***

The Buckeye House Rabbit Society, serving Ohio since 1997 has a charming
tote bag for sale, another in their line of the "Rabbit Wisdom" series. The
tote would be perfect for carrying fresh produce, a large picnic lunch or an
excellent bag for the gym. In purchasing one of these tote bags you would be
helping the Ohio chapter's fostering program as well as all who see
its message.
To see this tote bag and all of the other items Ohio sells (check out the cool
key chains!), please go to: http://www.ohare.org/


       *** Help House Rabbit Society Meet Its 2003 Membership Goal ***

We need only 9 new members to meet our goal of 750 online memberships in
2003. Membership cost $18. ($25 international). All members receive our
publication, House Rabbit Journal. If you are already a member of House Rabbit
Society, we thank you and ask that you consider a membership for a friend.
Please help us meet this goal.
Go to: http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html

                          On behalf of the rabbits, thank you.


      ** Derek & Sabrina **

This final newsletter of 2003 is dedicated to Derek & Sabrina. Derek once
worked at House Rabbit Society Headquarters. He fell in love with a little
bunny named Sabrina. Sabrina had a malocclusion and needed all of her food
grated into small bits. Derek took care of her. Sabrina would sit on Derek's
shoulder while he ate his lunch. When he left House Rabbit Society to pursue
other goals, Sabrina went with him. Sadly, Sabrina died last month. Derek,
we care about you and are thinking of you. Know that Sabrina will always be
there, on your shoulder.


--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
House Rabbit Society
http://www.rabbit.org

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

** What's New? at House Rabbit Society - Holiday Edition **


	     *** A Special Holiday Message **

This year as House Rabbit Society celebrates our 15th year of
saving rabbits, we are grateful for our tremendous volunteers--
the educators, fosterers, chapter managers, and all of the local
volunteers around the world--who work so hard, and give so much
of themselves, to support our mission: rescuing rabbits and
educating the public on house rabbit care. Without our volunteers,
we could not be where we are today: the only international rabbit
protection organization, growing every day with 31 chapters in 22
US states, and educators and fosterers in 12 additional states,
plus Canada, Hong Kong, Singapore and Australia, with a combined
number of rescued rabbits now approaching 15,000. We are also
thankful for our thousands of supporters around the world, who
with their membership fees and donations have brought us to where
we are today. Thank you for your support, and have a peaceful
holiday season.

   Margo DeMello, Outgoing President and Executive Director

   Marinell Harriman, Founder & Incoming President and Executive Director



            *** Your Bunny and the Holidays ***

It's holiday season again - a time of year that can be both fun
and stressful for you and your rabbit. In the midst of all your
holiday preparations, check out this article containing many
tips to keep your bunny safe and happy over the holiday season.

http://www.rabbit.org/care/holidays.html



	    *** Holiday Greeting Cards ***

	    Minnesota House Rabbit Society

An artistic volunteer at the Minnesota House Rabbit Society
Chapter has created charming greeting cards for the 2003
Holiday Season. The two-tone illustration depicts a contented
house rabbit...'with visions of carrots, dancing in his head'.
Several Minnesota chapter members are personalizing the cards
by hand-coloring different sections of it.

The Minnesota Chapter was founded in Spring of 2002. They set
annual goals and work hard to meet them. In 2003, they have
almost doubled their membership. Their fostering capabilities
have increased 200%. Public education is a high priority,
with a serious focus on shelters state wide.

Please help the Minnesota Chapter flourish so that they may
continue their vital work on behalf of homeless Midwestern
rabbits.

Their Holiday cards are available in packages of 10 and 25
and will certainly delight all who receive them.
www.mnhouserabbit.org/holiday_card.htm



		 *** Trees of Hope ***

  		 Columbus, Ohio Chapter

In the Spring of this year, the Columbus Chapter of the
House Rabbit Society created the enormously clever 'Make
Mine Chocolate' campaign; selling adorable pins that looked
like little chocolate Easter bunnies.

Now, for the Winter holidays, the Columbus Chapter has once
again developed a unique & innovative holiday fund-raising
concept called 'Trees of Hope':
www.columbusrabbit.org/Trees.htm

Please purchase a personalized virtual ornament and help the
Columbus Chapter decorate these trees to overflowing so that
they may continue to help all of the deserving rabbits in
their foster care program.



       *** Very Special Holiday Ornaments ***

     Sacramento Chapter offers "Radkos for Rabbits"

On December 6th, the Sacramento House Rabbit Society Chapter
will have a booth at the popular Sutter Street Christmas Gift
Fair (in Folsom, CA) where they will be selling highly
collectible Christmas ornaments from both the Christopher
Radko and Slavic Treasure collections. Over 100 stunning
pieces, many of them rabbit-themed, were donated to the
Sacramento Chapter by a very generous member. The ornaments
can be views on the SHRS website:
http://www.allearssac.org/Ornaments1.html

Sacramento HRS welcomes everyone to join them at this
holiday celebration in historic Old Town Folsom (just east
of Sacramento).

36th Annual Sutter Street Christmas Gift Fair
Old Town Folsom
December 6, 2003
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.
HRS booth will be next to the Hacienda parking lot,
near the Firehouse Boutique

Please direct all inquires about the ornaments (including
prices) to Sacramento Chapter Co-Manager Jill Walker at:
jill@...



	 *** Holiday Greeting Cards ***

    Maryland/Washington D.C./North Virginia Chapter

The MD/DC/NoVA chapter of House Rabbit Society is once again
offering colorful holiday greeting cards. These 5"x 7" 4-color
cards come in four versions: one with five different rabbits on
the front and "Season's Greeting" on the inside, along with an
educational message on the back. The second version depicts a
multi-species household with the caption "Peace on Earth" inside
and also has an educational message on the back. The third card
has two rabbits touching noses under the mistletoe with "Happy
Holidays" on the inside, and the fourth shows a rabbit and cat
looking out a snowy window with "Wishing you Warmth and
Happiness" on the inside.

The MD/DC/NoVA chapter is one of House Rabbit Society's oldest
chapters serving an enormous geographic area and assisting
nineteen local animal shelters. Their volunteers keep busy
fostering, running educational events, selling supplies, and
much more.

The holiday cards are available in packages of 12 and can be
viewed at: http://www.rabbitsinthehouse.org/xmascrds.htm



    *** San Diego Chapter Hosts Holiday Party ***

The San Diego Chapter is getting ready for their annual holiday
party/fundraiser to be held on Wednesday December 10th. This
event is a great way to meet other rabbit-loving people, support
House Rabbit Society through the Holiday Raffle and share great
vegetarian potluck. Gifts and toys for your rabbit will be
available for purchase along with HRS calendars, HRS tee-shirts
and more.

For more information, please call (619)718-7777 or visit:
www.sandiegorabbits.org



      ** House Rabbit Society Holiday Ornaments **

High quality ceramic ornaments featuring the official House
Rabbit Society logo are now available in traditional holiday
colors. They will look equally wonderful hanging from your
holiday tree or from your rear-view mirror! 100% of all
profits go to House Rabbit Society. Please go to:

http://www.cafeshops.com/hrsornaments



      *** Books are Wonderful Holiday Gifts ***

House Rabbit Handbook: How to Live With an Urban Rabbit
by House Rabbit Society founder Marinell Harriman, is a
comprehensive and informative guide. Topics cover
everything you need to know about sharing your home with
a house rabbit.

Stories Rabbits Tell, a marvelous book by HRS President
Margo DeMello & award-winning journalist Susan E. Davis,
is full of information about the life and history of the
rabbit.

For these and all other books on your holiday shopping
list, please remember to use the House Rabbit Society link:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/houserabbitsocie
Five per cent of every purchase from amazon.com will then
go to House Rabbit Society.

***************************************************************

*** 98 Memberships Away From Our 2003 Goal - Join Today! ***
We set a goal of 750 online membership signups this year.
We're currently at 652. Please join today or purchase a
membership as a holiday gift and help us reach our goal.
The cost is only $18 or $25 for international. We accept
Mastercard, Visa and Amex. All members receive our
publication, House Rabbit Journal.

http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


   ** On behalf of the rabbits, thank you. **

****************************************************************

What's New? at House Rabbit Society  November 2003


      ** More Than 100 Rabbits Rescued in Sacramento! **

In the spring of 2003, Sacramento, CA authorities closed a
pet store due to sub-standard conditions. Puppies, dogs and
cats were confiscated and the shelters were overflowing.
The authorities then went to the store owner's home to
confiscate even more dogs - and they also found about 90
purebred Mini Rex rabbits that the man was hiding in a
container.

Initially, authorities allowed the man to keep about half of
the rabbits, as they were in good health (he just had too
many of them). The 45 confiscated rabbits were taken to the
SPCA. However, weeks later, the store owner was charged with
other infractions related to the care of the pet store animals,
and the SPCA returned and took the rest of the bunnies.

Although the rabbits were healthy, they were not all well
socialized. About half had ear tattoos and most were very
young. The 90 or so rabbits joined the already-full rabbit
room at the Sacramento SPCA, and overflowed into the cattery,
the feline Leukemia room, and every other nook and cranny at
the shelter. A few were sent to the City Shelter, but the
SPCA needed more help to place these animals, so they put out
an SOS call to the Sacramento HRS. Volunteers stepped up to
the plate immediately to perform health checks and tend to
the rabbits with the most urgent grooming needs.

Kirsten Macintyre, Co-Manager of the Sacramento House Rabbit
Society, reported, "Because the Sacramento HRS foster program
was already full (as we always are), we could only help out
initially by sending our volunteers to the SPCA regularly to
clip nails, clean cages, etc. We moved our bunnies around and
got a couple of new fosterers, and I think we managed to absorb
maybe 5 of the rexes into our program."

But the shelter and the rescue group had to work together to
come up with a more thorough solution. In the five months that
followed, the Sacramento HRS held several on-site adoption days
at the SPCA and helped find permanent homes for many of the
rabbits. The SPCA was adopting rabbits out directly as well,
and the numbers were dropping, but not fast enough. In early
September, the Sacramento HRS contacted HRS National Head-
quarters and reported that the situation was dire. Twenty-eight
bunnies remained at the SPCA, and the new shelter director had
told staff that they would be euthanized in four days if they
were not moved out. (Because some of the rabbits had been there
so long, he was concerned that they were "warehousing" animals
and was concerned about the staff's ability to care for them.)

The HRS National office broadcast a call for help to Bay Area
members and volunteers as well as posting ads online. The
response was immediate and overwhelming. Kirsten relayed,
"We quickly had all the spaces we needed to move the rabbits
out of harm's way... but the logistics of the move still
needed to be worked out."

Due to time constraints, the Sacramento HRS was unable to
screen this round of fosterers, so Sally Pometta, Community
Outreach Coordinator for the Sacramento SPCA personally called
all of the respondents to talk to them about the rabbits. Some
people wanted to foster; others were ready to adopt. Some
people were more knowledgeable than others, so she had to make
sure that each home was appropriate. Sally and Officer Katie
Peralta personally loaded the bunnies into Katie's van on a
Saturday morning and delivered them to their new homes in the
Bay Area (on their personal time). "All of the rabbits in
danger are now in foster care, thanks to the fabulous net-
working of the House Rabbit Societies in Richmond, San
Francisco, Marin, Sacramento, etc.", said Sally. "Getting
so many rabbits in our shelter in the middle of cat season
was a very bad situation for us. We can generally place our
rabbits in a timely manner, but the humane impound rabbits
taken on this cruelty case was more than we could handle, and
put a clog in our flow. (At the time of our distress call),
bunnies we'd had for over a year were still here. Thanks to
all who helped - we love you!"

Kirsten added that the latest rescue wasn't the first time
the HRS has collaborated with the SPCA on a project of this
magnitude. "Since the inception of the Sacramento HRS in the
mid-1990s, we've worked with the Sacramento SPCA on several
large-scale rescues and re-homings. The enthusiasm of the SPCA
staff makes our job much easier -- they genuinely care for the
animals and are always willing to go the extra mile to help.
It makes all the difference, because the weight isn't always
on our shoulders (and anyone who does rescue work knows what a
big burden a project like this can be). The two organizations
working together have saved the lives of literally hundreds of
rabbits since 1998."

To learn more about the importance of HRS chapters having
good working relationships with shelters nationwide, please
read the cover story, 'Building Bridges' in the newly
released Fall edition of the House Rabbit Society Journal.



	 ** Southern California Wildfires **

"We hope everyone and everybun made it through the Southern
California fires safely. We know of some members who had to
evacuate, and at least a couple who lost their homes. The
Central Shelter currently has several rabbits for adoption
who were relinquished because their families lost their homes
in the fires. Our hearts go out to those who were effected."
	 ~ HRS San Diego Chapter - November 9, 2003 ~

As of today, November 29, two of the rabbits who came into
the San Diego shelters due to the fires have been reunited
with their owners, one is in foster care due to health
concerns and a couple is now available for adoption.
Additionally, there are a couple of stray rabbits believed
to be from the fire areas, but that cannot be confirmed.

The San Diego Chapter helped a few local members who lost
their homes by providing emergency supplies for their rabbits
such as cages and food.

In the midst of tragedies, good things can happen. Michelle
Wilhelms, San Diego's Chapter manager, has one such anecdote
to tell; "We know of one bunny bonding that was in the works
when the family was evacuated. The two buns had to be trans-
ported out in one large cage so their bonding was sped up.
Kylie and Mr. FooFoo are now totally in love! And, their
house was spared." Kylie was a HRS foster. To see her and
Mr. FooFoo's happy adoption photo, please go to:
http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/adoption/happy_adoptions.html

For information about including your rabbits and other
animals in emergency plans, go to:
http://www.rabbit.org/care/emergency-planning.html



	 *** When Developers & Warrens Collide ***

This news story is from The Sacramento Bee, contributed by HRS
Sacramento Chapter:

http://www.sacbee.com/content/community_news/placer/story/7775832p-8714834c.html



         *** Corporate Matching Gift Programs ***

Do you work for a company that matches employees' donations
to their favorite charities? If so, please consider applying
for a matching donation for your annual House Rabbit Society
contribution. If you're not sure whether your donation, or
HRS, is eligible, please contact your company's human resources
department or write to House Rabbit Society for help at
membership@.... We'd be happy to fill out the paperwork
so that your donation can be doubled by your company.

Some companies only match gifts to charities when they have a
certain number of donors or volunteers of that organization on
their payroll, so you may need to find out from your company,
or from HRS, whether this is the case.

ATTENTION: Cisco Employees
We are currently trying to find out whether we have employees
of Cisco among our members; if you work for Cisco, please
contact Margo DeMello at: margo@...



   ** St Louis, Missouri - Feature Chapter of the Month **

   By Margo DeMello, President & Executive Director of HRS

Starting this month, House Rabbit Society will be featuring
one chapter per month in this newsletter, so that our friends
and members can read all about a chapter's great work in
detail, and can, we hope, contribute directly to support their
activities. We are starting this new feature off with St Louis,
Missouri, a part of the larger Missouri Chapter.

The St. Louis Chapter is one of our most active chapters, with
over 100 foster and sanctuary rabbits in foster care at any
one time. The chapter pays for the medical expenses for all of
the foster rabbits (their single largest expense and over
$14,000.00 so far this year) via a number of fundraisers that
they hold throughout the year, such as the recent Holiday
Bunny Boutique, held at the Humane Society of Missouri in St.
Louis. The chapter maintains a wonderful working relationship
with the Humane Society, holding their meetings (which attract
between 50 and 60 members per month) in the shelter's classroom,
and helping to care for and place the rabbits that the shelter
takes in. The Humane Society included an article in their
current magazine thanking St. Louis HRS for their help in
handling 45 rabbits from a recent breeder confiscation.

The St. Louis chapter is blessed with an amazingly large
and dedicated group of volunteers who foster rabbits, clean
and feed at the largest foster home, run the educational
and fundraising events, make toys and bunny houses, maintain
the website, assist with the newsletter, answer the help
hotline and more. I had the privilege of meeting the volun-
teers earlier this month, and can report that not only are
they dedicated and enthusiastic, but they love working with
the rabbits and each other. Without these amazing volunteers,
the chapter would not be heading for the largest number of
adoptions they've ever had for one year: 158 and counting.
In addition, St.Louis is also blessed to have a terrific
relationship with one of their local veterinary hospitals,
the Everything Pets Animal Hospital, whose medical care and
compassion are instrumental to the chapter's continuing
success.

Joy Gioia, the co-chapter manager of the Missouri chapter,
recently sent me a great example of how much the chapter's
volunteers, shelter, and veterinary professionals can
accomplish together.

Joy writes:
"Last Wednesday an emergency call came in from the shelter
at 2 pm regarding six 6-week old mini lop babies who were
surrendered there in very poor condition. The mother had been
killed by a dog two weeks before that and the babies had been
kept outside and in with three other adult rabbits. They were
seriously dehydrated besides being roughed up and malnourished.
The shelter's veterinary technician was not sure two of the
babies would make it. A call for help saw one member, Maggie
Perez, leave work early to pick up the babies and rush them
to our veterinary clinic which made room in their busy
schedule to check each baby and give them subcutaneous fluids.
Because Maggie works in Missouri, but lives in Illinois, a
second volunteer, Jessica Logan (a grad student at Washington
University) met her at the clinic to pick up the babies and
bring them to my house so that the first volunteer could then
go directly home. A third volunteer was called, Nancy Taylor
(a surgical technician at St. Louis Children's Hospital) who
rushed over to pick up the babies for fostering and lots of
tender, loving care. The babies are doing fine as of this
writing thanks to a dedicated shelter tech, our veterinary
hospital's response for immediate treatment, and three
wonderful volunteers who dropped everything to help six tiny
rabbits in need."

The St. Louis and Kansas City arms of the Missouri chapter fre-
quently work together, often helping each other with adoptions
or by staffing large educational events like the Midwest
Veterinary Conference. Together the regions also cover a huge
territory when it comes to adoptions and inquiries for informa-
tion. St. Louis alone has had help requested from eighteen
different shelters and adoptions have gone out to every state
surrounding Missouri. The chapter has even had shelter staff
drive as far as three hours away to bring them a rabbit if
they have room in their foster system.

When I asked Joy what her chapter's greatest need is, she
replied that their dream is to have their own shelter to house
their foster rabbits. Continuing needs also include exercise
pens, donations to their medical fund, and they currently need
a number of large office items such as a copier, a plain paper
FAX machine, a new computer, and even some office furniture.
To directly support the St. Louis chapter, you can make a
donation right now by going to:
http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/donation.html. Click on the
link for online credit card payments and BE SURE to include
"St. Louis HRS" in the designation field. We will make sure
to send the chapter all of your donations. You can also
contribute via mail by sending donations to:

Missouri House Rabbit Society
Saint Louis Area
P.O. Box 6362
Chesterfield, Missouri 63006-6362

To find out more about the St. Louis chapter's efforts, please
visit their website at: www.mohrs.petfinder.org, (or go to
http://rabbit.org/chapters/index.html and click on "St. Louis").
Here you'll find information about recent and upcoming events,
photos of all of their adoptable rabbits, information on
volunteering, monthly meetings and much, much more.



	 *** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates ***

I wanted to update you on some of the activities our volun-
teers have been engaged in around the country. In New England,
the Rhode Island Chapter was just invited to write a monthly
column in a new community magazine called Animal Print, which
reaches over 30,000 animal lovers throughout the region.

In the mid-west, the Columbus Chapter created a sign promoting
the chapter that was created by one of their volunteers and is
on display in Worthington, Ohio. The sign is so impressive that
it will be featured in the December issue of the advertising
magazine, Sign of the Times! (To see the sign, please go to:
http://www.columbusrabbit.org/signsofthetimes.html) Our Indiana
Chapter is celebrating "Adopt a Senior Pet Month" and is also
working on a Secret Santa project the focuses the holiday
giving spirit on homeless rabbits by having volunteers create
and distribute edible gift baskets for all foster and sanctu-
ary rabbits in the chapter's region. Finally, they are co-
hosting a Small Animal Care Expo on December 6 in Indianapolis.

In the west, Colorado House Rabbit Society will hold its annual
Bunny Boutique fundraiser and open house on Sunday, November
23, at their shelter in Broomfield. Both San Diego HRS & the
National shelter/headquarters are also gearing up for their
annual holiday events; San Diego's is on December 10, and the
shelter's Holiday Photo Day and Bazaar will be on November 30.
In addition, National will host our first ever Winter Rabbit
Storybook Session for kids on December 13.

Finally, you will be happy to hear that the House Rabbit
Journal was mailed during the week of November 17 so you
should receive it very soon. Look for articles on how HRS
works with shelters around the country, rabbits and children,
skin diseases in rabbits, and much more.



	 *** HRS Chapter Item of the Month ***

The New York City Chapter of House Rabbit Society has produced
an instructional nail-cutting video. Learn to trim your
rabbit's nails using the simple technique demonstrated in this
38-minute video. No trancing or bunny burritos are necessary!
To read more about this important educational video and to get
details on how to order your copy, please go to:
http://www.rabbitcare.org/nail.html


	 *** 2004 Rabbits Calendar is Here! ***

The Rabbits 2004 calendar is out! Photographed by the New York
City chapter's Mary Cotter, all rabbits featured in this cal-
endar are rescued rabbits. Calendars can be bought directly
from many individual HRS chapters, benefiting the individual
chapter, and also from calendars.com: 15% of the purchase
price of calendars bought through this calendars.com link will
be given to House Rabbit Society.

http://www.rabbit.org/links/calendar.html


	      *** Remember the Amazon! ***

If books are on your holiday shopping list, please remember
to use this House Rabbit Society link:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/houserabbitsocie

Five per cent of every purchase from amazon.com will go to
House Rabbit Society. Thank you.

**********************************************************

    *** 128 Memberships Away From Our Goal - Join Today ***

We set a goal of 750 online membership signups this year.
We're currently at 622. Please join today and help us reach
our goal; The cost is only $18, of $25 for international. We
accept Mastercard, Visa, and Amex. All members receive our
publication, House Rabbit Journal.

http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


	       *** Already a Member? ***

Thanks! Please consider providing additional support by
making a tax deductible donation.

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=943061685


	 On behalf of the rabbits, Thank you.


***********************************************************

      *** A Special Note to a Special Person ****

   This newsletter is dedicated to Hana & Aprile. Your life
   together was tragically brief. Try to find solace in
   remembering that Hana finally had a place to call home,
   one in which she could not have been more wanted and loved.
   We all care about you Aprile and share in your sorrow.

************************************************************











--
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House Rabbit Society
http://www.rabbit.org

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

What's New? at House Rabbit Society  October 2003


*** HRS Joins with Emergency Animal Rescue Services ***

House Rabbit Society is proud to announce that we have joined
with Emergency Animal Rescue Services (EARS) to combine our
efforts in preparing for and responding to disasters involving
rabbits around the country. EARS protects animals in danger or
in need and specifically provides for animals in the event of
natural or human-made disasters, providing evacuation, rescue,
identification, temporary shelters, lost and found services,
transportation, medical care, and more. Ears has responded to
over 40 national disasters, helping thousands of animals. By
joining with EARS, House Rabbit Society will be able to provide
our specialized knowledge and skills in assisting EARS with
rabbit rescues, and EARS will help HRS to help our members and
others with rabbits, when they have been affected by floods,
tornadoes, hurricane, earthquakes, and the like. HRS has
provided EARS with six regional directors who will work
closely with EARS in the event of a disaster. We are very
proud of this new collaboration and hope that it will better
protect this nation's rabbits in the future.


	 *** House Rabbit Society on Television! ***

In early October, House Rabbit Society was featured on a
popular San Francisco television program, Bay Area Backroads.
To see this delightful video & get a good look inside House
Rabbit Society Headquarters in Richmond, California, please
go to: http://kron.com/Global/story.asp?S=1466974


      *** Looking for a Macintosh Donation***

Do you have an older Macintosh you'd be willing to donate to HRS?
As many of you may know, our rabbit health database has
been many years in the making. We're finally ready to
"go live" with this critical project, but we need the
computer hardware to do so at our Richmond HQ. We are in need of a
Macintosh G3 or G4 running at 600mhz or better. If you can donate
such a machine, please email us at webmaster@...

For more info on the health database project see:

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/warren-wise/health-data.html

If you have a Windows-based PC to donate, we are also in need of
a fairly current (Intell Celeron or Pentium P4) Pc with at least
a 10GB hard drive.


      *** HRS Chapter Fundraiser of the Month ***

A marvelous new comb called the Hair Buster does everything
you wish your current rabbit grooming tools would do. Not only
does it gently lift & remove the loose hairs in the undercoat
but with its clever addition of a rubber strip, it grips and
holds the loose hair allowing for a much more effective combing
session. A portion of the proceeds go to the Massachusetts HRS
Sanctuary Home for Unadoptable Rabbits. Go to Massachusetts web
page: http://www.mahouserabbit.org/links.shtml and select option
BunnyGear.


    *** Recycle. Good for the Rabbits and the Environment ***

House Rabbit Society is now working with Cash for Critters, an
organization that recycles used laser and ink jet printer
cartridges. HRS will receive between $1 & $12 dollars for every
cartridge returned. So please, tell your friends, family &
co-workers to save spent cartridges (All models EXCEPT Epson
for ink jet). If you live in the Bay Area, please feel free to
drop cartridges off at HRS in Richmond. Otherwise, please mail
them to:

Cash for Critters
P.O.Box 42293
Phoenix AZ 85080

Be certain in include a note specifying that the donation
is to be sent to HRS, including the HRS address:
148 Broadway
Richmond CA 94804


	 *** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates ***

Fall seems to be the time for special events! In the mid-west,
the St. Louis chapter is looking forward to holding their annual
Bunny Boutique which will be held November 1. Indiana HRS just
completed their first Rabbit Expo on August 23, and are looking
forward to participating in the Walk for Animals, PetFest 2003,
and Adopt-A-Pet Festival. Wisconsin HRS just held their biggest
annual event, Wisconsin HRS Bunny Day, on October 5, and Columbus
HRS held their 2nd annual HRS bonfire and fundraiser October 11.

On the east coast, New York City House Rabbit Society held
their annual rabbit conference on September 21, which featured
comedienne Amy Sedaris. Next door in Matawan, New Jersey, the New
Jersey chapter held their annual bunny conference on October 18.
And down south, the Alabama EARS chapter just completed the Pet
Trek 2003 and are looking forward to participating in the Homeless
Animal Jamboree in Tuscaloosa in November.

On the west coast, Colorado House Rabbit Society will hold its
annual fundraiser and open house on Sunday, November 23, at their
shelter in Broomfield, and San Diego HRS just held their annual
Bunnyfest on September 28th which was a wonderful event. Here in
the Bay Area, we're busy as well. At the shelter, we are planning
another popular T-Touch class in November, and are gearing up for
our 3rd annual Holiday Photos with Santa and Auction Day. Up in
Canada, Vancouver Rabbit Rescue is moving quickly towards
becoming our first international chapter, through the creation of
a newsletter, logo and website.


	 *** House Rabbit Society Journal ***

There has been a slight delay in getting the Winter HRS Journal
to press but it is now at the printers & you will be receiving
it soon. Topics include animal shelters, skin diseases & the
relationship between rabbits & children. All current members as
of 9/20 will receive this new issue. So please don't wait -
Join or renew House Rabbit Society today!


	 *** Official House Rabbit Society Merchandise ***

Several new items have been added to the line of HRS merchandise
in recent months including journals & messenger bags & license
plate frames. Long sleeve tee shirts, travel mugs & tote bags
are on sale until October 31. The items are wonderful and would
make great Xmas gifts. All proceeds go directly to HRS.
Go to: http://www.cafeshops.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3


***************************************************************


If you are not a member of the 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.

http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


		 On behalf of the rabbits, thank you.


****************************************************************


   	 *** A Special Note to a Little Princess ***

This newsletter is dedicated to you, Miss Tiny Little. You will
be missed by all who knew you, and you will never be forgotten.

*****************************************************************
*****************************************************************


--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
House Rabbit Society
http://www.rabbit.org

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

What's New? at House Rabbit Society    September 2003


		 *** Samosa Update ***

Last month, we introduced you to Samosa, a little bunny
that had been thrown from a car on a California highway.
Now, we are thrilled to tell you that Samosa has been
adopted! After a month of tender care by fosterer
extraordinaire Karen Courtemanche, Samosa's wounds, both
physical & emotional, are almost completely healed.

For the many people who have contacted HRS with questions,
sent get-well cards & made donations to the medical fund,
thank you. A total of $3650.00 has been contributed to the
Samosa Fund and every cent has been applied to our medical
bills. Additionally, we thank the ASPCA for their generosity
in posting a $2500.00 reward for information leading to the
perpetrators of this heinous act.

To read Samosa's story, please go to:

	 http://rabbit.org/rabbit-center/hurt-rabbit.html

To read a beautiful letter from Samosa's new family,
please go to:

	 http://rabbit.org/rabbit-center/samosa-update.html



	 *** Miami Jackrabbit Update ***

All is quiet in Miami now, but soon, noise will be made
in Washington DC. Jackrabbit advocates now have copies of
the original FAA documents to Miami International. The
papers make no mention of any recommendation to kill the
rabbits. A lobbyist will be hired & visits will be paid to
the USDA, FAA and the WPA (Wildlife Protection Agency).
Someone must answer for the tragedy that took place at
Miami International. We will keep you apprised as the
situation develops.

For now & on a much more delightful note, the rescued baby
Jackrabbits are happy, healthy and flourishing. Recent photos
of the youngsters can be seen at :

	 http://hare.bio.miami.edu/jackrabbit/babybook.html



    *** Stories Rabbits Tell is on the Bookstore Shelves! ***

We have two really good suggestions for acquiring your very
own copy of this marvelous book and to help support HRS at
the same time: 1) You can purchase the book from your local HRS
chapter and they will receive 50% ($11.) as a donation!
2) If you do not live near a chapter OR if your chapter does
not have the book, please purchase your copy from amazon.com
using the HRS link. 5% of the purchase price will be donated
to HRS.

For more details about this wonderful book and its authors
Susan E. Davis and Margo DeMello, please go to:

	 http://rabbit.org/links/sections/stories-rabbits-tell.html

	 Congratulations Susan & Margo. Well done!



	 *** Myxomatosis Article ***

Myxomatosis is a virus spread by mosquitoes, fleas & fur
mites. HRS Solano/Sonoma Chapter, California Co-Manager
Sylvia WynnLindeman has written a clear and comprehensive
article about this life threatening disease, Experiences
with Myxomatosis. To read the full article, go to:

	 http://homepage.mac.com/mattocks/morfz/myxo.html



	 *** Rabbits Liberated in Sweden ***

According to the arkangelweb.org blog, 62 rabbits were rescued
from a meat breeder near Stockholm, Sweden. To read the report
please go to:

http://www.arkangelweb.org/modules.php?op=modload&name=
News&file=article&sid=505&mode=thread&order=0&thold=0



		 *** Armchair Activism ***

Following are links to two petitions worthy of your attention.
If you have not signed already, please take a moment to do so.
If you have signed (Thank you!), please forward the links to
two like-minded, compassionate people.
	 http://www.petitiononline.com/POLIPET/petition.html
	 http://www.petitiononline.com/mod_perl/signed.cgi?savesall



	 *** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates ***

In the mid-west, the Kansas City chapter just held their 2003
Bunny Expo on August 2nd to a huge crowd. In addition, the Kansas
City and St. Louis chapters were involved in their 1st veterinary
event, the Central Veterinary Conference held in Kansas City,
August 22-24. The conference was attended by 6,000 veterinary
professionals. Missouri volunteers tell us that the experience
was extremely positive; they were very busy all three days with
veterinarians who were either currently seeing bunnies in their
practice or were interested in expanding their knowledge to
include rabbit health.

Minnesota HRS just held their Bunny Lover's Picnic on August 16.
HRS President and Executive Director Margo DeMello was pleased
to attend & reported that, "...it was a wonderful, inspiring
(and HOT!)event." Margo also visited the Columbus, Ohio chapter
and was updated about their activities, including their partici-
pation at the recent OVMA Veterinary Conference in Columbus.
Like the Missouri HRS volunteers, our Columbus representatives
told Margo that they received a huge amount of positive feedback
from the veterinarians, technicians and students, and plan to
attend future veterinary conferences.

Indiana HRS just completed their first Rabbit Expo on August 23,
and are looking forward to participating in the PAWS Companion
Animal Fair, the Indianapolis Women's Expo and the Indianapolis
Companion Animal Fair.

On the west coast, San Diego HRS is looking forward to hosting
Bunnyfest 2003, which will be held on September 28th. Here in
the San Francisco Bay Area, we're busy as well. At the shelter,
we've been hosting classes such our recent Geriatric Rabbits work-
shop (taught by HRS founder Marinell Harriman), and our upcoming
Animal Communications class. We'll be participating in the upcoming
America's Family Pet Expo, and we've also recently had a wonderful
vegetarian barbecue followed by a screening of Watership Down in
our classroom. On September 6th, HRS was proud to host a Stories
Rabbits Tell book-signing party. Authors Susan Davis and Margo
DeMello were at the HRS shelter inscribing book after book to the
delight of many HRS supporters.  Our Marin/San Francisco chapter
was recently featured on the SF Animal Adoptathon, which was
televised, they've been teaching a summer camp at the Marin Humane
Society, and took part as well in a Blind Babies Foundation event,
bringing children with visual impairments in touch with animals,
including a blind rabbit.



	 *** The HRS Web Site Photo Randomizer ***

Dozens & dozens of marvelous new rabbit photographs have recently
been submitted to the House Rabbit Society web site's randomizer
at http://www.rabbit.org/fun/net-bunnies.html. If you haven't visited
lately, we invite you to do so. We also welcome you to submit your
own special pictures by emailing them to: photos@.... It's
easiest for us if the pictures are sent as email attachments and as
jpg files, but we can handle other formats.



	 *** House Rabbit Society Journal ***

The next HRS Journal is scheduled for release at the end of
September. The feature article is about the relationship between
HRS and animal shelters, written by Amy Espie. This issue's medical
article will cover rabbit skin diseases. Also included will be a
piece about rabbits and children, written by Stories Rabbits Tell
co-author, Susan E. Davis. So keep your eyes on your mailbox in
a month's time and be sure to read the story about a real life
story about a true rabbit hero! All current members as of 9/20
will receive this new issue. So don't wait - join today.



	 *** NEW HRS Merchandise ***

We now have official HRS license plate frames! In addition, The
new and fabulous lemon-yellow messenger bag would make a perfect
gift for students. The infant creeper, visor & journal are also new
and all bear the familiar HRS logo.

To purchase these or any of the many HRS items, go to:
http://www.cafeshops.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3
(100% of all profits go directly to support House Rabbit Society.)


******************************************************************


If you are not a member of the 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.
http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html



	 On behalf of the rabbits, thank you.

What's New? At House Rabbit Society July 2003

**************************************************************


** The HRS Seeks Help in California Rabbit Cruelty Case **

On July 23, a little lop-eared rabbit was thrown from a moving
vehicle into traffic on Highway One. Witnesses collected the
severely injured and terrified bunny and took her to an animal
shelter. Rabbit Haven, a Bay Area rescue group, got her out of
the shelter and placed her in HRS foster care.

Her name is Samosa. Her suffering began long before this
vicious act of cruelty. Samosa has severe foot injuries
likely from small cage confinement. She virtually has no
hair left, neurotically plucking herself bald.

Richmond HRS has set up a medical fund for Samosa and other
abused rabbits like her. We are requesting donations to help
this deserving rabbit, and all the others who suffer at
the hands of callous and cruel humans. Donations may be sent
to:
The Samosa Fund
HRS Headquarters
148 Broadway
Richmond, CA 94804.

To read more about little Samosa, please go to:
http://www.rabbit.org/rabbit-center/hurt-rabbit.html


**************************************************************


***  July is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month  ***

In association with the American Society for Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, the House Rabbit Society has officially
designated July as Adopt-A-Rescued Rabbit Month. If you have
the room in your home (we already know you have the room in
your hearts!), please contact your local HRS chapter or go
to your local animal shelter and adopt a rabbit today.

For more information:
http://rabbit.org/opinion/july-adopt-a-rabbit.html


*************************************************************


*** Miami International Airport Jackrabbit Rescue Update ***

On July 10th, a Miami judge decided in favor of the USDA
slaughter of the Jackrabbits. That night, USDA shooters
'claimed' they killed 35 rabbits. However, the trapper who
had been on the field every day for 2 months believes there
could not have been more than 10-12 rabbits left at the
airport on July 9th. Conflicting stories and controversy
abound. The good news is that the trapper is still allowed
on the field to continue his humane work.

The Florida activists behind this rescue effort are meeting
this week with representatives from the FAA, USDA and the
Miami Airport authorities to hopefully negotiate a maintenance
plan with no USDA involvement.

Related articles:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/local/6277672.htm
http://www.sptimes.com/2003/07/21/State/Who_s_saving_jackrabb.shtml


**************************************************************


	   ***   Tularemia Outbreak   ***

In June, the Center for Disease Control confirmed an outbreak
of Tularemia in Nebraska. Months earlier, Monkeypox was in the
headlines. Susan Smith, Wisconsin HRS Educator and Scientific
Advisor, has waded through the rumors and misinformation and
written a clear and informative article exonerating the
(delightfully 'Common')house rabbit. To read Susan's article,
please go to:

http://www.rabbit.org/health/exotic-diseases.html


**************************************************************


      	    ***   Stories Rabbits Tell   ***

The much anticipated book, Stories Rabbits Tell, will be
available in August! Authors Susan E. Davis and Margo DeMello
explore how rabbits "... are complex, social creatures
intertwined with human culture." -Publisher's Weekly-

For more details about this wonderful book and its authors
Susan E. Davis and Margo DeMello, please go to:
http://rabbit.org/links/sections/stories-rabbits-tell.html

Please remember to purchase your copy from Amazon.com using
this HRS link. 5% of the purchase price will be donated to
the House Rabbit Society. Thank you.


***************************************************************


	  ***   Petco Petition   ***

Last year, HRS President Margo DeMello appealed to Petco to
discontinue selling rabbits in all Petco locations across the
country (http://www.rabbit.org/opinion/petco.html). (To read
how Minnesota HRS is working with Petco to stop rabbit sales
in their area, please see Chapter Updates below.)

Now, the Long Island Pug Organization is calling for a boycott
and petitioning Petco to stop selling all animals in their
stores. To sign the petition, please go to:

http://www.petitiononline.com/POLIPET/petition.html


**************************************************************


***  Keeping Rabbits Cool During the Dog Days of Summer  ***

Lagomorphs do not have sweat glands so it is critical to their
health that you maintain a proper environment for them during
the hot summer days. Following are some excellent suggestions
from the San Diego chapter to keep your rabbits calm, cool and
comfortable during the hot summer months.

    - Freeze water in one or two liter-size plastic bottles and
      keep in the cage as a giant ice cube for bunny to lean
      against. Keep a couple of bottles rotating in the freezer.
      (Tip: Leave a little room in the bottle for expansion.)
    - Dampen a towel and drape it over one end of the cage with
      a fan blowing gently on it, enough for good air circula-
      tion but not so it's drafty.
    - Gently mist ears and fur with clean water.
    - Place a square or two of ceramic tile or marble in the
      cage. It will remain cooler than the air temperature and
      will be a cool place for Bun to rest.
    - Always have plenty of fresh drinking water available.
    - If your rabbit spends time outdoors, be sure to provide
      shade and always keep him out of the direct sun in the
      hottest times of the day.
    - If your rabbit becomes exposed to too much heat, seems
      listless, is not eating and acting normally, get him to
      a veterinarian immediately. DO NOT WAIT!

For more information, please go to:
www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/warm-weather.html


**************************************************************


      ***  House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates  ***

On the west coast, San Diego HRS is looking forward to hosting
BUNNYFEST 2003, which will be held on September 28th in
Heritage Park in Old Town. The San Francisco/Peninsula chapter
will be teaching Summer Camp 101 for the third year at
Peninsula Humane Society, in which elementary school kids will
learn about animals and their care. And the Monterey Bay
chapter just held their first garage sale fundraiser which
was a huge success, and they will be holding a big educational
event (to coincide with Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month) on
July 26.

Vancouver Rabbit Rescue is now a British Columbia-registered
non-profit society, the first step in their becoming an
official HRS chapter, and they are preparing for a big
pet fair to be held the first weekend in August. In Colorado,
they just celebrated their "Spring Fling," in which Colorado
HRS members participated in bunny tune-ups, 'ask the vet,'
and photo opportunities, followed by their semi-annual sanctuary
day in which members visit the chapter's sanctuary bunnies.

In the mid-west, the Kansas City chapter is hosting their 2nd
Bunny Expo on August 2, and will be represented at the
upcoming Central Veterinary Conference in Kansas City
at the end of August. Indiana HRS just recovered from some
very severe weather conditions in which chapter representa-
tives were out of power, some sustained heavy damage from
storms, and one fosterer's home was flooded. Thankfully,
local HRS members came to the rescue and helped the people
and rabbits recover. Since then, the chapter has been back
in action, participating in two Indianapolis area pet fairs,
and they are planning for their first Rabbit Expo on
August 23.

Minnesota HRS will be holding their Bunny Lovers' Picnic on
August 16, which is a social and educational event for humans
only. This chapter is also proud of their work with Petco
on a pilot program to 'test' the feasibility of Petco's
replacing their rabbit sales in Minneapolis with adoptable
rabbits overseen by HRS volunteers. If this program is
successful, the next step would be to expand the program into
the rest of Minnesota.

Finally, on the east coast, some rabbit photos from our
New York City chapter have been selected for the New York
Historical Society's "Petropolis" exhibit, which details the
city's history of living with companion animals, to be open
from July 15 to November 9.


************************************************************


***  Donate to HRS every time you write a check!  ***

One dollar from every box of checks will be donated to the
House Rabbit Society. You can even have your rabbit picture
printed on customized checks!

Go to: www.petchecks.com/bunnies.html


*************************************************************


If you are not a member of the 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,
The House Rabbit Journal.
http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


       ***  On behalf of the rabbits, thank you.  ***


***************************************************************






--
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Paige K. Parsons                             House Rabbit Society
Education Director                           http://www.rabbit.org
Online Coordinator and Webmaster
volunteering since '93

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

What's New? at House Rabbit Society, June 2003

*** July is Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month ***

    In conjunction with the American Society for Prevention
    of Cruelty to Animals, the House Rabbit Society is proud
    to announce that July is designated as the Second Annual
    Adopt-A-Rescued Rabbit Month. The timing is appropriate
    as the shelters receive thousands of abandoned
    "Easter Gifts".

    http://rabbit.org/opinion/july-adopt-a-rabbit.html


*** 'Annie's' Adopts Sugar! ***

    In honor of Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month, Annie's Homegrown
    adopts Sugar, a 2 year old Dutch, from the Rhode Island
    HRS Chapter. For the full & happy story, go to:

    http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/sugar.html


*** Monkeypox Information ***

    The Midwest outbreak of Monkeypox is primarily attributed to
    Prairie Dogs infected by small exotics imported from Africa.
    To date, only one rabbit has been infected. For more detailed
    information, please go to:

    http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/monkeypox.html
    http://www.startribune.com/stories/1556/3927122.html
    http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/monkeypox/petownerfacts.htm


*** NEW! *** Stories Rabbits Tell *** NEW! ***

    HRS is very pleased to announce the publication of a new book
    about our favorite subject. Authors Susan E. Davis and Margo
    DeMello explore how rabbits "... are complex, social creatures
    intertwined with human culture." -Publisher's Weekly-

    For more details about this wonderful book (available in August)
    and its authors, please go to:

    http://www.rabbit.org/links/sections/stories-rabbits-tell.html


*** Miami International Airport Jackrabbit Update ***

    As of June 22nd, 281 Jackrabbits have been trapped. For
    background information about this enormous rescue effort, go to:

    http://hare.bio.miami.edu/jackrabbit/
    http://www.ntrs.org/

    Several baby rabbits have also been trapped. To meet
    'Attila the Bun' and other Jackrabbit babies being fostered by
    Dana & Kevin of HRS Miami, go to:

    http://hare.bio.miami.edu/jackrabbit/babybook.html


*** Help Save Sally's Bunnies ***

    An international grassroots effort is underway to help save a
    rabbit rescue center in Watford, England. The sanctuary is under
    threat of closure by the District Council due to unfounded
    "increased traffic" complaints. Sally Machell created the
    sanctuary in 1991, offering a safe haven for abandoned,
    neglected or abused rabbits from shelters, including the R.S.P.C.A.

    Please support Sally and her hundred rabbits by signing the
    petition at:

    http://www.savesallysbunnies.com/index.html


*** Classical Music and Shelter Animals ***

    A United Kingdom study indicates classical music is beneficial
    for shelter animals as well as potential adopters.

    http://www.anc.org/pets/pets_archive_article.cfm?identifier=2003_0530_music


*** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates *****

      On the West Coast, San Diego HRS held their Open House in May
    and brought in over $1000.00 to help their rescue and
    educational efforts. They are also looking forward to BUNNYFEST
    2003, which will be held on September 28th in Heritage Park
    in Old Town, so if you're planning a visit, please join them!
    Up North, our Oregon educator recently held a Rabbit Awareness
    Day at the Pet and Companion Fair in Portland, which generated
    a great deal of press and public interest.

      Our New England representatives have been busy as well; the new
    Rhode Island chapter will be represented at Pet Rock Fest in
    September, which is a huge local event for shelter animals.
    Our Maine representative has been holding adoption days at
    local pet stores, spreading the word about rabbits in the far
    North East.

      In other East Coast news, our New York City chapter manager
    has been spotted on a number of cross-country airplane trips!
    A news piece that she did in 2002 has been showing up on
    American Airlines flights across the country, which means
    that countless airline travelers have learned about house
    rabbits while sitting in those cramped airlineseats.

      In the Mid-West, Missouri HRS hosted their first annual
    benefit concert performed by The Heart of America Windy
    Symphony in which the Kansas City chapter manager played
    piano and flute. St. Louis HRS just completed a presentation
    at the Wildlife Rehab Clinic on the differences between
    wild and domestic rabbits, as well as a series of PetsMart
    adoption days. Kansas City will be hosting their annual Bunny
    Expo on August 2nd, and St. Louis is looking forward to theirs
    on June 28.

      Indiana HRS tabled at the Indy Pride Festival on June 14th
    and will be tabling again at the Indianapolis Pet Carnival
    on July 12th.

      Minnesota HRS has already started working to promote the
    second annual "Adopt a (Margo, 'Rescued'?) Rabbit Month"
    which will be in July, and is being promoted by HRS, the
    ASPCA and Petfinders.org.

      In the Mid-South, our Arkansas educator has a number of
    library programs planned for the months of June and July,
    to educate kids and adults on proper house rabbit care.

      Please support your local chapter if you live near one,
    and please check their websites (linked through www.rabbit.org)
    to find out about all the fun Summer activities that they have
    planned.


*** Wear Your Support for the House Rabbit Society *****

    A tee-shirt? A hat? How about a night shirt or boxer shorts?
    All carry the HRS logo  and 100% of the profits go directly
    to help the rabbits. Check them out at:

    http://www.cafeshops.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3


****************************************************************

If you are not a member of the 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,
The House Rabbit Journal.

http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html

			 On behalf of the rabbits, thank you.

****************************************************************




--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
House Rabbit Society
http://www.rabbit.org

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

What's New? At House Rabbit Society              May 2003


** Miami International Airport Jackrabbits **

    Thanks to several rescue groups (including Miami HRS) trappers,
    veterinarians and many compassionate individuals, the wild
    jackrabbits are being trapped at Miami International Airport
    then relocated and released in Texas.

    Black-tailed jackrabbits have been living at the airport for
    20 years, however, due to airport expansion, the jackrabbits
    were deemed a "safety hazard" and airport authorities developed
    an eradication plan. International public outcry thwarted the
    airport's plan; the jackrabbits were given a 30-day reprieve.

    For the latest update on the situation, visit the Miami HRS site:
    http://hare.bio.miami.edu/jackrabbit/


** Adopt AŠHighway??? **

    Jan Davidson, Manager of the South Yosemite House Rabbit Society
    Chapter, is well known for her marvelous rescue & adoption work
    on behalf of guinea pigs as well as rabbits. However, few know
    that Jan's adoption circle includes a two-mile stretch of highway
    close to a Yosemite National Park entrance. This campaign provides
    enormous exposure for The House Rabbit Society name and logo to
    millions of park visitors
    annually.

    For more details and to see a photo of the Yosemite HRS sign,
    check out the full article:
    http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/adopt-a-highway.html

    Call toll-free 1.866.236.7824 if you are interested in
    participating in the Adopt-A-Highway Program. (All states have the
    program except Vermont.)


** Help Save Sally's Rabbits **

    An international grassroots effort is underway to help save a
    rabbit rescue center in Watford, England. The sanctuary is under
    threat of closure by the District Council due to unfounded
    "increased traffic" complaints. Sally Machell created the sanctuary
    in 1991, offering a safe haven for abandoned, neglected or abused
    rabbits from shelters, including the R.S.P.C.A. Please support Sally
    and her 100 rabbits by signing the petition. For the full story,
    go to:


<http://www.savesallysbunnies.com/index.html>http://www.savesallysbunnies.com/in\
dex.html


** Easter Update **

    This year's Easter campaign is now behind us, and our chapters
    came up with innovative ideas to encourage people not to buy rabbits
    as impulse gifts this Easter.  Columbus HRS created chocolate-looking
    rabbit pins for their campaign, "Make Mine Chocolate!" and Minnesota
    HRS focused their campaign on stuffed toy bunnies with HRS info tags
    and accompanying posters. We sent out a nationwide press release and
    many of our representatives did radio, print and television spots
    around the holiday.  Finally, NYC HRS has been working with writer,
    comedian, actress and rabbit-lover Amy Sedaris, to publicize the
    plight of rabbits both at Easter and year-round. Amy recently appeared
    on The Caroline Rhea Show, where she talked about her recently adopted
    (from NYC HRS) rabbit, and promoted House Rabbit Society' efforts.

    This year we had over 2.5 million "hits" to our website in the week
    leading up to Easter. Articles on the dangers of rabbits as Easter
    gifts were featured in over three dozen major newspapers, including
    the Miami Herald, the Honolulu Star-Bulletin, and the San Jose Mercury
    news. Once again, the message was featured in Ann Lander's nationally
    syndicated column.

    http://www.rabbit.org/easter/index.html


** House Rabbit Society Chapter Updates **

    In other news, two of our educators from Tampa Bay, FL, were nominated
    by their local SPCA as the United Way Volunteers of the Year for the
    work they do on behalf of rabbits. The Indianapolis HRS just completed
    a number of educational events include two children's programs
    educating hundreds of kids, Earth Day, a vegetarian festival, and a
    T-Touch seminar. Indiana events included an adoptathon, a children's
    festival, and a pet fair in Mid-May. In St. Louis, the chapter just had
    a booth and presented a talk at the Pet Expo in April, and volunteers
    are preparing for their upcoming Bunny Expo in June. In Arkansas, our
    educator there has been organizing low cost spay/neuter clinics for
    limited income residents in Little Rock; she has also been teaching
    children's programs on humane rabbit care at the local libraries.

    In other parts of the country, volunteers are busy as well! San Diego
    HRS held its annual open house open house in mid-May, Baltimore HRS
    volunteers will be participating in the upcoming Walk for Animals,
    while Chicago HRS is planning their eighth annual Bunny Fest Picnic to
    be held in June.

    http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/index.html


** New House Rabbit Society Items **

    Just in time for summer! How about a swanky new golf shirt of a
    red-sleeved baseball jersey? Several new House Rabbit Society items
    are available at our cafepress.com store. 100% of all profits go
    directly to the House Rabbit Society.

    http://www.cafeshops.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3


    NEW! Donate to the House Rabbit Society every time you write a checkŠ
    http://www.petchecks.com/bunnies.html


** Please Help Us Help the Rabbits. **

    The House Rabbit Society is the only rabbit rescue and education
    program that is nationwide, and indeed, we have members around the
    world. We have 31 chapters in 21 states, and educators and fosterers
    in an additional 10 states plus Canada, Singapore and Australia. How
    do we do all that? We owe our success to our volunteers, and to the
    generosity of our over 7,000 individual members who support this very
    important work.

    A yearly tax-deductible membership costs only $18 or $25 for
    international memberships. All members receive the Society's newsletter,
    The House Rabbit Journal. Visa or MasterCard accepted.

    http://rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html

    On behalf of the rabbits, thank you.


--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
House Rabbit Society
http://www.rabbit.org

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

Greetings from House Rabbit Society!

It's been a long time since our last update. We've been very busy
ramping up for our Easter education campaign and preparing a
new
issue of the Journal. Read on to find out more...

Contents
---------
Help Needed with Easter and Bunnies Don't Mix Campaign
New "Food, not Free" T-Shirts
New House Rabbit Journal


**Help Needed with Easter and Bunnies Don't Mix Campaign**
As Easter approaches, our concerns turn toward the many
rabbits
who will be purchased impulsively, only to be discarded shortly
after Easter. There are many ways you can help us spread the
word
that Easter and Bunnies don't mix:

1) Post our newly redesigned flyers at your local animal hospital,
pet supply store, supermarket, school, or church. Flyer are
available
to download.
<http://www.rabbit.org/easter/flyer/index.html>

2) If you know someone who is thinking of purchasing a rabbit
at Easter, let them know it may be a bad idea. Ask them to
visit our web site or call us to learn more before they make
that fateful decision. www.rabbit.org OR (510) 970-7575.

3) Place our Easter banner on your homepage.
<http://www.rabbit.org/easter/link.html>

4) Write a letter to the editor of your local newspaper.
Tell them, in your own words, the truth about what happens
to many rabbits at Easter.

The bunnies need your help - Please help us spread the word.


**New T-Shirts**
Just in time for the Easter season and teh unfortunate post-
Easter
dumping, we've designed new t-shirts, sweat-shirts and other
clothing
sporting our popular "Food, not Free" message. These items, as
well
as other logo and website shirts, mugs and bags can be found
at:

http://www.cafeshops.com/hrs,hrs2,hrs3


** Winter House Rabbit Journal - Did You Get It? **
Just a heads up that the spring issue of House Rabbit Journal
was sent out to all current HRS members in March.

If you haven't yet become a member, why not join now
so you won't miss this upcoming Journal? If you are already
a member, be sure to renew your membership in the next
two weeks so you don't miss out!

Membership for a year is just $18 ($25 international) and
provides us with the funds we desperately need to continue
our rescue and education efforts.

http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


**But I'm Already a Member!**
Fantastic! You can provide additional support by making a tax
deductible donation via our online donation form. Another
option is to show your support by volunteering with the
national organization your local chapter.

Email volunteer@... for more info.

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685


You are receiving this message because you asked to be
notified of updates to our Web site, http://www.rabbit.org.
Messages are usually sent out on a monthly basis.

Happy Holidays from House Rabbit Society!

**61 Memberships Away From Our 2002 Goal - Join Today**
We're so close! We set a goal of 1000 online memberships;
we're currently at 949. Please join today and help us
reach our goal; The cost is only $18, or $25 for international.
Makes a great year-end tax deduction!

http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


**Already a Member?**
Thanks! Please consider providing additional support by
making a tax deductible donation - no amount is too small.
Remember this is the last week of the year to get your
tax deductions in for 2002.

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685


**We're Here to Help!**
You've read all the FAQ's, but do you still have a question about
your bunny's diet? Wondering about Thumper's seemingly strange
behavior? We have a panel of dedicated email volunteers available
to help you with your house-rabbit-related questions.

Check out the basic FAQs first, and if they don't answer your
questions, check out our feedback page that lists over a dozen
aliases staffed with qualified volunteers to answer your questions.

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/index.html

http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/feedback.html


**Winter Journal**
The next edition of House Rabbit Journal is finishing up
at our editor's desk and should be off to the printer in the
next few weeks. It is currently scheduled to be published in
mid-January. All current members will receive a copy. Look
for articles on oral-exams by Dr. Carolynn Harvey, crazy
predicaments & locations rabbits can get stuck in, as well as
updates on local chapter activities


**Journal Submissions**
The House Rabbit Journal is in its 14th year of publication. In
addition to publishing articles from well-respected bunny
experts, we also love to include articles from our readership .
If you would like to submit an article for publication, we've put
together a set of guidelines you may find helpful.

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/submissions.html


**Adoptions**
As usual, HRS's foster homes as well as most local shelters are
filled to capacity. So we'll say it again....if you've been
thinking about adopting a rabbit, now is a great time! We have
bonded pairs as well as single buns. They are all patiently
waiting for new homes to call their own.

If you have just one rabbit, consider getting him or her a
companion. We found that most rabbits are happy in pairs (go to
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/rabbits-in-the-plural.html
for more info), and we'd be happy to help your rabbit find a
friend. Our experienced volunteers will help you through every
step of the bonding process.

For pictures and descriptions of these adorable
adoptables, visit our national adoption page and click on
the appropriate page(s).

http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/index.html
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/rabbits-in-the-plural.html


You are receiving this message because you asked to be
notified of updates to our Web site, http://www.rabbit.org.
Messages are usually sent out on a monthly basis.
--
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*
House Rabbit Society
http://www.rabbit.org

Do you like our site or find our advice useful?
Please show your support by making a secure online donation:

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=94-3061685

HRS, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804
*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

**Your Bunny and the Holidays **
It's holiday season again - a time of year that can be
both fun and stressful for you and your rabbit. In the
midst of all your holiday preparations, check out this
article containing many tips to keep your bunny safe
and happy over the holiday season.

http://www.rabbit.org/care/holidays.html


**168 Memberships Away From Our Goal - Join Today**
We set a goal of 1000 online memberships signups this year.
We're currently at 832. Please join today and help us
reach our goal; The cost is only $18, or $25 for international.
We accept Mastercard, Visa, and Amex. All members receive
our publication, House Rabbit Journal.

http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


**Already a Member?**
Thanks! Please consider providing additional support by
making a tax deductible donation..

http://www.guidestar.org/helping/donate.adp?ein=943061685


**Journal Submissions**
The House Rabbit Journal is in its 14th year of publication. In
addition to publishing articles from well-respected bunny
experts, we also love to include articles from our readership .
If you would like to submit an article for publication, we've put
together a set of guidelines you may find helpful.

http://www.rabbit.org/journal/submissions.html


**Winter Journal**
The next edition of House Rabbit Journal is tentatively scheduled
to be published at the end of December.

**Adoptions**
As usual in the months after Easter, HRS's foster homes
as well as most local shelters are filled to capacity.
So we'll say it again....if you've been
thinking about adopting a rabbit, now is a great time! We have
bonded pairs as well as single buns. They are all patiently
waiting for new homes to call their own.

If you have just one rabbit, consider getting him or her a
companion. We found that most rabbits are happy in pairs (go to
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/rabbits-in-the-plural.html
for more info), and we'd be happy to help your rabbit find a
friend. Our experienced volunteers will help you through every
step of the bonding process.

For pictures and descriptions of these adorable
adoptables, visit our national adoption page and click on
the appropriate page(s).

http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/index.html
http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/rabbits-in-the-plural.html


**HRS Education Expands to the Far East **
We're very pleased to announce that we have three new
educators representing HRS overseas! There are now licensed
HRS educators in Australia, Hong King, and Singapore.


**Volunteer Opportunities **
Need something fulfilling to do? Want to spend more time
helping rabbits? Give us a call at (510) 970-7575 or e-mail
us at volunteer@.... We are looking for dedicated
volunteers in all parts of the country to help at educational
events, to volunteer at local shelters, and to help in our
dozens of chapters across the country!

http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/volunteer.html
http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/contacts.html


**Holiday Shopping**
Looking for rabbit-themed holiday gifts? Support HRS and find
something for the bunny lovers in your life at the HRS Store, as
well as at our many chapter premium pages.

You can also support HRS when you shop online at
amazon.com using the link below. We get 5% of every purchase
when you use our link:

www.rabbit.org/links/sections/store.html
www.rabbit.org/chapters/index.html
www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/redirect-home/houserabbitsocie/


You are receiving this message because you asked to be
notified of updates to our Web site, http://www.rabbit.org.
Messages are usually sent out on a monthly basis.

Greetings from House Rabbit Society! We hope you and your
bunnies are keeping cool this summer. Here's what's new...

**Cooling Down a Hot Bunny**
    Heat is deadly to rabbits and when the temperature creeps
    up into the 80s or more, heat stress becomes a real
    concern. Overweight rabbits seem more susceptible to
    heat stress-a good motivation to trim Bun down before the
    hottest months of summer. Try these two articles for
    many tips on cooling down an overheated rabbit.

    http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/warm-weather.html
    http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/san-diego/health/cool.html

** Rabbits 2003 Calendar **
    The Rabbits 2003 calendar is out! Photographed by the
    New York City chapter's Mary Cotter, all rabbits featured
    in this calendar are rescued rabbits. Calendars can be
    bought directly from many individual HRS chapters,
    benefiting the individual chapter, and also from
    calendars.com: 15% of the purchase price of calendars
    bought through this link will be given to House Rabbit
    Society.

    http://www.rabbit.org/links/calendar.html


**Adoptions**
    As usual in the months after Easter, HRS's foster homes
    are filled to capacity. So, we'll say it again....if you've been
    thinking about adopting a rabbit, now is the time! We have
    bonded pairs as well as single buns. They are all patiently
    waiting for new homes to call their own.

    If you have just one rabbit, consider getting him or her a
    companion. We found that most rabbits are happy in pairs (go to
    http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/rabbits-in-the-plural.html
    for more info), and we'd be happy to help your rabbit find a
    friend. Our experienced volunteers will help you through every
    step of the bonding process.

    For pictures and descriptions of these adorable
    adoptables, visit our national adoption page and click on
    the appropriate page(s).

    http://www.rabbit.org/adoption/index.html
    http://www.rabbit.org/journal/3-8/rabbits-in-the-plural.html



** Look For a New Journal In Your Mailbox **
    All HRS members were sent the spring/summer 2002 House
    Rabbit Journal at the end of July. It is sent via bulk
    mail, so you should receive your journal sometime in the
    next week. If you forgot to send in your membership, never
    fear! We'll be sending out  one last bulk mailing for
    new/renewing members at the beginning of September.
    Membership is just $18 ($25 international) and you can use
    the link below to sign up.

    http://www.rabbit.org/hrs-info/joining.html


** Article: Seeking Shelters **
    On November 8, three days before we were to open our new
    headquarters, our shelter co-ordinator, Katie Dinneen,
    started contacting shelters that were interested in sending
    rabbits to our new Center. The first three shelters on our
    list had no rabbits at that time. Katie called the 4th shelter.
    They had a black lop-mix, whose cage was marked with a pink
    (euthanasia) tag, dated November 8! With that very important
    phone call, our first 11th-hour bunny (we later named Adam)
    was saved.

    http://www.rabbit.org/journal/4-5/seeking-shelters.html


** Local Updates **
    We thought you might enjoy hearing what some of our local
    chapters have been up to this summer...

    The MD/DC/NoVA chapter just had their first "Bunny Tune-Up"
    day, with 17 rabbits getting groomed (and massaged!) over a
    2 1/2 hour period. Also on the east coast, the New York City
    chapter has been involved in a variety of activities, from
    educating the staff at the Howard Stern radio program about
    rabbit care to working with Petfinders.org and the ASPCA on
    celebrating Adopt a Rescued Rabbit month in July to speaking
    at the Animal Welfare League of New Jersey's Spring conference.
    Our New York City and Miami, FL volunteers also teamed up to
    host a House Rabbit Society booth at the International
    Veterinary Conference on Exotics.

    In the midwest, our Indiana chapter is presenting rabbit care
    seminars at The Humane Society of Indianapolis Kindness Camp,
    a camp set up to teach compassion to kids. The St. Louis chapter
    just finished their 5th Annual Bunny Expo complete with a
    veterinary seminar and education events organized by 25 local
    volunteers for a crowd of over 200. Our Columbus, OH volunteers
    are in the process of planning their activities for the Ohio
    Humane Education Association's "Ohio's Week for the Animals"
    in October.

    On the west coast, the San Diego chapter is gearing up for their
    annual Bunnfest on September 22. If you're in the area, please
    join the hundreds of people who show up every year for this fun
    educational event. And finally, at the national office in
    Richmond, we just hosted a film crew from "Bay Area Backroads,"
    a local television show who will be featuring our shelter on
    their show this Fall. If you live in the Bay Area, please check
    our website for details on the show date!

    We have over 20 local chapters across the state and they, too,
    need your support through local memberships. Please visit our
    local chapters page to find out more about local activities and
    supporting your closest local chapter.

    http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/index.html

** Quark Software Needed **
    We produce House Rabbit Journal and our other printed educational
    materials using Quark Express. We have not been able to upgrade to
    more recent versions due to the high costs. If you have a copy of
    Quark Express 4.0 or 5.0 that you would be willing to donate to HRS,
    we would love to hear from you! Please email paige@...


You are receiving this message because you asked to be notified
of updates to our Web site, http://www.rabbit.org. Messages are
usually sent out on a monthly basis.