SaveABunny Blog

As so many people who have had the pleasure of sharing their home with a rabbit will tell you, it’s almost impossible to just have one.

And not because of the stereotype that rabbits breed like crazy (pet rabbits should always be fixed!), and not just because one rabbit by himself looks kinda bored, and not just because humans love projecting their own loneliness onto their furry friends. You see, rabbits have this strange addictive property. I call it lagophetamine. (I made that up just now.) Once you realize you’ve fallen for a rabbit, it’s already too late. His big, pinkish blue eyes have cast their spell on you, and you’re doomed to have more rabbits - and more - probably until the day you die. Luckily it’s an extremely pleasant addiction with only positive side effects.

But I have to admit - wait, let me do this right -

Hi. I’m Thea. I’m an addict. A lagophetamine addict.

I started with just one rabbit - like we all do, I guess - but then, I couldn’t help myself. One wasn’t enough. I told myself he’s lonely, he’s bored, he needs company - but the truth is, I needed a second rabbit.

I went looking for one. Not very hard, I just put up a posting on Craigslist. I figured one would find me. I said I had a bunny who needed a friend, and if someone had a rabbit they couldn’t take care of, I would take her in and make sure she had a good home. I also went to the websites of the local shelters, and emailed them about fostering. Ideally, I would have gone to SaveABunny, brought my rabbit, Ellis, with me, and done the rabbit speed dating that SaveABunny offers, which is an awesome service. But SaveABunny was 1200 miles away and Ellis hates cars. Sorry, SaveABunny. I feel bad, but… I got to save a bunny out here instead.

After a couple of weeks, I got a response. Not from the animal shelters, unfortunately, (not sure what their deal is), but from Craigslist. A 12-year-old had randomly brought home a rabbit from school one day, and his mom realized there was no way they could keep her. She emailed me this photo:

I couldn’t resist. That little scared bunny - she could end up with some unknowing family, locked in a hutch her whole life, or worse - Albuquerque has a lot of snake owners. (Don’t get me wrong, I love snakes - but I love bunnies more.)

We arranged a meeting in a pre-disclosed location. I was early and waited for several minutes, trying to look like inconspicuous. Then I heard a voice - “Are you Thea?”

It was her - she was carrying a nondescript brown box. That had to be the goods.

Of course she also had three kids with her and we were in front of Whole Foods in broad daylight… but appearances aside, the cold hard truth is that I was getting a fix. A lagophetamine fix.

“Show me the bunny,” I said. (Just kidding, I didn’t actually say that. But I wish I had.)

She opened the box, and inside was the 64 oz. of pure brown and white love from the picture. I was sold. Not that I paid for her - you see, the first dose is always complimentary, that’s how they get you hooked. Or so I hear.

The kid had already named her Linda. It means “pretty.” I couldn’t think of any name that would possibly suit her better.

I took my box of lagophetamine and went home. It was going to be an exciting weekend.

To be continued…

I’d like you to take a moment and read this quote from the website of Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. It’s a new proposition for offsetting California’s financial hardships:

Broadening the Sales and Use Tax to Include Certain Services:  Effective February 1, 2009, the sales and use tax rate will be applied to appliance and furniture repair, vehicle repair, golf, and veterinarian services.  Effective March 1, 2009, the sales and use tax rate will be applied to amusement parks and sporting events.  This is expected to generate additional General Fund sales tax revenue of $357 million in 2008-09.

Oh, ok, well it is a recession and everythi- wait, he wants to tax veterinarian services????

Now, from the point of view of someone who has probably only ever owned several-thousand-dollar, purebred animals, if any, I can see how maybe a pet seems like a luxury. It doesn’t make him a good pet owner if he sees them that way, but I can see some logic in the train of thought, at least.

But how many people paying vet bills see their animals as a luxury? And that’s what this means - under California law, pets will become a luxury, because in order to have a pet, it must be properly taken care of or you could be fined or arrested for animal cruelty or neglect. And properly taken care of means shots, neutering, check-ups, and care into old age.

By Schwarzenegger’s logic, foster and adopted children are a luxury. Aging parents who we choose to care for and bring into our homes are a luxury. Disabled siblings and spouses who we choose to support are a luxury.

Not only is this proposal poorly thought out, it’s discriminatory, classist, and inhumane.

Sign a petition through PetPAC or learn more about what you can do through Social Compassion in Legislation.

I try to keep this blog politically neutral, but this is an issue that directly effects everyone in California who has a pet or is thinking about getting a pet, and morally, it should effect everyone, everywhere who has ever cared for another living being. So I hope you can forgive me this once.

I also have some contention with the vehicle repair bit, but that’s just unrelated.

There is one - yes, only one - disadvantage to having a prey animal as a family member.

And it is made extremely clear when you attempt to bring home a predator.

Like, for example, this one:

Yes, that’s a cute puppy. And yes, that’s my laundry room.

You see, despite never having been much of a dog person, I’ve had this fantasy for awhile of having a dog. Why? For walks in the park, playing frisbee, exploring, that kinda stuff. I guess I could have just gotten a boyfriend, or a child, or park ranger, but for some reason a puppy seemed like less responsibility.

WRONG. (Ok except maybe the child part. I have no idea.)

But it did provide an excellent opportunity for a blog!

Now, I know there are many households out there where dogs and rabbits co-exist peacefully. I figured a puppy would be young and impressionable and able to learn that rabbits aren’t food pretty fast.

So I went on craigslist and found a puppy. She was an adorable 5 month old border collie and I named her Elena. Of course the moment I brought her home, my bunny, Ellis Jose, ran tearing off into his hiding place in the laundry room, immediately labeling himself as a really fun exciting toy to little Elena. Nice job, Ellis. Those instincts are really helping you out here. Stupid rabbit.

So Elena spent the night in a kennel, and Ellis spent the night huddled in a corner. Obviously, there were two very powerful instincts to overcome: a flee instinct, and a chase instinct. Bad combination.

On the second day, Ellis started to act relatively normal again, but poor Elena was cooped up in the bathroom all day while I was at work, which just made her even feistier and crazier when i let her out, and I couldn’t let her off the leash between the bathroom and the front door because she would immediately try to eat my rabbit.

I tried tying her up in the laundry room so she could hang out with me while I made dinner (it’s like the same room as my kitchen) but that also proved difficult for various reasons.

I’m sorry to say that I failed horribly at inter-species diplomacy and ended up giving her back on the third day. Ellis was freaked out and not eating very much, and I realized that if I gave Elena the proper time and training to be friends with a rabbit, the rabbit probably wouldn’t last that long.

I didn’t feel too bad giving her back because the nice woman I got her from had missed her and kind of wanted to keep her anyway. If I hadn’t already had a rabbit, Elena would have been a fantastic dog and I totally would’ve kept her. But, bunny wins. I like him better.

So unfortunately the only thing I can really give you out of this experience is a list of what not to do:

1. Don’t do crazy impulsive stuff like go out and randomly get a puppy after work one day. Plan it out a little!

2. Don’t get a big puppy. Knee-high is too high. If Elena had been too small to physically devour Ellis, I’m sure I could have given her a lot more time. Also, he might not have been so terrified of her.

3. Don’t bring home a dog that was bred to chase small animals. Border collie? Really? What was I thinking? Get something docile, and if it’s big, get one with three legs or no teeth or something. Don’t bring home a hunting dog or a herding dog unless it’s a little tiny baby. Or you have a yard or large extra room.

4. Don’t bring home a puppy who’s old enough to intimidate anyone. I’m pretty sure if Elena had been younger (and smaller) it would have worked out better.

5. Don’t experiment on a weekday. Wait until you have a long weekend or a vacation or get laid off to bring home a puppy. That way you have plenty of time to watch them and train them at a crucial phase. And make sure they don’t kill each other.

6. Don’t ignore your lease agreement. Have a yard. If you want to go the crazy impulsive route like I did and bring a puppy into your little one-bedroom apartment, all the other rules are about twenty times more important.

7. Don’t bring home a wild animal. Elena had been picked up two weeks earlier while chasing cars in the boonies. Try to make sure the dog is trained and well-behaved before you introduce it to your rabbit.

Now, I know this has worked for some people, but I haven’t found any success stories with happy endings online to use as examples, and the official SaveABunny guide merely says, “Slow, supervised introductions are a must.” Obviously. I do know that Marcy, the founder of SaveABunny, has a dog who does not eat any of the bunnies there. I think she’s a lab. But I would very much appreciate any readers who have tried this, or who have read a happy story of someone who tried this, to please share, so that I can make a “Do” list to accompany this “Don’t” list.

Also, if you think I got anything wrong, let us know!

UPDATE: After reading around a little, I learned that better results generally come with an older, well-trained dog than with starting with a puppy, no matter how young it is. So ignore #4 above. And I’m starting a DO list:

1. Get an older, well-trained dog. And get one from a shelter. They need you more than a cute puppy does anyway.

2. Lock up the rabbit while the dog is out. I was reluctant because, you know, Ellis was here first and he shouldn’t have to give up his hard-earned living room privileges. But in hindsight, he probably would have felt a lot safer with some nice wire bars between them, and he wouldn’t have provoked Elena’s chase instinct. A barking-at-small-animals instinct is a different story, unfortunately.

With the economy in shambles, the ice caps melting, two wars, and nuclear weapons practically everywhere, there’s one issue the media has turned to now that the election is over: “OMG what kind of puppy are the Obamas gonna get?!?!”

From the BBC News:

He did not mention any specific breed, but said the family’s preference was to adopt a dog from a shelter, “a mutt - like me”, he added. Mr Obama said they had to find a pet that would not trigger an allergy of his eldest, Malia.

It is truly admirable and a huge statement for homeless animals everywhere that our incoming president would prefer to adopt a shelter animal. Huge kudos on that.

But allow me to make a suggestion. (Can ya see it coming? Can ya?) That’s right - I think the First Family should adopt a bunny. Here’s why:

1. Considering the eco-friendliness of bunnies, it would send a message to world leaders and environmental groups that Obama is as serious about the environment in his personal life as he is in his rhetoric.

2. As gentle herbivores, a rabbit would be a reminder of the loftiest goal every administration should have: world peace.

3. He will quickly learn to never rush into something without careful examination - because inevitably there will be a rabbit there to trip him if he does.

4. He will always be reminded to eat his vegetables, and so will his little girls, ensuring a healthy and happy stay in the White House.

5. How freaking adorable would it be??

Also, having a bunny conveniently sidesteps Malia’s dog allergies.

So, bunny it is! Come on over and take a look any time, Mr. President-elect! Here’s a few SaveABunny suggestions to inspire you:

Sose:

As charming as they come, Sose could single-pawdedly disarm North Korea, Iran, and Syria all at the same time. I’m not joking.

Sugar:

Nothing makes a big, new house cozier than a super-snuggly snugglebunny.

Bourbon:

When all that political stuff gets too serious, this guy’s antics will make even the Press Secretary remember to smile.

Buddy:

This adorable creature already has experience with kids, and, like our country, is ready for a new chapter!

*While SaveABunny does not recommend rabbits as pets for households with small children, we have a sneaking suspicion the Obama girls are old enough and would totally treat a bunny right.

As many of you may already know, rabbits can be extremely opinionated. I’m certain that if all the animals suddenly could talk to us and read newspapers and stuff, rabbits would be the first to go out and get themselves voting rights. No matter who or what they voted for, they would definitely make their opinions heard with a resounding “thump,” and by gum they would go out there on election day and vote. (Unless maybe there was a clover patch on the way and they got distracted.)

So take a lesson from the rabbits and go out there and vote November 4th!

Then when you’re done, come up to SaveABunny and check out some bunnies from one of the most opinionated (not to mention curious, comical, and smart) breeds: the Dutch.

Clover:

Chocolate:

Cooper:

Sabra (on the left, with her bunny husband Buddha):

Dustin (on left, with his bunny wife Pumpkin):

And of course, Roger Bunny Pants:

What better bunny to dedicate October to than one that’s always in costume? The multi-colored breed known as Harlequins are short-haired, easy-to-groom, medium-sized bunnies that come in mottled shades of black, brown, tan and white. A common trait of Harlequins is a face that’s half one color and half another. These bunnies are generally calm, better with children than most rabbits, and, as you might guess from their appearance, love attention.

Come check out the Harlequins waiting for a foster or adopted home at SaveABunny:

Glenn Ford:

Jane Russell:

Jean Harlow:

Lana Turner:

Veronica Lake:

Vivian Leigh:

Baxter - a rare Lionhead Harlequin:

Bono:

and Dolly:

Phew. We have a lot of Harlequins. We love them, but please come by and take one home!

And Happy Halloween!

SaveABunny was featured this month in Northside San Francisco magazine, in the cover story “Animal Heroes.”

An excerpt:

Every bunny needs somebody sometime

Marcy Schaaf is a Bay Area bunny’s best friend. Schaaf is the founder of SaveABunny, an unflagging rescue group that partners with animal shelters nationwide to provide care and adoption services for homeless rabbits.

You can pick up a copy of the magazine on racks around SF this month, or read the full article here.

Ken and Jen were the generous foster parents of two great bunnies who they finally decided to adopt from SaveABunny. They wanted to share their story:

Hello All!

I have been wanting to write this for a while. We have officially adopted Spike and Marley (in July)! We were given the chance to foster these two very smart and sweet brothers last year and we realized that we had fallen in love with them and could never let them go. When Marcy asked us to foster them, she told us that they were not too people friendly, as they were pretty much ignored where they came from. Well, she was right. Spike and Marley were tough to get to touch and stay calm, but they were so cute and very playful. Marley, kind of mellow compared to Spike, was a little easier to give quick little head rubs and strokes, but both really had a hard time with all the attention that we were giving them! Jen really worked on them, sitting in the room with them and just letting them come over to her. But try to pet them and, ZOOM, gone!

Little by little, we both would sit in the room and also let them watch us with Babs and Homer. They saw us snuggling the other buns and I think a bell went off….they started to sit and let us pet them, and slowly, but surely, actually started to like it when we petted them. We started to “nose” them and even did the nose stroke (oh, my neck!) on their faces. Wow! They really enjoyed that. I realized that Marley is a talkative kind of guy. He will grunt in a way that is like a dog when he plays. At first, I would pull my hand away, but Jen said that they are play nips, so I got brave and she was right! Marley really likes to growl when he plays and loves to chew and toss the paper towel roll around and then I stroke him and then he gives me a little, totally harmless nip and runs away waiting for me to chase him. Cool! A Dog-Bunny!! Spike, meanwhile, is just a doll and loves me to give him pretty intense strokes on his head and ears and loves when I shake his butt a little - really. Both are now soooooo cool and even though it took me longer than Jen, I am totally in love with these wonderful guys. Jen told me that they would come around, but I did have my doubts at first. Well, now, they go nuts when we feed them their greens, standing on their hind legs and dancing for us, and really love a stroke-chase- play-chase- stroke game. Wonderful! We are so happy that Marcy let us foster them and adopt them. They will be with us forever!

As for Homer The Great, you may have known him as Winter (ugh). The shy big New Zealand White that was rescued from UCSF Med School. He is a dream. A big, lazy bunny who loves to eat and sleep and have his ears stroked (or any part of his gigantic body!). He goes out on our deck and visits our neighbors regularly, who have fallen in love with him, too. It’s funny to see service workers come in to do work and see Homer and back away. I tell the workers that Homer is not the killer rabbit from Monty Python, and when they pet him, think he is just the coolest! Homer is so harmless, when Babs gets through to bother him, he runs away. Babs is relentless, not letting up, but Homer, ever the kind gentleman, will just kind of push her and run away. Thank goodness for that, because he is a BIG bunny!

Kudos to Marcy and all of the volunteers who save the bunnies! There still is a lot of educating to do, to let the public know what amazing companions these funny and wonderful and feeling creatures they are. Marcy, I don’t envy you, it’s tough. But you are doing a great service for bunnies everywhere. Spike and Marley and Homer know that and they send their love!

Ken and Jen Shaw