THE METRO RABBIT NEWS

The Newsletter of RabbitWise, Inc. of Metropolitan Washington, D.C.  Winter 2005, Volume 2 Number 1

Rabbits have needed their own mainstream public relations (PR) firm for quite some time. Fortunately, for the last three years Petfinder has partnered with various other animal groups, including the House Rabbit Society, and selected one month of the year dedicated to promoting rescued rabbit adoption  (other months promote other animals).  If you visit their web site at www.petfinder.com and click on “February is Adopt A Rescued Rabbit Month,” you can find lots of interesting articles; help with doing a press release, and ideas for developing promotions in your own community.

Getting into the spirit of things, RabbitWise® staff has submitted articles to The Washington Post, The Washington Times, and other animal publications about how to go about adopting rescued rabbits. Cross all fingers and paws that they get published so that rescuers can get some buns into forever homes before the post-Easter onslaught begins.  In addition to the articles, there’s a special page on the web site (www.rabbitwise.org) dedicated to February’s promotional event.  

Late December, MRN subscribers and others were invited to submit stories, pictures, or whatever else they had a mind to, describing the joys of living with rabbits and the affection that exists between rabbits and their FLRs (Funny Looking Rabbits aka pet humans).    Be sure to visit the page to read all about the special rabbits who have brought such love and joy into the homes they share with their human families.  Don’t forget to do something special for your own house bun(s) and something to help other rabbits still hoping to find the loving families that they deserve.

CARNIVAL RABBITS

By Rachel Barnes 

Time passes slowly here in this small cage out in the hot summer sun. Flies land on me. I itch constantly. The sun wouldn’t bother me so much if I had more water to drink or maybe more food to nibble on to preoccupy my mind from all this noise around my small cage. My other rabbit friends come and go all day. I can see some in a canister behind the tent but I feel sorry for them.  They don’t move much and flies seem to bother them more than they bother me. I see some of my rabbit friends go away with happy people thrilled to death with getting one of us. I wonder when my time will come to have a family of my own. Days here pass by and finally the man pulls me from the cage. I am getting a home of my own! A little girl picks me up from the man and hugs me. Her parents look on ready to leave.

I have a cage. It is a little small but it beats being out in the sun. I get more food and water now but I hardly get any attention. The little girl seems to be preoccupied and the parents are constantly asking her to care for me. I wish she would. Sometimes my cage is rather soiled and it takes days just to get more food and water. Luckily now it seems the parents have taken over giving me food and water and cleaning my cage but I sense they aren’t very happy about it. The woman sneezes constantly when she cares for me and I hear fighting about me in the night. The little girl barely looks my way anymore. The man says hello to me occasionally but I sense a growing tension. Finally one day the woman puts me in a carrier. Oh boy, I think maybe we are going somewhere fun! She tells me not to worry as she puts me by some doors. It is a chilly night but oh boy at least I am out of that small cage and away from the yelling! As the dawn breaks and the day begins, my small carrier is greeted by a woman talking to me, asking me where I came from. Again I’m placed in a small cage with loud sounds all around me. I don’t like it here. What happened to the little girl and the woman or even the man? I look around and again I see lots of rabbits just like me. I hear the people talk about people not ready for pets and improper rabbit ownership. It does not mean much to me. I just want someone who loves me and someone I can love who understands what I need. My temperament changes as days again pass by like all the others.  I pace this small cage over and over growing more impatient. Then one day someone comes to get me. I see them walking toward my cage with a key. Finally! I am taken to a small room where other people await my arrival. I am placed on a small table where I start to feel sleepy. I am told it will soon be over and finally all my suffering is.

Working in rabbit rescue we all are familiar with irresponsible rabbit acquisition and care and the fate of those abandoned in shelters.  But in the rabbit world the topic of carnival rabbits has been largely ignored. Carnival rabbits are the rabbits given away like stuffed animals to any average Joe or Jane as prizes for winning carnival attraction games. Most often these rabbits are ill or become ill due to inadequate living conditions. Some even die before being given away as prizes or others end up in the hands of humans unwilling to care for them leaving the rabbit to a fate of life in a high kill shelter. It is very rare to find a human who has won a rabbit as a prize that such rabbit went on to live a very healthy, happy life.

Something must be done to stop this inhumane practice. As responsible rabbit owners we must stand up for those rabbits that cannot stand up for themselves. Some work has been done across the country to stop carnivals from giving away live animal prizes but much work is still needed in this area of rabbit protection. Some counties, towns and states have had success banning this practice but much is needed in our own backyards. In spite of some attempts last year by RabbitWise®, Montgomery County, Maryland, RabbitWise’s® home base, does not have laws on the books to prohibit this practice.  The campaign in Calvert County, MD, 2004, supported by RabbitWise,® the Humane Society, and others, failed to pass the law when it reached the Maryland State Senate (see previous issue of the MRN for full story). As this article is being written many at http://www.geocities.com/vbiguana/carnival.html)are working in Montgomery County to change the county charter to protect our rabbit friends. We urge you to do the same in your own area of the country. Exercise your democratic right and protect the buns! Remember the inspiring words of Gandhi, “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.”  

HOW YOU CAN HELP CARNIVAL RABBITS

                                                                                                                                   By Lana Lehr

To help end the irresponsible practice of giving away live animal prizes, you will have to get legislation passed to prohibit it.  This may have to be done at the county and/or state level in your area.  A reasonable place to start is to contact your state and/or county representatives.  Go to www.congress.org and enter your zip code to find your congresspersons.   You can ask them or a staffer how this process is accomplished where you live. 

Once you find that out, you should prepare a fact sheet so you have talking points and information to give to your legislator.    Examples of facts to include are:  “prizes” are often awarded to children when there are no parents present; “prize” animals are often kept in overcrowded, inhumane conditions, and exposed to temperature extremes (point out that over-heating is a particular problem for rabbits), careless handling (again a particular problem for rabbits because of skeletal fragility), and neglect of their basic needs; animals are given to unprepared persons who are acquiring them on impulse and not after careful consideration of what the impact and basic requirements of the animal to survive will be; event sponsors make little to no effort to supply “winners” with information about the proper care of the “prize” rabbit; many animals suffer during these events and die shortly thereafter traumatizing the child whose loses their new pet; shortly after being “won,” many rabbits get dumped at the local county shelter increasing the burden on taxpayers or dumped at a private rabbit rescue straining private resources that are already overburdened with too many rabbits.     

After you’ve had your talk with your congressperson or County Council member, find out if s/he is willing to take this issue on.  Ask “will you do this if I give you the materials and the language to do it.”  If s/he agrees,  research these topics for him/her:  have any other counties in your state passed this kind of legislation and which counties are they; why is it necessary (the fact sheet address this); who is the opposition; who in your county is giving away rabbits (backyard breeders, traveling carnival shows, etc.); who in your state issues permits for anyone giving away live animals.

For the uninitiated, this work can seem overwhelming.  Fortunately there is help and support available. Go to the Humans Society of the United State web site (www.hsus.org) and get an education about how to give rabbits this kind of help.  For federal legislation information, go to http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/ and use the Bill Finder search tool.   For state legislation, go to http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/state_legislation/ and click on your state on the US map.  Visit the Citizen’s Lobbyist Center at http://www.hsus.org/legislation_laws/citizen_lobbyist_center/

and take the Lobbyist 101 Tutorial. Also check up how animal friendly your representatives are by reading your state’s Humane Scorecard.  Getting involved in the Humane Activist Network can get you in contact with a HSUS grassroots coordinator, a great consultant to have when you’re working on these types of issues. 

To continue your preparations for your congressperson, research databases that contain information on whether or not you  county has an ordinance against giving live animals away as “prizes,” visit www.municode.com or call your city council.  Much of this work has been done for iguanas by Cindy Hiddemen.  Visit her site (http://www.geocities.com/vbiguana/carnival.html) for real hands-on help, like “Tips on Preparing A Bill,” getting the Health Department as an ally, and links to carnival operators nationwide. Call your local county shelter director and find out how much money is spent on dumped rabbits especially during the summer carnival season.  Permits to give away live animals is usually out of the state’s Department of Agriculture and signed by the state’s head veterinarian/chief of animal health.  Contact information is on your state’s web site under the Department of Agriculture. 

APIS has regional Animal Care offices in the East, the West, and Central regions headquarters.  Go to their web site (see earlier article in this edition) to find out how to contact them and to see if there are any AWA violations that may be helpful to your cause.  During the carnival season, check the Rabbit Advocate page at RabbitWise® to learn how to respond when you spot rabbits at carnivals.

If You Are Interested in Helping With This Project,

e-mail RabbitWise:  rabbitwise@verizon.net.   

HOMEOPATHY

FOR RABBITS

Here’s a link to a web site that has homeopathic remedies specifically for rabbits.  At the site, select “Rabbits” in the search bar.  That will take you to a problem list and subsequently to a page with the remedy that the site sells for that selected problem.  https://secure.dataactive.net/wholistic/ailments.asp?

From The Coney Courier,

Special to The Metro Rabbit News

By Muggins Rocko Rabbit

EASTER FOR RABBITS PROPOSAL

Easter is approaching again.  You can tell because all the FLRs (Funny Looking Rabbits aka: pet humans) are displaying rabbits everywhere.  My FLR, Goddess (she makes me call her that in return for some special favors--- access to her computer, for example), has returned from shopping on several occasions loaded with rabbit themed stuff.  Have you ever gotten a good look at some of these items?  No self -respecting rabbit could not help but be embarrassed by some of it.  Please.  Pink and blue synthetic fur rabbits.  What’s wrong with real rabbit colors anyway?  Next FLRs will be checking to see if we really can produce colored eggs! We can, actually, but we buy them from chickens with whom we have special contracts. Then, our rabbit artisans and designers paint them.  With whom do you think Faberge consulted ?  Rabbits, that’s who!  This top of the food chain business has gone to the FLRs heads.  They’re not the only ones with talent.  Note to self:  look into a good PR firm that will do rabbit promotions.

A few days ago, Goddess came to Cassidy, my bunny buddy, and me to ask us what we were planning to do for Easter.  We have this conversation every year.  Last year during Easter we were all visiting our cousin Eeorya in Pennsylvania.  Early on Easter morning, Goddess went down stairs to see what the Easter Bunny had left.  Finding nothing, she flew back upstairs to the rabbit room and confronted Eeorya, Cassidy, and me.  “Three rabbits in this house and not one trace of a colored egg or a chocolate rabbit?” she sniffed.  “Exactly what am I to make of this?”  She gave us her back, stalked off to her room, and took to her bed. 

Cassidy, clearly alarmed (he is such a mama’s boy)  stammered, “I think we’d better do something.”  “Oh, for Pete’s sake.  Goddess is way to old to believe in the Easter Bunny!”  I protested.   “Maybe so ,” says Eeorya, “but I think Cassidy is right.  We’d better do something.”  Now, exactly what we did and how we did it, I can’t tell you.  It is part of the secret wisdom of the Coney Cult.  What I can tell you is when Goddess and all of Eeorya’s FLR family went back downstairs that Easter morning, there were chocolate rabbits, colored eggs, jellybeans, and marshmallow peeps all beautifully arrange in pastel baskets for everyone.  The FLRs loved it.  We rabbits were redeemed! 

Of course, now we’re faced with the problem of what to do this year.  That’s the problem with being fabulous.  You always have a tough act to follow.  What to do?  It occurs to me that a great idea would be for the FLRs to be our Easter Bunny this year.  That’s exactly it!  We’ll propose that our FLRs make Easter for us.  I have my ideas about what Goddess should do for Cassidy and me.  I’d also love to ring up Martha Stewart to get her suggestions but she’s just so busy right now.  That will have to wait until next year, perhaps, when her troubles have blown over.

I think we should get carrot colored fleece pads covered with our favorite foods.  We get to choose our foods without any interference from those pesky rabbit organizations that are always telling our FLRs about healthy diets.  The minute that Goddess got involved with them, the tortilla chips disappeared never to be seen again.  I loved those tortilla chips and I had become quite adept at stealing them.  I haven’t seen one in years but I want my own bag for Easter.  I also want a whole fresh pear all to myself, three or four large leaves of kale, and a half dozen of those rabbit biscuits Goddess buys at rabbit events. Top it all off with unlimited slivers of dried apples and I will be one happy Easter rabbit.  For the rest of you out there, ask not what you can bring your FLRs for Easter but what your FLRs can bring you.

Hmmmmm.  I wonder what Goddess is going to say about this?  I better get a contract drawn up with the Easter Bunny so that we can pull this off.  Good luck everyone with you own FLRs.  Until next time, I am faithfully yours,

RADAR WHITE

John White & Family:  Radar.  $150 was contributed to RabbitWise® in memory of Radar.

Obituary for Radar White

It is with profound sadness that The Metro Rabbit News must note the passing of Radar White to the Rainbow Bridge on Sunday, December 26, 2004. Radar was one of seven born to Gus and Sophie, on July 16, 2000, three weeks after they arrived at their new home. It was the birth of Radar and his siblings that persuaded his Dad, John, to become involved with the rabbit rescue community.

In March of last year, Radar was diagnosed as having Congenital Agangliosis, also known as “mega colon” or “cow pile syndrome.” He survived several of the severe flare-ups of GI Stasis common to this condition, but the disease finally took its toll. It appeared that he was recovering from the most recent bout on Christmas Day, but sadly, it was not to be. He made his final leap to the Bridge in his Dad’s arms the next morning.

Radar is survived by his father and mother, Gus and Sophie, his twin sister and life-long friend Marilyn, his “Aunt” Frances, and his siblings Jack, Evander, and Nina, of Sterling, Virginia, Sweetheart of Richmond, Virginia, and Cocoa of LaPlata, Maryland, and by his “Dad and Mom“, John and Brenda White.

Radar is the first of those rabbits who live with the founders of RabbitWise® to go to the Bridge. It seems fitting that the “In Memoriam” page, soon to be added to the RabbitWise® website, should be dedicated to his memory.

Maestro-an Obituary

The best-behaved rabbit of all times, Maestro Binky Boy Vey, of Lusby, MD died due to complications caused by a mass (thymoma) in his chest, on December 29, 2004.  Maestro, formerly a resident of the state of Virginia, and rescued by Bunny Lu Adoptions in the year 2000, (approximately at one year of age), was adopted by the Vey's for their widowed bunny, Melody, who seduced him at first glance.  Melody and Maestro adored each other and lived very happily together till Melody passed away in 2002.  Maestro, who had sunk into a deep depression, recovered when he met Sonata, a little black and white Holland Lop. From sorrow and loneliness a deep love developed between the two bunnies. 

Joe & Sandi Monaco:  April.

April

I have never known a braver being.  April’s will to live was so very strong. When she came to live with us ten years ago, she didn’t complain. She knew that all humans were not like the psychopath that cut off her foot. She trusted us to care for her and to love her. April had an enormous desire to live.

After April was treated and the remainder of her leg was removed, April would hop around and act like any other bunny that enjoyed to lay and do all the other things that a bunny with four legs loves to do, only more so. April acted like a rabbit that had some-thing to prove.  April took to a mate almost immediately. She also let him know that she was the boss.  April’s eyes sparkled with life.  Sometimes it seemed as if you could see a flame burning within them.  April loved life!

 April and Dusty were happy together. They would play and groom each other and sleep and eat together.  After all she wouldn’t take food out of his mouth all the time.  April could go up and down the stairs and liked to hop up on the couch and lie down. Sometimes she would watch the television as if amused by the strange people that appeared on its screen.

April enjoyed going places and meeting new people. They would feel sorry for her just as we did at first.  April didn’t want pity. April just wanted to be a bunny. April wanted life!

April developed arthritis in her spine and legs, and had slowed down more noticeably in recent weeks. She tried as hard as she could to fight the onset of aging, compounded by her severe handicap. Dusty continued to groom her and give her encouragement. On the morning of January 25, 2005, her fight took a detour and she quietly passed into a place where no one will ever hurt or maim her again.

April will not be forgotten and the love for her will remain with those who knew her and were influenced by her struggles, strong heart and an undying will to live. We love you, April! Thank you for brightening our lives.

Patricia Brainard:  Lily

Susan Bill & Family: Snickerdoodle

SNICKERDOODLE

Snickerdoodle started her life in a tiny breeder cage in a backyard.  She was rescued at about two years old with 18 other bunnies and brought to a local humane society.  Snicks suffered from various health issues, but lived the last 2 1/2 years in a loving home,  in a pen with fresh hay that she loved to dig in and arrange, fresh veggies, toys and lots of playtime.  Snicks was in the process of bonding with two boy bunnies and was loving every minute of it.  Sadly, she developed a mass in her lung complicated by infection and she passed away within a week.  We miss you Snicks, love Susan, Toby and Ian.

    For Halloween, RabbitWise® folks partied at Imagination Stage in Bethesda, MD, by attending the stage’s production of BUNNICULA, The Vampire Rabbit.  The musical was for ages four to adult and based on Deborah and James Howe’s children’s book, BUNNICULA:  A Rabbit Tale of Mystery.  Participating board members dressed in capes and vampire teeth to distribute educational materials about rabbits to the theatergoers.   The mark of the vampire rabbit was left on the snacks that were for sale at the event:  two red fang prints were on every carrot shaped cookie.

An important part of working to help rabbits is networking with other animal organizations.  This December, RabbitWise® hob-nobbed with the guests at Metro-Pets Christmas party for the members of the metropolitan DC animal groups.  We made lots of new contacts and put live persons’ faces with their e-mail addresses that we’d been communicating with for months.  Besides being a good networking idea, these get-togethers are also FUN! A very special thanks to Metro Pets for throwing such a great bash!     From left to right:  Holly Sternberg (Puppy Mill Protests), Anne Shroeder (Metro-Pets), Pat Breen (Puppy Mill Protest), and Lana Lehr (RabbitWise).

    On October 27, 2004, RabbitWise® Board Members John White and Scott Baker presented the basic class about rabbit care, Rabbitology 101 to the staff of the Loudoun County Animal Care and Control.  Following their presentation they received e-mails of appreciation from the Shelter Director, Tim Crum, and Field Supervisor, Janette Reever.   The shelter staff will be distributing RabbitWise® contact information and educational materials to each of their rabbit adopters.       

   Responding to Christian Toto’s article in the Metro section about exotic pets in The Washington Times on September 22, 2004, Paulette Lincoln-Baker, RabbitWise® board member, submitted a letter to the editor pointing out that that the piece failed to discuss rabbits even though Toto cited the American Pet Products Manufacturers Association that named rabbits the third most popular pet after cats and dogs.   Her letter was published on September 27, 2004, and referred readers wanting to know more about rabbits to the RabbitWise® web site.   

    Holly Sternberg reports that the protests at Petland in the Pickett Shopping Center in Fairfax, VA, are still on going every week.  E-mail Sternberg at Holly@Sternberg.com to volunteer and to get the latest schedule.  Her group has attended the protests in Washington, DC, against the use of rabbit fur. 

    LANA LEHR wrote a letter to The Washington Post responding to a rabbit story, “The Silence of the Bunnies,” that ran in the October 19, 2004 of the Health Section.  The story was about how a father allowed his child’s two rabbits to run free after a storm over turned their hutch and the rabbits escaped.  The man made minimal attempts to catch or protect them.  The result was that the rabbits got eaten by a fox.  Lehr’s letter was printed in the “Interactions” segment of the Health section on October 26, 2004, and pointed out the problems of making companion rabbits live outdoors. 

    Filled with disgust and resolve about the quantity of rabbit fur products available at most department and other stores, Gary Loewenthal and Lana Lehr became co-organizers of the anti-fur protests held in Washington, DC, in front of the Hecht’s Department Store at 12^th and G Streets, NW.   Pickets were held every Saturday, from 1 PM to 3 PM throughout the month of December. Members of the Humane Society, including Andrea Cimino, HSUS campaign coordinator, and members of THE FUND FOR ANIMALS, including Pierre Grzybowski, the Fund’s grassroots coordinator, joined the group.  Students from American University also came to help out.  They sent a law student to help with any legal problems between the protestors and the police.  Fortunately, there were none.  In the month of January 2005, the protest expanded to all types of fur and was moved to the “Fur Corridor,” the 5300 block of Wisconsin Avenue in the Friendship Heights area of DC.   Throughout January, protests were held every Saturday, except for the snowed out one, from 1 PM to 3 PM.  Protesters were in front of Neiman Marcus, Hecht’s, Lord & Taylor, Ann Taylor Loft, and Adriana Furs.   Plans are to continue the protests throughout February.  The protest schedule can be found posted on the Rabbit Rap group at www.rabbitwise.org.   PLEASE HELP!  We are the only voice that the rabbits have. 

RabbitWise® has become an affiliate of an on-line rabbit toy store,

Pet Rabbit Toys On-Line.  The RabbitWise® store is located at: http://www.americancart.us/pet_rabbit_toys/index.php?aid=RabbitWise. Visit us there and shop for safe and creative toys for your favorite buns.  Ten percent of everything that you purchase goes to RabbitWise® to help continue our work for the rabbits.  You can also access the store from our web site at www.rabbitwise.org.  Click on “RabbitWise Shop.”

SUSAN WONG of House Rabbit Sanctuary, LANA LEHR of RabbitWise®, and Karen Jones, Rabbit Guardian and Volunteer, appeared on Montgomery County Municipal Cable Television, Channel 16, Living With Animals.   The show was about the importance of knowing your rabbit’s routines so that you can spot difficulties quickly.  There was also a segment on grooming short, medium, and longhaired rabbits and a segment on routine rabbit care.  The half hour show aired on January 25 at 7 PM, on January 28 at 7:30 PM, on January 29 at 7:30 PM, and on January 30, at 7:30 PM.  Unfortunately, it was available only to Montgomery County, MD cable customers.  A videotape of the program will be shown at later events so everyone who wants to see it can.

    RabbitWise® is pleased to announce a partnering relationship with the HOUSE RABBIT SANCTUARY.  Watch for details on the Calendar of Events page at www.rabbitwise.org. 

NEVER UNEDRESTIMATE THE POWER OF ONE

VIGNETTE 1

A colleague of mine confessed to me today that at a restaurant the other night, one of the specials listed was pan-fried rabbit. When confronted with this choice, this woman, who was raised in an environment in which rabbits were hunted and eaten as the norm and had in fact eaten rabbit in the past, just could NOT even consider ordering it. "All I could see was YOUR face, when I thought about it," she confided to me. I thanked her and told her, as I held up to my heart my heart-shaped framed photo of Ruby and Cocoa, that my bunnies thanked her as well.  This just proves my belief that we can influence others just by showing off our rabbits, either by anecdotes, stories, photos.  I sure wish we could have a Bring Your Pet to Work day where I work--just think of the influence I would exert then!

Keep on spreading the word about the wonder and joy of sharing one's life with rabbits! It may take a long time, but we will get through to people. Just gotta’ take ‘em one soul at a time. -Paulette Lincoln Baker

VIGNETTE 2

A young woman anti-fur protestor encountered another young woman in the metro station who was wearing a red rabbit fur
scarf, the kind that all the major department stores have
heavily marketed this season.  The fur wearer saw the "No Fur"
button that the protestor was wearing on her back-pack.

"Oh, I see your button," the fur-wearer (FW) remarked.
The protester paused, waiting for her to make one of the usual
sarcastic remarks, such as "but I am going to wear this scarf anyway," or something of that ilk.  However, Ms. FW said nothing, so Ms. Protestor started politely telling her about the cruelty of the fur industry and about the undercover videos she’d seen about trapping, fur farms, etc. To Ms. Protestor’s surprise,  Ms. FW agreed that the fur industry was awful and commented that she had seen a program about how fur is sometimes mislabeled when it was imported from Asia. People could be wearing dog and cat and not know it!

Ms. Protestor acknowledged that this sometimes happens, but
noted that even if it really is a rabbit, fox, or other animal,
that animal feels pain just like a cat or dog does.  If we wouldn't wear cats or dogs, we shouldn't wear any other animals.  Again, Ms. FW agreed.

Don’t have an anti-fur pin?  Here’s where you can get one:

http://www.cafepress.com/bunny_art. $1.99 each.

REALLY BIG RABBIT! 

Rabbits, like protestors, must sometime deal with dangers in their environment.  Rabbits are masters at escape and evasion because they have to be!

Why is it that the wolf usually does not catch the rabbit even though he is much faster? There are several reasons. First of all, rabbits are far more maneuverable than wolves and can jinks and evade the wolf, with his far greater turning distance at speed. Zig, zag, SAFE!

A rabbit knows his/her territory when foxes threaten.  She runs, zigs, and evades right down a hole too small for anyone to follow.

Most important, however, is that the wolf is running for his dinner, but the rabbit is running for his/her LIFE. That gives him or her the motivation it takes to get away from a more powerful danger.

If you are a protestor trying to stay out of jail or just someone trying to get home without being mugged, you can use the same tactics that rabbits use. First of all,
know your environment like a rabbit does.  Put special emphasis on knowing where any and all "rabbit holes" are.  When pressed, first evade your opponent.  As a fellow human opponent, they CAN fit down your hole!

If you have to evade a threat, start with a jackrabbit burst of speed to get away, then zigzag up and down the streets to lose contact. Like the wolf, your opponent will soon find he cannot predict where you are going (the way any dog catches a Frisbee) and therefore is limited to trying to match your maneuvers.

 If you are on a bike facing motorized opposition, or on foot facing bikes, scooters, or even cars, you are in almost exactly the rabbit's situation:  your opponent is faster and can easily run you down if you run in a straight line. A rabbit just doesn't do that.  For escape and evasion, a rabbit zigs, zags, and turns on a dime.   If you are on a bike, you are more maneuverable.  Cars cannot chase bikes through traffic (another form of "rabbit hole"). Bikes or scooters can’t chase pedestrians up stairs or over some steep, obstacle-strewn trails.

Take notes from your rabbits and get home safe!

RABBIT CARE TIP:

 Snuggle Safe Heating Pad

This is a great item to have on for emergencies or anytime your rabbit needs help in maintaining his/her body temperature.  When rabbits are sick, their bodies go into shutdown and their temperatures can precipitously drop.  Keeping your rabbit warm on the way to the vet’s or the emergency clinic may be a lifesaver.  Here’s how this product is described:   "No wires, no scalding water. Provides up to 12 hours of safe, gentle warmth in 3 easy steps. Place Snuggle Safe in microwave oven for 5 minutes; put under your pet's bedding; Snuggle Safe provides safe, all-night warmth. 8-1/2 inches in diameter."  A warning follows about overheating the disc in the microwave.

AN ADOPTION STORY                                                                                              By Scott Baker

As I sit here writing this, there is a major distraction. A five-and-a-half pound mixed-breed rabbit, with one ear straight up and the other skewed at a 45-degree angle, is sitting on the floor in front of me, telescoping, his front paws on my knee to get my attention.  His name is Woodstock, or as we call him, Woody.  Yes, he is an attention hog.  He is also a source of considerable joy.  Woody performs the “happy dance” in his condo whenever I bring him his breakfast or dinner.  When I am laying on the floor with him, he announces that playtime will begin by nipping my derriere, then darting off for me to give chase.  And he is not shy about running over to nudge my nose with his to say that he loves me.

    It is hard to believe this is the same rabbit who entered our home eighteen months ago---scared underweight, and with badly infected ears.  Back in the summer of 2003, my wife and I had agreed to become foster parents for a Washington D.C. based rabbit rescue group that was taking in a large number of rabbits.  Our first foster rabbit was a midnight black rabbit without a name whom I temporarily called Clint after Clint Eastwood’s nameless gunman in High Plain’s Drifter.  After a few weeks, Clint found a permanent home with a very loving family and is now known as Herby.  Shortly after Clint departed, we were asked if we would be willing to foster a hardship case.  Enter Woodstock.  

    I should note that Woodstock is not his real name.  In an attempt to completely sever this poor rabbit from his unfortunate past, his rescuer stopped calling the little guy by his given name and started calling him by the name of the city from where he was rescued.  We opted not to change it.

    A gift to a little girl from a family who pretended to care for their fellow creatures, Woody spent the first eighteen months of his life in a tiny cage tucked away under a porch like a set of unused Easter ornaments.  His only contact with his human companions was once a day when they fed him his ration of pellets and once a week when he was let out of his cage for half an hour while they cleaned it.  Beyond that, Woody lived in a dark world that was as cold and unfriendly as his human hosts.

    The details of Woody’s rescue are not important.  What is important is that he was finally removed from his miserable existence and came to live with us, though he definitely was the worse for wear.  At just three-and-a-half pounds, he had lost nearly a third of his normal body weight, and when you petted the poor little guy you could feel the bony ridge of his spine.  Far worse were the mites that had infected his ears to the point that each looked like a chunk of rotted wood.  In fact, his ears were so badly infected that they hung down by the side of his head, leading us all to believe the poor little guy was a lop; it was only after the ears were debrided that they popped back upright, though the muscles in his right ear were irreparably damaged, given him a tilted look.  Fortunately, Woody’s disposition had not suffered throughout his ordeal.  

   Woodstock soon learned to enjoy his twice-daily cuddling session when we held him while giving him his medicine. 

No longer confined to a restrictive cage, he took to exploring the nooks and crannies of his new home in our study with the relish of Indiana Jones.  As one can imagine, he quickly adapted to his new diet of leafy greens and timothy hay, munching down his breakfast and dinner with gusto.  And though at first naturally leery of his new human companions, Woody quickly took to his new foster parents.  
    Despite all the months of mistreatment and neglect, he never once held a grudge or mistrusted his new human friends.  Before long, he was cuddling in my arms with his head upon my shoulder, or sitting perched on my wife’s chest while she worked at the computer.  When Woody’s health had improved and it was time to find him a permanent home, he found it with us.  
    Since then he has become a full member of the family.  His living quarters have been upgraded to a huge two-story condo that he shares with his girlfriend, Cinnamon, a young mini-rex of whom he is extremely protective.  He still enjoys exploring every nook and cranny of our study, though there is now a jungle of cardboard boxes and makeshift warrens for him to play with.  He also loves just having my wife or I around, and will sit near the desk for hours, sprawled out so he can watch us. If we become too involved in what we are doing and neglect our duties to dote on him, he will remind us that he is around with a gentle nudge or nip at our ankles.  
    It is amazing how we brought Woody into our home to make his life that much better and happier, and he wound up doing the same for us.