Volume 4, Issue 3 - August 2004
Critical Shelter Issue: Our Special Needs Rabbits Need Your Help
It is a great pleasure to announce that three groups of our special needs rabbits have been adopted or placed in permanent foster homes:
- Meredith, Nestle, Miranda, and Chestnut;
- Lucy and Charlie;
- Marnie and Hannah.
Unfortunately, we still have 21 special needs rabbits occupying 10 of our crates and/or runs. That’s almost one-sixth of our space! These rabbits are likely to continue to be here, occupying space, and preventing us from taking in rabbits who are more adoptable. Sadly, those rabbits will be humanely killed because we don’t have space for them.
As far as I can see, there are only two possible solutions. Either we find an additional 10 families who are willing to adopt or permanently foster** these rabbits, or we create a new sanctuary on the Colorado HRS property or on someone else’s property.
Since it is expensive to create a new sanctuary, it would obviously be best to find families for the special needs rabbits. So . . . We are asking two things of each of members:
- Consider opening your heart and home to a pair of our special need rabbits. Their love and devotion are unmatched. They will enrich your life, and the warmth and security of your home will greatly improve the quality of their life.
- Consider sending a contribution (in addition to the donation you may already be making to care for the rabbits) to our building fund. We know times are tight, and we sincerely appreciate your financial contribution. Please write "building fund" on your check so that we can allocate your donation appropriately. If we find enough homes for our special needs rabbits and decide that it isn't necessary to build a new sanctuary, we will apply the money from the building fund to the construction of 16 much needed runs.
To help you better understand why these rabbits haven't found a home, we've grouped the special needs rabbits into three categories:
We hope this new system is helpful to you when you consider adopting or fostering a rabbit.
Wendy and Julian - Both of these rabbits were born in 1998. Both are very shy. Wendy is a golden-colored, New Zealand-sized rabbit, Julian, a smaller mixed breed bunn.
Holly and Omar (AKA Ogakor) - White and grey, born in 1999 and 2001 respectively, these are two of the “Pueblo lops.” They are healthy rabbits, and very much like all the other “Pueblo lops” in personality.
Dasher and Chance - Born in 1999 and 2000, respectively, this pair of mixed-breed rabbits is not likely to ever be adopted. Both are perfectly healthy. Dasher is friendly, Chance slightly shy. But in spite of being here all their lives (Dasher was born here, Chance came as an infant), they have not been adopted.
Owen Earl and Gazelle - Born in 1999 and 2000, respectively, these rabbits are also passed by for younger and cuter rabbits. Owen Earl, a big white bunn, is especially friendly. Gazelle, a white and pumpkin-colored rabbit is a little shy, but makes up for it by her entertaining antics.
Jack, Pippin, and Becker - These three mini-lop boys, born in 2000 and 2001, are devoted to each other. They are three of the group we call the “Pueblo lops.” All are healthy, and although mildly shy, like their brothers and cousins who were adopted before them, will probably become friendly with their people, given time, and patience. Jack is missing incisors and needs “Angel Mush” (recipe given on request) in addition to the food all three eat.
Pierre and Francis - Born in 1998, these two were adopted and lived as house-rabbits until their young mistress left home for college. Then her parents decided to treat them as “rentals” and returned them because it wasn’t convenient for them to keep the bunnies any longer. This is incredibly unfair to Pierre and Francis. People don't typically adopt older rabbits when there are plenty of younger ones available. Pierre is a friendly, grey, mini-rex; Francis slightly shy, black, dwarf mix.
Buster and Baby Doe - These two little lops are to die for. Small, old, crooked, eager for attention. Buster (DOB: 1996) once had an abscess, which, when removed, left his mouth pulled into a crooked little smile. Baby Doe (DOB: 1998) has a permanently crooked head (head tilt).
Bridgette and Suki - These large chinchilla rabbits are shy. Suki has some serious arthritis that would make living in a sanctuary painful and difficult for her.
Huckleberry and Lelani - These two angoras, born in 2001, are golden-brown and black, respectively. Huckleberry has a tendency to have bouts of snuffles. Both are somewhat shy, but easy to hold. The reason they haven’t been adopted is that they are angoras, whose coats must be kept clipped, or it grows long and must be thoroughly combed daily. Generally, people don’t want that much maintenance.
Phoebe and Foster - These pure-white bunnies are two of the “Pueblo lops." Foster was born here just after the mass rescue. Born in 2000 and 2001 respectively, the greatest crime they committed is to be white with pink eyes. Why people don’t like pink eyes is a mystery I’ll never understand. I think that white bunnies are simply beautiful!
**Colorado HRS will pay all medical expenses of special needs rabbits who are in the care of permant foster parents.
