Why rescue?

This blog is dedicated to Clover Patch Sanctuary.  They had to make a heartbreaking decision this week - and it was because the irresponsible and neglectful behavior of a backyard breeder.  RIP Pinkie, Linda, Spam, Small, Medium, Large, Crinkle, Tennie, and Mercy.  You were dearly loved.

Some of you may remember my "Why rabbits?" post from a while back.  I have another question to answer.  Some people wonder, "Why rescue?"  Those of us who rescue just know.  I'm going to try to put it into words.

It's no secret that animal rescue is difficult, heartbreaking work.  Rescuers fall into it through different means.  Some people adopt a pet and want to go the extra mile.  Others might find a stray animal and start down the road of rescue.  Regardless of how it happens, each rescuer recognizes the overwhelming need.  We cannot stand back and do nothing.  We feel compelled to do more than adopt.  The drive to save those creatures who cannot help themselves is part of our very souls.  It is not for everyone - and all rescuers are eternally grateful to people who help in any way - those who adopt, those who donate, those who spread the word on social media.  You are all part of the living, breathing web of animal rescue networks.

I've had so many people ask why I do it.  It's hard to explain to others why you willingly subject yourself to heartbreak, ignorant people, financial loss, and spend hours of your time transporting, networking, and don't forget scrubbing poo!  It is frustrating.  We must deal with ignorant and neglectful people - people who see nothing of value in a companion animal...those who would discard them without a thought.  It is a continuous fight to encourage spay/neuter, stop backyard breeders, and asking people to provide basic proper care.

We clean up other people's messes.  Irresponsible breeders.  Post-holiday dumps.  "I got this pet for my 3 year old and he's tired of it".  People who couldn't even think a year ahead for their changing life circumstances.  They just wanted a puppy, a kitten, a rabbit for the the moment.  They did not give a thought to the long-term commitment of having a pet.  Every rescue out there...dog, cat, rabbit, guinea pig, bird, whatever...is familiar with this.  We take in animals who have been forgotten and neglected.  They come in sick, emaciated, with parasites, with overgrown nails.  All because someone just didn't care.  That is what we're here for.  What it all boils down to is that we care so much that we must do something.

We put time, effort, and emotion into preparing these animals to go into a new and happy home.  So many people don't understand why rescues are so "picky" about homes for their animals.  We are picky because we have put our hearts and souls into rescuing each animal.  We love each one.  We have every right to deny a home that we don't feel deserves our animal.

We cry over the ones we can't save.  Sometimes an animal is just too sick or too neglected.  It is a hard truth, but we cannot save every one.  Occasionally they die unexpectedly...perhaps a lifetime of an improper diet has taken its toll.  Sometimes a rabbit will go in for a spay and is so riddled with uterine cancer that it is only humane to put her down.  We cry.  We comfort one another.  And we work to save the next one.

The heartbreak is great, but the reward is worth it.  I love seeing the happy endings.  This is why we do it.  There is nothing quite so satisfying as seeing an animal who came into rescue sick and terrified blossom into a happy, healthy, loved pet.  We had an underweight, urine-stained, ear-mite infested bunny come in a while back.  She has bloomed in her home.  She is lovely - her fur is now beautiful white, and she is happy and healthy.  I am so happy that many people in my family have rescue pets.  My sister has a former puppy mill breeder shih tzu.  She's been a work in progress, but she is learning to trust and know that she is loved and safe.  My brother has a mutt who was a stray in Miami.  He was a day from being PTS.  He was skinny and sick.  My brother and his wife adopted him.  He is the happiest, most wonderful dog you could meet.  My mom has a rescued bunny she loves dearly.  I have 3 rescued bunnies, 2 rescued piggies, and a rescued hamster.

It takes all kinds in the rescue world.  We are all so different, and yet we share this one common goal - to save animals.  It drives us, it breaks us, but it completes us.  This is why we rescue.

Teddy - a day away from being PTS.  He is happy and loved now.

Bunnies...and fish...and bunnies...

Haven't had much time to blog lately!  I've been on the water quite a bit at work!  Plenty of 4 day field weeks for me, which has been rather exhausting.  My brother came to visit a little over a week ago though, and he got to come out on the boat with me at work!  It was fun to have "bring your brother to work day".  He flies jets, which is pretty exciting, but I think he enjoyed his day with the fishes!

Me and my little bro at our lunch spot on North Captiva.

In between water sampling (lots and lots of water sampling...) and regular fisheries sampling trips, I finally got to run a sawfish research trip again.  It's been a while, but I haven't lost my touch.  We caught this cute little boy around the east side of Hog Island.  He was quite frisky.  We named him George.  He looked like a George.

Yes, that's me rocking the pink Buff.  I make science look good.

Today I put on the bunny rescue hat and attended an adoption event at the Brandon Petco.  I was up until the wee hours of the morning last night doing last minute things.  I thought I had pre-prepared the day before, but I kept thinking of more things we needed!  This morning I loaded up my trusty (FINALLY paid off) Hyundai with Hershey my foster bunny, a guinea pig I recently picked up at Suncoast Humane, critter pens, litter box, water bowls, and a bag of miscellaneous things that come in handy at events like notecards, pens, binder clips, and the like.

We actually had a surprising turnout!  We weren't expecting so many people!  Five (!) bunnies were adopted - two bonded pairs and a single who met his match with a bunny who was previously adopted from us.  Yay!

R.B. was one of the lucky buns to find a family!

Hershey, my foster, did remarkably well.  I thought he would be a little more freaked out.

So all in all, it was a good day!

I also recently took Halloween portraits of my fuzzies.  The piggies are easy to photograph.  They pretty much let me do whatever I want with them.  Chloe kept trying to beat up the pumpkin, and Kahlua just wanted to go do something else.  I got a lot of action shots of Kahlua trying to run away.  Hershey was a perfect gentleman.  Maybe he knew he needed a good Petfinder photo.

My girls were so well-behaved.

Chloe...not so well-behaved.  But look at that face!

Kahlua had better things to do.

Hershey was incredibly photogenic.

So...that's what's going on in my world of fish, bunnies, and guinea pigs.

Hard Truths in Rescue

Recently at the rescue, we had to put a moratorium on intakes.  We were very much at our capacity.  It's difficult, because you want to save them all.  You want every unwanted animal to be safe and cared for.  However, every rescue organization has a responsibility to know its limit.  It is the first and most important lesson that every rescuer needs to learn. 

This year has been terrible for numbers of surrendered rabbits.  We receive dump calls and emails nearly every day.  As much as we want to, we cannot take them all.  The bulk of these calls are from people who bought a rabbit on a whim, and got tired of it after a few months.

"We got the kids a rabbit for Easter, and they're not taking care of it any more."

"We bought a baby bunny, but it's started biting and it smells."

"I have a rabbit, but I'm tired of it."

"I'm getting a puppy, and I don't want to take care of the rabbit too."

Oftentimes when we explain to people that we cannot take in their unwanted pet, they become irate.  "Isn't that what you're here for?" they ask.  Sure people.  Like it's our fault that they made an irresponsible decision, and we're terrible for not fixing their mistake.  They want to feel good about getting rid of their pet.  They don't have to feel as guilty giving it to a no-kill organization as opposed to the pound.

Well, the sad truth is that we cannot take them all.  We take in the ones we can.  A lot of time, we do squeeze in "just one more" - such as a special case of a splay-leg bunny or a bunny in danger of being PTS.

What would happen if we did try to take them all?  A rescue is supposed to be a sanctuary.  It's not a forever home, but it's a means to reaching one.  An animal in a rescue should by all means be in a sanitary environment, provided daily nutritional needs, and necessary vet care.  If this cannot be provided, there is no point to taking in the animal.  It's going from one bad situation to another.

Everyone likes the feel-good stories of rescue, but the fact that we cannot save them all is one that people would rather ignore.  You are the good guy if you can take in unwanted animals, but if you have to say no, you are the bad guy.  Rescuers can feel like the bad guy when saying no.  You come to the realization though, that you are not the reason this animal is not cared for.  Rescuers saying "no" are not the problem.  They are being responsible.  It is the irresponsible decisions of people that put these animals in jeopardy in the first place.

Will the overpopulation of animals ever cease to be a problem?  I highly doubt it.  As long as there is greed, ignorance, and poor decision-making on the part of the general populace, there will be unwanted animals.  We combat it by trying to educate people.  Don't breed your rabbits or other pets.  Don't buy a bunny for Easter.  Please be a responsible pet owner and research a potential pet's needs before acquiring one.  Adopt.

When we do say no, we offer alternatives.  We try to keep animals in their homes.  Correct behavioral problems by spaying/neutering.  Provide advice for destructive behavior.  Help people understand the needs of their pet.  We offer alternatives to taking their pet to the pound.  We suggest species-specific forums to re-home pets.  Give advice if they must use Craig's List (which we don't recommend - always ask for a re-homing fee if you use a website like CL).  Sometimes, that is all we can do.

People need to be more understanding when we must say no.  If you don't like it, then make a commitment to foster.  The more foster homes there are, the more animals rescues can save.  Donate toward vet care and daily needs.  Rescuers fund much of what they do out of their own pockets, and funds are sadly limited!

Please be a responsible pet owner.  Spay and neuter pets.  Don't make impulse purchases.  Above all, get it through your head that you are taking on the care of a living, breathing, feeling creature who deserves love, attention, and a healthy environment.

But the pet store said...

How many times have I spoken with well-meaning bunny parents who stare at me a confused manner when I offer up rabbit care advice, and utter the words, “But the pet store said…”  Well, I’m just going to lay it all out right here!

We all have to start somewhere.  I cringe when I think back on the bunny-care mistakes I made when I bought (yes, bought) my first bunny at a pet store 10 years ago.  I bought the pet-store suggested cage and the pet store suggested food.  Thankfully, I found a bunny-savvy vet as well as information from the House Rabbit Society, and thus began my constantly evolving knowledge of rabbit parenthood.

So, what does the pet store tell you about rabbit care that’s wrong?  Well, depends on the employees and the store, but in a lot of cases – everything.  

Let’s start with housing.  This is your rabbit’s environment – the place where she will spend a good portion of her time.  Rather important, I should say.  Unsuspecting new rabbit parents will look at the brightly-colored cages with selling points such as “Starter kit – everything you need for your new friend!” to “Deluxe rabbit home!”  Trust me, these kits are neither deluxe nor everything you need – not by a long shot.  Those “My First Home” sets that are so popular?  Utter rubbish.  They are selling points, however.  I’ve seen pet stores advertise specials in which one can purchase a “starter kit” and receive the animal for free…as if the pet is an afterthought.

“Well, what exactly is wrong with these sets?  They have everything you need, right?  That’s what the pet store said!” 

 For one thing, they are much, MUCH too small.  That tiny, cuddly baby bunny that seems to fit so well in it now?  He’s going to grow up.  Oh, the pet store said the bunny is a dwarf?  Be careful with that statement.  I’ve seen people with 7+ pound bunnies who bought them at a pet store that advertised them as dwarf rabbits.  In addition, dwarf bunnies are often more active than bigger bunnies, and need LOTS of room to run!  Of course, any bunny needs a nice, roomy home base.   You probably don’t need most of the other things that come with the “starter kit” either.  Those pine or cedar shavings?  Those can eventually cause cancer in your bunny.  The salt lick?  Worthless.  And we’ll talk about food in a minute.

“What kind of cage DO I put my bunny in?”  

Well, if you can’t let your bunny have free run of the house 24/7 (and yes, rabbits are easily litter trained – bet the pet store didn’t tell you that!), then puppy exercise pens or pens made from storage cube panels are good options – and typically cost less than a “deluxe” rabbit cage!  Don’t forget the litter box!  Oh, and don’t leave your bunny in the cage all the time.  She needs at least a couple hours of “floor time” each day.

So what’s the best thing for bunny to eat?  

“Those bags of pellets with seeds and colorful bits have words like ‘nutritious’ and 'fortified' written all over them.  That’s got to be good, right?  That’s what the pet store recommended!”  

No, no, and no!  These “nutritious” pellets will eventually kill your bunny – whether it is by choking on a seed or obesity from a diet that is too rich.  

“But…the pet store said that if I give my bunny lettuce he will get diarrhea!”  

Feeding your bunny a healthy selection of greens is part of a balanced bunny diet.  Dark leafy greens are wonderful for bunnies to eat – just stay away from iceberg lettuce.  It has no nutritional value.   New greens should be introduced slowly, but bunnies can safely eat healthy greens!

 “Well, I can still give the bunny some of those treats the pet store sells, right?  The box says that they’re a healthy snack!”  

Do those treats contain yogurt, honey, seeds, or corn?  Yes?  Keep them away from bunny!!  Once again, these treats will eventually kill your rabbit.  Don’t love your bunny to death.  

“Well, what DO I give my bunny for a treat?”  

Small amounts of fruit every once in a while will make any bunny happy!  Try giving your bunny a fresh blueberry, or a little bit of plain canned pumpkin.  Fresh herbs are also a healthy bunny treat!  Oh, did the pet store mention hay?  

“Hay?”  

I thought not.  I’ve actually come across a well-meaning new bunny parent who was told by a pet store that hay would give her bunny diarrhea.  Hay is absolutely ESSENTIAL for maintaining proper gastrointestinal health in a rabbit.  Eating hay also wears down a rabbit’s constantly growing teeth.  Rabbits MUST have good quality grass hay (not alfalfa, unless the bunny is very young).  This is the most important element of your rabbit’s diet.

“The pet store said that rabbits don’t really need to see a vet.  They only live a couple of years anyway.”

That’s another one I’ve heard…and it’s absolutely wrong.  For one thing, rabbits need to be spayed/neutered.

“You can spay/neuter rabbits??!”

Yes, and it is essential to their health and well-being.  Intact rabbits have a very high incidence of reproductive cancer, and are constantly driven crazy by hormones.  I’ll be the first person to tell you that in general, intact rabbits make terrible pets.  Altering a bunny helps with behavioral issues including aggression and spraying – oh, and that litter training I mentioned?  Probably not going to happen with an intact rabbit.  Make sure your bunny’s surgery is performed by an experienced exotics veterinarian – not just any dog and cat vet will do.  Or better yet – adopt a bunny!  Rabbit rescue groups spay and neuter their bunnies before sending them to a forever home!  Oh, and as for living a couple of years?  Spayed/neutered bunnies living in a healthy indoor environment can live 10 years or more!

“Okay, but after the bunny is fixed, they don’t really need to see a vet, right?”

Wrong again.  Bunnies should have maintenance check-ups to keep tabs on general health.  There is always the possibility of an emergency visit too – bunnies are delicate creatures, although they have a strong will to go along with it.  Did you know that a loss of appetite in a bunny should be considered an emergency?  You do now!

“Wow, the pet store didn’t tell me any of this!”

And most of them won’t.  This isn’t to say that all pet store employees have no clue about rabbits – I personally know a couple of pet store employees (who have even adopted rabbits from our rescue!) who try to combat bunny care ignorance.  I must give kudos to pet stores who are moving away from selling animals and encouraging adoption.  That being said, your best bet to obtain good rabbit care knowledge is from groups like the House Rabbit Society and rabbit rescues around the country.  Rescues are certainly not in it for profit (far from it, in fact!), and have the best interests of their bunnies at heart.

Human Ignorance Strikes Again

Today I had the sad duty of saving two bunnies from a bad situation.  Our rescue works with my local humane society, Suncoast.  Well, yesterday I got an email from Suncoast asking for help.  They had received a call from a lady who wanted to get rid of two bunnies.  She couldn't afford to feed them, so she said that she would let them starve to death or let them go if somebody didn't pick them up.  She said she couldn't afford to bring them over to the humane society (so WHY did she take them in the first place??)  Suncoast has a service to pick animals up, but they charge a fee.  It's understandable.  Gas certainly isn't free.  So...Suncoast asked if we could help.

Unfortunately, our rescue has more bunnies than we know what to do with at the moment, so we have absolutely no space for anybun else.  Suncoast would take them, but we needed to get them there somehow.  I offered to go pick up the buns and transport them over there.  I was so worried about those bunnies!  I made arrangements with the lady to pick them up...and I was hoping she wouldn't do anything rash before I got there!

They all but shoved those poor bunnies at me.  I asked them if the bunnies had names.  No, they didn't.  I asked if they were male or female.  One of each...in the same cage.  She said, "They've been humping each other, but I don't think he can reach her."  Great.  The female is most likely pregnant, and I told the lady so.  She didn't care.  There was one nasty piece of carrot in the cage.  They must have ONLY been eating carrots.  Their poops were ORANGE.  There was a bit of urine-soaked pine shavings in the cage.  It smelled to high heaven.

Before I took them to Suncoast, I cleaned out the nasty cage and gave them some hay.  They LOVED the hay.  I doubt they had ever had any!  Fortunately, they seemed pretty healthy, at least outwardly.  They were both very friendly.  Their nails were extremely long.  I should have brought my nail clippers, but the humane society will clip them.

They got to chill out with me for a little bit.  They enjoyed getting petted.  They are just darling.  The female is a white mini-rex (possible mix) with gorgeous blue eyes, and the male is a little Dutch mix.  It boggles my mind that this lady was threatening to starve them to death or let them go, which is a death sentence anyway.

The humane society is taking care of them for now, but we're hoping that we can find placement in our foster program soon for some of the Suncoast buns.  If you live in southwest Florida and are interested in fostering or adopting a bunny, please visit www.pigsnbuns.org for more information.  We need your help!!

Response to "Why Rabbits?"

Wow, I just wanted to post a short note to say how amazed I am by the response to my post, and a THANK YOU to everyone who read it.  I've received a literal avalanche of wonderful, sweet notes from fellow bunny people who were touched by my words.  I've even made some awesome new friends on Facebook!  I'm sorry that I haven't been able to respond to all of you individually.  It's amazingly humbling to have had that effect!  It also serves to remind me that there are a lot of other "bunny people" out there who feel the same way I do.  I just hope that this continues to spread and reaches people who haven't yet experienced the joy of being owned by a bunny!

One more thing - thank you to ALL rabbit rescue people out there - rescue directors, volunteers, foster homes, financial support.  Together we can make a difference in the lives of our beloved rabbits.

Animal Rescue-palooza

Wow, what a week for the critters!!  After catching 6 sawfish in the field this week, I was quite enjoying my quiet day in the lab.  It was not to be.  The powers of work and animal rescue united!!  We found 3 less-than-a-week-old kittens.  They were pretty stinking cute.  They were cold and hungry, so me and my co-worker Amy warmed them up and drove over to Petco to get some KMR.  Once we got them warm and got some food in their tummies (and some poop OUT), they perked up and started meowing!  So cute.  My office became a kitten feeding station.  Lots of phone calls were made, and we ended up finding someone from E.A.R.S. (an animal rescue organization) to foster the litter.  Whew!  I don't really have any experience with cats, and neither does Amy (we're both allergic!), so it was a relief to hand them off to someone who really knew what they were doing!  I'm not a cat person, but they were darn cute.  We named the orange one Mercury...for the Mercury boat engines they were found under!

So after a day full of kitten rescue, I had a day full of bunny rescue!  A bunch of rescue people have been trying to save a terrified little bunny who is currently residing at the Tampa SPCA.  She's been abused and neglected, and has some health issues.  She's not doing well in a shelter environment.  Luckily, an SPCA volunteer has offered to foster little Bun Bun for 4 weeks, after which it looks like she will be traveling to a foster home in South Carolina.  Now we just have to figure out transport!

So after working on Bun Bun's situation this morning, I called a potential bunny home for our Ramona (they sadly never showed up), called a family who is being forced to give up a bunny they adopted from us due to tough economic times, and headed over to the Port Charlotte Petco.

I felt terrible - I've had an insane work week and haven't been in to Petco for a week.  Hershey was SO excited to have some exercise pen time!!  (Anyone want to help volunteer at the Port Charlotte Petco??)  I certainly enjoyed watching him binky around and nom his veggies.

Judd (the bunny being returned) showed up a short time later.  I felt terrible for his family.  They were in tears when they left - they clearly love him to pieces.  We are keeping Judd (well, now he is called Jinxie) on "hold" status for a bit to see if his family can get back on their feet - they want to take him back if they can.  What a heartbreaking situation :(

I loaded Thor up into the carrier to bring him up to the Sarasota Petco to meet his potential lady friend.  We braved the lovebugs and horrible traffic, and made it to Sarasota.  Thor and Amelia seemed to hit it off!  There was a bit of humping and chasing, but that's pretty typical.  Their new family, a nice young couple, came by (all the way from Sun City Center!) to come meet their new family members!  They are so excited about their new buns, and can't wait to take them home!  We will make sure they are bonded by the time they go home, but by the time I left Petco, Thor and Amelia were happily snuggling in a carrier.

Another volunteer, Amber, took the pair up to St. Pete, where they will be fostered until they go to their forever home.  Yay!