Pets Reduce Stress

Pets have always been credited with helping us reduce stress in our lives. Dogs keep us exercising -- a sure fire way to reduce stress. Many pets, including dogs, cats and rabbits, keep us happy by providing much-needed love and companionship. Studies have shown that pets can even help to control blood pressure. So, if you’re a healthy, animal-loving person, why not adopt a pet? The benefits are endless for you and your rescued furry friend!

Good News for Rabbits

The House Rabbit Society has announced that Petsmart is ending its "test" of selling baby rabbits in its stores. The Society states,

We have heard that it was because of the vocal opposition of animal lovers across the United States that they have reconsidered their choice. Please thank PetSmart for their decision, and let them know that it was the right choice. Please address your thanks to PetSmart care of:

PetSmart

John Alpaugh Vice President,

Specialty Merchandising19601 North 27th Avenue

Phoenix, AZ 85027(623) 580-6100

mailto:corpcommunications@ssg.petsmart.com.

Although I could find nothing about this decision on Petsmart's Web site, I'm trusting that the House Rabbit Society knows what they're talking about. This is great encouragement for those who spoke out against the ill-conceived "test" of selling rabbits. There are plenty of rabbits already in shelters and rescue groups that need homes. No one needs to buy a rabbit.

Why Is Petsmart Selling Rabbits?

I have thought of Petsmart as an innovative retailer in that it does not sell dogs or cats and it offers space to rescue groups to show animals for adoption. But the company's decision this summer to do a "test" of selling baby dwarf rabbits harks back to the bad old days of pets being sold to anyone with the money with no questions asked. To their credit Petsmart has included on their site the very appropriate blast from the House Rabbit Society about the folly of this idea.

As anyone who has animal shelter experience knows, rabbits are the third most frequently surrendered animal. While they are wonderful pets for the right people, they are not low maintenance and they have a lifespan of more than 10 years. At the Animal Welfare League of Arlington over the past fiscal year, the average shelter stay for rabbits before finding an adoptive home is 69 days. This compares to 36 days for cats and 25 days for dogs. Shelters and rescue groups are overwhelmed with unwanted rabbits.

Petsmart says, "We are testing the rabbit market believing that adoption and responsible sales can successfully coexist." So Petsmart already "believes" that selling rabbits can be successful. I welcome Petsmart to ask shelters and rescue groups to report on how many of these "baby" rabbits end up homeless when their owners (or their children) lose interest, don't have the time, or discover that someone in the household is allergic to their purchased pet.

Rabbits: A Classic Story of What NOT To Do

As a child, I had two bunnies that I loved very much but knew absolutely nothing about. All I knew was that they were cute and fluffy and fun to play with from time to time. Little did I know that I was an incredibly irresponsible rabbit owner. My story is a classic case of everything a rabbit owner should NOT do.

My second grade teacher lived on a farm and bred various animals, including rabbits. She told the kids in her class when she had a litter of bunnies up for grabs and I, being a lover of all things furry, had to have at least one. I ended up getting two. I named one Snuffleupagus and my sister named the other Joshua. My father built a big wooden hutch for them, that we kept outside on the porch, with an outdoor area fenced with chicken wire, and an indoor area that we filled with sod.

The outdoor fencing of the hutch was not small enough to always keep the young bunnies inside and they frequently escaped. I remember running through the yard after one, finally cornering and catching him. As they grew, they could no longer escape, but often stuck their heads out through the wire, enticing our dog to lunge for them. The always escaped the dog's jaws but only by a hair.

Joshua was a rather sweet bunny that I often picked up and cuddled but Snuffleupagus was, well, vicious. He bit every finger that crossed his path, and I could only handle him, wearing thick gloves. Neither of the rabbits was neutered and, looking back on it, I guess we were lucky that Joshua was as sweet as he was, considering.

The bunnies were also very messy, I didn't know you could litter train them but I didn't know that they should be neutered, either. Cage cleaning duty fell on my patient father who ended up with scars all over his fingers from Snuffleupagus' teeth.

The mess spread into the house, too. We often let them out in the living room to romp, much to my mother's dismay, and they would leave droppings with each hop and chew the back of the sofa, chairs and anything else that looked chewable.

Eventually, Snuffleupagus died. Then when we moved from Maine to Virginia, I gave Joshua to a friend and never saw him again.

Why do I share this story with you now? Not to open myself up to critique or stone-throwing, rather to educate people like me who simply don't understand what it means to care for a rabbit.

DO:

Spay or neuter you rabbit
Give them a litter pan
Keep their cage inside, away from danger
Make sure that they cannot escape from their cage
Give them plenty of safe toys to nibble on
Line their cage with plain paper (shredded paper or care fresh, never cedar shavings)
Give them love and attention
Let them roam around the house in rabbit-proofed areas for some extra exercise
Teach your children about proper rabbit care and handling
Feed them appropriate rabbit food and veggies
Adopt a rabbit forever

DON'T:

Allow your second-grader's teacher to offer rabbits to him or her without consulting you, first
Leave your rabbit outside
Allow the dog or any other animal easy access to your rabbit
Corner a rabbit, you could frighten it to death
Breed rabbits, there are far too many homeless rabbits today
Give a rabbit as an Easter gift