The Vancouver Rabbit Rescue & Advocacy, a chapter of the House Rabbit Society, is looking for photos for their 2010 calendar. The theme, in honor of Vancouver hosting the 2010 Winter Olympics, is “The Olympic Rabbits.”

They are looking for photos of rabbits doing natural rabbitty behavior like yawning, stretching, binkying, digging, bulldozing, standing, grooming, and snuggling.

Does your bunny have what it takes?

Learn more: http://www.vrra.org/photo_info.htm

And while we’re on the topic of cute bunny photos, don’t forget to check out the latest additions to our rabbit photo gallery!

In light of the shockingly high number of pet rabbit neglect/abuse cases in England last year, the Royal Society of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) has launched a campaign called Rabbit Action Week.

During the week of March 28 – April 5, the society hopes to educate pet owners about proper rabbit care.  Free health checks, neutering vouchers, and microchipping will be available at various venues throughout England.

For more info:
This is Hull and East Riding
Wirral Globe
RSPCA – Rabbit Action Week

Photo: Bruce Stotesbury

For years the University of Victoria in British Columbia, Canada has experienced a major problem with feral rabbits.  These rabbits, who started out as abandoned pets and then multiplied, have taken over the campus, destroying campus greenery and athletic fields.

Nick Shaw, a local veterinarian, has offered to provide vasectomies to the male rabbits at no charge to curb the population growth.  Vasectomies differ from neuters because the rabbits’ testicles would stay in tact.  In that way, the male rabbits would still embody normal territorial and mating behavior, but mating would not result in baby bunnies.  He hopes to defray his costs by holding fundraising events.

For more information:
Vancouver Sun
Rabbit Advocacy

The overpopulation of domestic rabbits running wild in Kelowna, British Columbia has been an ongoing issue for the Canadian city. Now, another British Columbia city, Richmond, which is located near Vancouver, faces a similar problem.

The Richmond Animal Protection Society (RAPS) has taken in over 40 unwanted/abandoned rabbits recently. Many were rescued from area parks after being dumped by their owners. If left on their own in the parks, these rabbits would produce litters upon litters of feral rabbits.  In fact, in 2006, mirroring circumstances caused lawmakers to schedule a cull of the out-of-control feral rabbit problem.  But before the cull took place, the rabbit population was decimated by disease and starvation.

Now the city may turn to a ban on rabbit sales to solve the problem. This would limit the number of impulse buys from pet stores that lead to the dumping of domestic rabbits in parks.

For more info: Richmond News

British rabbit owners Mike and Irene Womack believe their rabbit Hazel holds the record for World’s Oldest Living Rabbit at the age of 16.  Currently, the title is held by George, a 15-year old rabbit from Massachusetts.

According to Mike Womack, “Our granddaughter Charlie brought him home when she was six years old, and she will be 22 this month, so he must be 15 to 16 years old.”

Before a new world record can be declared, Hazel’s age would have to be verified by witnesses and vets.

For more info, see World Records Academy.