Rescued rabbits with vet assistant Fiona Prentiss. Photo by Richard Crease.

Dave Bedford, an employee at a recycling bank in Bournemouth, England, was shocked after he unlocked and opened a bin meant for household electrical items.

Two grey lop-eared rabbits were staring back at him from the bottom of the bin. Bedford called his wife who rushed the flea-covered, bony rabbits to a nearby veterinary office for medical treatment.

The bunnies are now recovering and being cared for by veterinary assistant Fiona Prentiss.

For more info, see: Bournemouth Echo.

Cooking leaps over the longest hurdle at the Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society's agility class. Photo: Renee Jones Schneider

If you ever wondered how far or high your bunny could jump (or how long he/she will sit with no interest in front of an obstacle course), you can learn the answer at the Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society‘s agility classes.  Rabbits can advance through six levels of training.  They also offer Hoppy Hour sessions which focus on bunny socialization.

Read the full story here: Star Tribune

My favorite quote from the article was from Guinevere Keith, who said her rabbit Russell “follows the sit command pretty well.”

My experience with rabbits is that often they know full well what you want them to do, but they’re just not very obedient. They think, “I could do that, but what’s in it for me?” And who can blame them really…

Francesca, 5x5 in., acrylic, by Eileen Crowley

The House Rabbit Society is holding a Holiday Art Show and Auction on their Facebook page. Proceeds from the auction/art show will go to the Emergency Medical Fund for the House Rabbit Society and to East Bay Rabbit Rescue.

This is a great opportunity to purchase fabulous rabbit art and bunny supplies at affordable prices while also supporting two rabbit organizations.

The auction/art show ends at 1 pm PST on Dec 6.

View Auction »

It was near midnight on a rural road in New Jersey when Sharon Coughlin caught a glimpse of a fluffy white object at the side of the road. She drove on, but the thought of an animal possibly in need nagged at her.

“I made a U-turn and slowly drove up to the white fluffy object. My headlights shone on it. It did not move. I pulled off to the side of road and got out of the car.

“It was a rabbit! A tan and white rabbit. It was just sitting there, apparently uninjured, looking terrified. I love animals, but knew little about rabbits. I wasn’t sure how to pick it up or how it would react, but I knew I had to rescue the little guy.”

You can read the full story at The Great Animal Rescue Chase website. This site features articles submitted by people all over the world who have a rescue story (big or small) to share.

Remember the RSPCA’s video Happy Bunnies? (If not, watch it above!) Well, they’re putting together a new Christmas Special of even more happy bunnies, and they want to feature your rabbit!

Here’s how to get involved:

• Take a video of your rabbit playing, interacting with toys, animal companions, or people. (Make sure your rabbit is playing naturally and actually enjoying the experience- do not make him/her perform or dress up in costumes for the video.)
• Make sure the clip is under 1 minute long and is not too dark or shaky.
• Upload your clip to  http://dropbox.yousendit.com/RSPCA by Friday 18th November 2011.

It’s that time of year!  From now until November 24, your donations to the House Rabbit Society Thanksgiving Fund will be matched by a generous donor.

This year, the Thanksgiving Fund will go towards opening a low-cost spay/neuter clinic in northern California. The money raised will pay for a part-time veterinarian, a part-time vet tech, and some medical supplies.

So this is a great opportunity to help rabbits and rabbit owners! Make a donation at the House Rabbit Society website.

Rabbit lovers in the northeast US: You may be interested in attending the annual House Rabbit Society / Rabbit Rescue & Rehab Conference on Sunday, October 23 from 10am – 5pm at the Radisson Hotel in New Rochelle, New York.

The rabbit care conference will cover topics such as rabbit behavior and training, bunny bonding, medical Q&As, demonstrations, goodies, and more! You may even run into actress/comedienne and longtime rabbit advocate Amy Sedaris!

For more information, see the Rabbit Rescue & Rehab website.

September 24-25, 2011 (the fourth weekend of every September) is devoted to learning about proper rabbit care and appreciating the unique companionship pet rabbits offer. Below is a sampling of how you can celebrate rabbits this weekend!

Various Rabbit Rescue Events

Saturday, September 24:

• Georgia House Rabbit Society Wine Tasting & Silent Auction, Marietta, GA
• House Rabbit Society Singapore Bunny Care / Adoption Event, Downtown East, Singapore

Sunday, September 25:

• spcaLA Rabbit Adoption Event, Los Angeles, CA
• San Diego House Rabbit Society Adoption Day, San Diego, CA
• Wisconsin HRS Madison’s Bunny Day, Madison, WI

(If your rabbit rescue is hosting an International Rabbit Day event, contact us, and we’ll add you to the list.)

Rabbit Care Information

Check out our articles in Rabbit Care, Rabbit Behavior, Rabbit Health, and New to Rabbits? sections for information on providing a safe, happy environment for your pet bunnies.  There is also a wealth of information on the websites listed on our Resources page.

Fun Bunny Gifts

• Make Your Own Toy Bunny (Sewing/Knitting/Crochet Patterns) on Etsy
• Bunny Notecards and Bunny Christmas Cards by My House Rabbit / Grizzly Bear Greetings
• Rabbit Jewelry, Art, Cards, Dolls, and Accessories by the Etsy Rabbit Team

Funny Bunny Videos

Bunny Binkying

Bunny Show Jumping

Baskets for Bunnies is a new nonprofit organization that assists rabbit rescues with supplies and funds. Founded by Gretta Parker, the organization hopes to take some of the fundraising burden off shelters, so they can focus their attention on rescuing more bunnies.

This year, they have chosen seven rescues to aid:

• Zooh Corner, San Gabriel CA
• Little Furries Rescue, Brown Mills, NJ
• Gainesville Rabbit Rescue, Gainesville, FL
• Funny Bunny Sanctuary, Athens, WV
• Bunny Castle, Bishop CA
• Ohio House Rabbit Rescue, Columbus, OH
• Frisky Ferrets, Fuzzies, & Feathered Friends Rescue & Sanctuary, Youngstown, OH

In the future, Parker plans to expand Baskets for Bunnies to include a spay/neuter program and to support rescues internationally.

If you are interested in learning more about Baskets for Bunnies, the rescues they support, or donating, please visit them at their website or  find them on Facebook.

Haviva Lush, founder of Rabbit Rescue, Inc. and daughter Anika help Pipkin with his new prosthetic bucket. Photo by Graham Paine/Canadian Champion.

Special needs bunny Pipkin was taken in by Haviva Lush,  founder of the Canadian charity Rabbit Rescue, five years ago.  Pipkin was born with several issues: his front legs were splayed, he was missing a hip joint, and one hind leg was shorter than the other (and was later amputated).

Yet despite all this, Pipkin’s temperament remained surprisingly happy.  So when the opportunity arose to be fitted with a prosthetic bucket to help stabilize him and keep him upright, Pipkin was a great candidate.

The device was created by Dr. Joyce Olynich, a Toronto-based vet who specializes in prostheses. It was the first prosthetic bucket made for a rabbit in Canada.

To learn more about Pipkin’s story, see InsideHalton.