20 rabbits were rescued from these dirty cages in Burrillville.

Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue, based in Foster, RI, recently came to the rescue of 20 rabbits, 7 chickens, and 3 ducks who were living in deplorable conditions in Burrillville, RI.  The animals were severely malnourished, contained in dirty cages outside with no food or water.  There were bodies of dead rabbits in the cages as well; some had succumbed to starvation, others cannibalism.

Under the care of veteran rabbit rescuer Pamela Hood and the team of Sweet Binks volunteers, the rabbits have made significant progress in the past 10 days, gaining an average of two pounds each. 

However, Sweet Binks needs your help!  One of the rescued rabbits gave birth to 8 babies the other day, bringing the total number of rabbits from the cruelty case to 28.  If you would like to help Sweet Binks, you can make a donation through their website.

After just one day, the rescued rabbits can relax in a warm, clean environment.

For more information, see:
Sweet Binks Rabbit Rescue
Turnto10.com

For all UK rabbit owners: the RSPCA wants to hear from you!

Rabbits are the third most popular pet in Britain, and many end up in shelters across the country. The RSPCA is launching a campaign to improve rabbit welfare, and the first step is gathering information about rabbits and their owners currently.

So if you live in the UK, own a rabbit, and care about rabbit welfare, take the survey here: Great Big Rabbit Survey.

If you participate, you can download a free rabbit screensaver and enter a free prize draw for rabbit food and supplies.

Pepsi recently awarded grants for worthy causes through their Pepsi Refresh Project. Among the recipients was the Lucky Bunny Rabbit Rescue in Murrieta, CA which was awarded 15,000 dollars to build a Bunny Bungalow. The bungalow will house abandoned and homeless rabbits that are considered suitable for work as pet-therapy bunnies.

The bungalow will be built on the grounds of the Oak Grove Center, a school in Murrieta that serves children with a variety of problems and difficulties.

In addition to the grant, the rescue needs additional materials and volunteer time.

A complete list of needed materials and more on the bungalow can be found at the Southwest Riverside News Network.

Be sure to check out the adoptable bunnies at the Lucky Bunny Rabbit Rescue!

About forty feral rabbits captured from the UVic campus are destined for Wild Rose Rescue Ranch in Texas.  The rabbits were spayed and neutered over the weekend by Dr. Joseph Martinez of Little Paws Animal Clinic, who volunteered his services.

Another sixty rabbits were also captured and will be placed in local British Columbia sanctuaries.

Photo credit: Downheartedrabbit on Flickr

For more info:
C-FAX 1070
The Windsor Star

Porthos by Eileen Crowley, 9×11 in., Acrylic

For those of you in the Bay Area in September, venture down to the bunny art show being held at the East Bay Rabbit Rescue (4651 Gleason Drive, Dublin). Bay Area artists have created portraits of adoptable rabbits, and proceeds from the art show benefit the local rescues.

On Saturday, September 4, they are holding a large adoption event with five Bay Area rescues, including the House Rabbit Society and Harvest Home Animal Sanctuary from 11am-4pm.

For more info:
East Bay Rabbit Rescue
Oakland Examiner

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Update: The Bunny Art Show/Adoption Event was a huge success!  According to Joan Wegner of the East Bay Rabbit Rescue, “We had a great event with 10 adoptions, 5 possible and sold LOTS of artwork.”  (Thanks for the info, Joan!)

Calling all bunny rescuers: If you have an amazing bunny rescue story to tell, there’s a new website that wants to showcase it.  The site, the Great Animal Rescue Chase, is focused on bringing together a worldwide community of animal rescuers, sharing rescue stories, and inspiring more people to get involved in animal welfare.

The aim of the site is to highlight stories of rescues taking place all around the world of a wide variety of animals.  Currently, they’re a little short on bunny stories.  So if you have one, please share!  If you register on the site, you can upload your photos and type in your story directly.

The site also sponsors a monthly giveaway, where winners can direct a gift to their favorite animal charity.

You can also donate to the site’s charity partner, the Harmony Fund, which sponsors a number of noble charities across the globe.

For more info, see: www.animalrescuechase.com.

Side note: I helped design this website and worked closely with the organization’s founder, Laura Simpson.   She is a very inspiring animal advocate, and I think her passion shines through on the site.  She also owns a very cute bunny named Norman, who is featured on the site’s sidebar!

Last year, we posted about the feral rabbit population living under the Sydney Harbour Bridge. The group of bunnies ended up there after a few domestic rabbits who either escaped or were dumped started breeding.

Now, two groups are working towards a solution to this feral population boom. Sydney Harbour Foreshore Authority are trapping the rabbits and finding them homes after Sydney University Veterinary Teaching Hospital spays/neuters and vaccinates them.

According to Dr. Deepa Gopinath, senior surgical teaching registrar at Sydney University Veterinary Teaching Hospital, “The desexing of the Dawes Point Park bunnies has been invaluable for our students as they experience hands-on surgery and it has been great to be actively involved in this very necessary community welfare project.”

For more info, see: Sydney Central.

Cindy Stutts of Rabbit Rescue and Rehab

Cindi Stutts has been volunteering with Rabbit Rescue and Rehab, New York City’s HRS chapter, for 15 years. Due to her efforts, more than 3,600 rabbits have been saved from euthanasia and have been placed in good homes.

Not only does Stutts personally screen people looking to adopt bunnies, she also ensures that she or one of her 30 volunteers will follow up with new owners after the adoption to make sure everything is going well.

According to bunny owner Abigail Aldridge, Stutts has “made a lot of people happy by helping with the adoptions and bringing the rabbits and the people together, and she is dedicated to this all on a volunteer basis.”

For more information about Stutts and Rabbit Rescue Rehab, see:

NY1.com
Rabbit Rescue and Rehab Website

The House Rabbit Society of Missouri has recently taken into their care a rabbit named Easter. He was found by a man in his backyard and was seriously injured. Unfortunately Easter has needed major surgery, including the amputation of a back leg. According to the HRS of Missouri, Easter has a strong will to survive and sweet personality.

The surgery is quite expensive and the HRS of Missouri is seeking donations to help defray the cost.

You can read the whole story and donate at their website: www.hrsmostl.org.

In the summer of 2007, Ralph and Caryl Turner took in 100 domestic rabbits that had been released into public parks in Seattle. The Seattle Parks Department had neutered and spayed the group, and then the rabbits moved into a 1-acre run at Precious Life Animal Sanctuary in Sequim, Washington. Within the predator-proofed, fenced-in area, there are small shelters, and the rabbits have dug several burrows.

There are several cities that have feral rabbit problems, including San Diego, Sacramento, and Vancouver, but many have resorted to euthanasia as a solution. Seattle and Precious Life Animal Sanctuary have taken a humane approach to the issue. And although the bunnies at Precious Life require a lot of space and a lot of care, going through a hundred pounds of feed a week and a bale of hay every other week, the Turners say the rabbits help “keep them young.”

Like many shelters, they rely on donations and volunteers to keep the sanctuary running. Learn more at the Precious Life Animal Sanctuary website and the Peninsula Daily News.