For the “Super Contemporary” show which opened at the Design Museum in London today, fashion designer Paul Smith and 14 other artists were commissioned to “give something back” to London.

Smith focused his project on his distaste for litter. His creation is a 5-foot green rabbit holding a trash bag. When you throw garbage in the bin, the rabbit’s ears light up.  Prototypes of his “New London Rubbish Bin” have been placed in Covent Gardens and Holland Park on a 4-month trial period.

I love the idea, and I hope these garbage bins end up all over the place.

For more info:
Design Museum
Paul Smith’s Website
Bloomberg.com
High Snobiety

Inspired by rabbit show jumping videos on YouTube, two brothers, Mathew and Thomas Haslam, from Doncaster, England, have been training their two rabbits to participate in the rabbit agility competition at the Ultimate Pet Show in Birmingham. The two bunnies, Bubbles and Lilac, are a favorite to win the competition. To prep the rabbits for the contest, Mathew and Thomas set up obstacles in their backyard and initially used leashes to guide the rabbits over the fences.

For more info: The Daily Mail

At Pennywell Farm in Devon, England, an unusual friendship has blossomed between William, a miniature piglet, and Charles, a giant rabbit.  According to Chris Murray of Pennywell Farm, “The cheeky  piglet seems to have no fear of something so much bigger than he is and he will also help himself to any food that Charles has.”

For more info: news:lite

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

In the United Kingdom, rabbit owners or potential owners can learn more about responsible rabbit care during Burgess National Rabbit Week, January 24-30, 2009.

The focus of this year’s rabbit week is on fiber. Fiber is essential to rabbits’ health, so be sure your rabbit is getting enough hay! You can check out My House Rabbit’s articles “What to Feed Your House Rabbit” and “A Correct Diet is Vital for Rabbits” for more information on the proper diet for rabbits.

Many vets, retailers, rescues and other rabbit organizations across the UK will be participating in National Rabbit Week offering free checkups, samples, and care information.  Go to the Burgess National Rabbit Week website for more information and to find events in your area.

Ethel, a lop-eared rabbit from the UK, lost the use of her hind legs after falling ill. Zoe Holbourne, her owner, decided to give her rabbit another chance at mobility and ordered a custom wheelchair from Dogs to Go, a Texas company that makes carts for disabled pets. It was the first wheelchair the company had shipped to the UK.

According to Holbourne, “At first she struggled to keep her balance and kept tipping over, but she soon got to grips with it, especially on flat surfaces. Now she loves it. The wheelchair is very effective and it stops moving as soon as she wants it to. It doesn’t roll along when she is standing still.”

I have seen disabled bunnies using carts before, but I’m not sure how common it is.  From what I’ve seen, some people have been able to build their own bunny wheelchairs, and there are several companies that can custom build them as well, including:

• Dogs to Go
• K-9 Carts
• Eddie’s Wheels

Here’s a video of Blueberry, a disabled rabbit at the Toronto Humane Society, using a cart.

For more info: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/3483678/NEEDSPICDisabled-rabbit-gets-wheelchair.html

This past March marked National Vaccination Month where UK rabbit owners were offered a free dose of vaccine to protect their rabbits against the deadly disease myxomatosis.  Vaccinations for myxomatosis should be administered every six months to provide continued immunity, so Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health are offering those pet owners who took part in the campaign in March to receive a second free dose this month.

Myxomatosis is a painful condition that is largely untreatable. For more information, visit:

• My House Rabbit’s Myxomatosis Vaccination Article
• Intervet / Schering-Plough Animal Health Press Release, Sept. 29, 2008

How far would you go to help pet rabbits?  The UK’s Andy Baker asked himself that question. His answer: 1000 feet straight down from the world’s highest suspension bridge, the Royal Gorge Bridge in Colorado, using only a bungee cord.

His free fall jump will result in speeds up to 90 mph.  But Baker is willing to take this plunge in order to help raise money for the Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund in the UK and the Colorado House Rabbit Society in the US.

The jump will occur as part of the Go Fast! Games on September 26.

You can support Baker using the following links:
Fundraising Page for the Rabbit Welfare Fund (UK)
Fundraising Page for the Colorado House Rabbit Society (US)

For more info:
http://www.bungybunny.com/
http://www.ahutchisnotenough.com/
http://www.leightonbuzzardonline.co.uk/news/Andy-plans-1000ft-bungee-jump.4489822.jp
http://www.coloradohrs.com/2008_Event.htm

After eating two sets of owners out of house and home, Roo, a European giant rabbit, was sent back to a pet shop in Scotland.

According to Tracy Simpson, a staff member, “Her new owners thought they were buying an animal similar to a cat who would come and sit on their lap and quietly move around the house. But Roo isn’t like that. She’s full of life and because her teeth never stop growing, she likes to munch on things. That didn’t go down well.”

Fortunately, Roo has found a suitable home with one of the staff from the pet shop who is happy to accommodate Roo’s personality and habits.

For more info:
http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/news-feed/2008/08/14/jabba-the-hutch-86908-20696403/
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/top-stories/2008/08/14/picture-the-monster-rabbit-the-size-of-a-dog-115875-20696552/