In the last of our introduction episodes, we discuss the steps you should take before you bring your bunny home for the first time. We reference a couple of websites in the podcast, so we’re providing them below for easy access.
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I have decided to rename Easter to “Leave the Bunnies Alone Day”.
One of my favorite episodes of Buffy the Vampire Slayer centered around the celebration of Halloween. This was the only day off all year for demons and monsters. The character Anya, a vengeance demon with a love for elaborate revenge plans, was deathly afraid of our floppy eared friends. (Season 4, episode “Fear Itself” Anya gets the last available costume: a bunny suit. Truly funny, check it out!) I wish others carried her trepidation. It is about time that bunnies take a day off and I declare this day to be Easter.
This week I was reminded countless times of the ignorance and insensitivity of others. From a church mailing that makes me want to vomit to a bunny photo (credit Katie Michele Mehrenberg) that will will haunt me for some time, this Easter has only reminded me of the uphill battle we are fighting. I will not back down, if Buffy taught me anything it was be strong and fight the good fight with a great team and look really good whilst doing so. Humility was never my strong suit.
How do we, as activists, change the system? How do circumnavigate a world that prefers to wear blinders? What can we do in our daily lives to make the world a better place not only for rabbits, but for humans as well? I have made the choice by being vegan. I will not support a system that enables and celebrates the abuse, torture and slaughter of millions of animals. I will not be silent. I will not sleepwalk.
Every day, I have 20 plus faces that remind me why what we do, what we think is important and life changing. Steve and I have started the DARN Buncast which we hope will cover issues surrounding the plight of our long eared friends. On the legal front, I am investigating what it will take to ban the sale or giveaway of animals at fairs and fleamarkets. DARN also wants to increase its presence at festivals, local storefronts and shelters. All of these things cannot be done without the support of volunteers, donors and bunny lovers like yourself. On behalf of all the DARN rabbits we say thank you!
With Easter right around the corner, Steve and Shannon take the opportunity to discuss whether or not a bunny is right for you. Or, perhaps the more apropos question would be, “Are you right for a bunny?”.
For more information, you can also check out the interactive bunny on the Make Mine Chocolate website.
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I think I should have invested in some vacuum cleaner company stock. At this house we average a vactality (vacuum + fatality = vactality) rate of 1.33 annually. I have met many a vacuum and I am still searching for the right one to roll along.
Let’s go back to the beginning. Before starting DARN we had a red Dirt Devil upright and a handheld Dirt Devil. We also had a Bissell steam cleaner — I loved that thing. The Dirt Devil hung around for about 5 years and it worked really well. I liked it so much that we inherited another one when my parents moved to Florida. This one lasted for about 4 years. My issue was with the bags and belts, I got tired of dealing with them. We upgraded to a Hoover Windtunnel. Ahhh, no bags; easy peasy. Usher in the rabbits and all bets are off the table.
When we started DARN we did not have the number of bunnies that we do at present day. That does not mean, however, that life was simpler for our Hoover. I vacuumed everyday and she had trouble with the hay. A clog here and a clog there led to taking apart the vacuum frequently. I will spare you the agony and let you know that nothing good can come from a disassembled vacuum. She lasted maybe a year and half. We then got another vacuum and it must not have lasted long because I cannot even remember what it was, poor thing.
Then came the Electrolux upright. I loved him. He did not love back — got clogged all the time which caused me to abuse him in many fashions. I kicked, I threw. I hated him. He grew louder and louder. I should say that when I first started him, he sounded like a rocket taking off which scared the bejesus out of Laslo.
You can well imagine that the Electrolux becoming sonically loud did not have a peaceful effect on the household. Let’s not forget the duct tape. The arm kept breaking so we taped it up. Then the hose would not stay connected the the body so we duct taped them together. We would have to un-tape everything if there was a clog. Which there was… every frigging day.
Finally, after I had a massive temper tantrum with the Electrolux, Steve came home with a Bissell Healthy Home. She had on board attachments. The holding pins eroded which caused the brushes and corner thingamajig to crash to the ground at inopportune moments. Today, she is attachment-less, never to hold her children again. I will give due credit that the Bissell does not clog as badly as the Electrolux. The difference is that you can see where the clog is, but not neccessarily reach the clog. Enter the hanger declogger. You know you have made one and you know that it works. (Until it pierces a ginormous hole into the hose.) Speaking of said hose, if you stretch the hose too far the opposite end comes flying at you as it snaps out. This is painful when it hits you in the face. Of couse, the right side wheel housing has snapped, so she is gimping along leaving a lopsided trail of pellets and hay. We won’t discuss the number of times I have accidentally vacuummed up a puddle of piddle…
Steve claims a shop vac is the way to go! It is loud, really LOUD and the exhaust blows more hay and dust all over than the intake sucks up! I have to follow him with the Bissell. Fun times. This is my hell: vacuuming for 2+ hours with a vacuum that is barely functioning. I have yet to meet a vacuum that I cannot destroy in under a year. I just want a silent machine that cannot clog and does not overheat. Who is with me on this? Look out Dyson with your overpriced plastic “modern” machine. Rabbits will cause the rebirth of the vacuum one day. I am just too busy vacuuming to take part in the revolution.
We here at DARN are very please to introduce the first episode of the DARN podcast. The podcast is something that we’ve discussed doing for quite some time and after months of planning, fundraising and gear purchasing, the idea has become a reality.
In this first edition, Shannon and Steve discuss how they came to discover house rabbits, the mistakes that they made and how DARN was founded.
We hope you enjoy our production and will stick with us as we improve the show over time. Comments and suggestions for the show can be sent to gro.tibbarnotyad@seinnubevolew.
Update: We’re now listed in iTunes. You can find us at http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-darn-podcast/id511618590 or search Dayton Rabbit and subscribe.
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Every once in a while someone will post a question to the DARN page that just floors me. Recently, a seemingly nice though uninformed photographer asked if we knew where rabbits could be rented for Easter. I don’t want to call this person out, nor make them feel bad for not being rabbit savvy, but I do want to discuss the ramifications of the question.
The photographer’s inquiry brings up several problematic issues. The first of which is the notion that a live bunny is needed for an Easter photo. Let’s face it, in 2012 we have some pretty cute stuffed animals that don’t run the risk of biting a child or peeing on a brand new Easter outfit. I am fairly confident that bunnies would much rather be munching on cilantro at home than sitting scared in a studio with people mishandling them all day long.
The second issue pertains to the renting of a living creature. The idea that bunnies should be rentable for any reason does not sit well with me. These little furry friends need an advocate to speak for them, not objectify them in a holiday photo. My beliefs as a vegan are not mainstream, but I think most would agree that Easter will still happen even if you do not have a picture of a live rabbit and child. Rabbits (all animals for that matter) deserve to be protected from human greed and abuse. My experience with Easter photo mills is this: they do not care about the rabbit, they care only about the money being made from the photos.
The third and final issue is about ignorance. Simply put: we don’t know what we don’t know. I want people to be able to ask questions and inquire about rabbit related issues. This week’s post clearly illustrated the fact that rabbits are viewed as a prop, not as a living creature or member of a family. Pet stores sell cages that are so small a grown rabbit cannot periscope, let alone turn around and stretch properly. Rabbits are marketed as a disposable pet. Rarely Never have I had someone come out of a pet store like Pet Supplies Plus and tell me that a rabbit can have a 10-13+ lifespan. Never have I heard a pet store employee tell a customer that rabbits are fragile and not a good match for small children. As an advocacy group, DARN is trying to change things for the betterment of our long eared friends. Photographers, breeders, pet stores and Craig’s List are just a few of the originators of chronically incorrect information. Where and how can we begin to dismantle the modern myth of what is a rabbit?
I know this: we can let people know that renting/buying a rabbit for the purpose of a photo is a bad idea. Supporting places like Moto Photo who continually use rabbits year after a year is also a poor decision. I do not want to see any more rabbits come through the shelter that have sustained injuries due to mishandling or flagrant abuse. We can open a dialogue with those who are unfamiliar with the truth about bunnies and Easter: THEY DO NOT MIX WELL. Spread the message to give a bunny a chance to be a bunny, not a holiday prop.
This past week was witness to deadly storms across the Midwest. My heart goes out to all those affected and I hope that help is readily available. These storms reminded me how important it is to have a plan for your family, including those of the non-human variety.
Steve and I have been tested during many a severe storm. How do we get all the bunnies to the basement in a timely fashion? Picture this scene: the tornado sirens go off. I immediately need to pee. Steve is furiously trying to find the carriers that have strangely migrated to random household areas. Inevitably, we do not have enough carriers for the number of rabbits at the house. So, we grab exercise pens from upstairs and drag them downstairs to create makeshift cages. Then we are unloading a carrier and running back upstairs to refill it. As you can conclude, this is not a quick process. We need to do better.
Most people do not have the number of animals that reside within the Carman homestead. This makes planning a tad bit easier. I highly recommend keeping your bunny’s carrier wherever your bunny’s home base is located. Not only will this be easier for you to grab and go but it will also allow for emergency crews to rescue your furry friend when you are not home. Wherever your safe haven is (basement, bathroom) make sure it is prepared for you and your animal(s). Have an emergency kit with a flashlight, batteries, water, nonperishable food, hand crank radio, blankets and medical items. (Having a board game is not a bad idea either.) Take some time and assemble an emergency kit for your bunny as well. Make sure you have extra food, hay, water and a toy. Talk to your vet about items to put in your pal’s first aid kit, these items could very well save your bunny.
Perhaps, one of the most important things to remember is to stay calm. Bunnies pick up on our emotions — if you are stressed so will be your little pal. I am a work in progress, storms scare the snot out of me! The reality is this: when a storm hits you have precious little time to get to a place of safety. The more you plan and practice your emergency routine the more streamlined it will become. Never underestimate the importance of preparedness, it can mean the difference between life and death. From our bunnies to yours we wish that these disasters never occur, but if they do remember this:
To be prepared against surprise is to be trained. To be prepared for surprise is to be educated. — James Carse
Routine. We love it for the comfort and predictability it brings, yet loathe it for the tedium and mundane. Bunnies, conversely, never seem to tire of routine. In fact, they appear to thrive on it. The bunnies here at DARN expect, nay, demand that any requirements they have of the resident humans be delivered in a timely and consistent fashion. For, woe unto he who is late delivering breakfast, lest ye raise the ire of many long-eared and fuzzy-tailed beasts.
But seriously, this need for bunnies to exist in a state of predictability can be leveraged as an illness early warning system. As you may or may not be aware, bunnies evolved the ability to hide signs of illness over the millennia. This, of course, comes in handy when a predator is studying the group, looking for the weak and the sick in hopes of an easy meal. For the modern domestic rabbit, this becomes quite a hindrance since it prevents human caregivers from delivering medical attention at the earliest moment possible. In humans as in bunnies, the earlier disease is detected, the more likely a positive outcome will result.
How can this be put into practice? What you need to do is make a big deal out of routine. For example, we feed our bunnies twice a day, pellets in the morning and greens at night. We talk to our buns while doing so, “Bunnies! Are you ready for some num-nums?”, often while shaking the pellet tub or crinkling the bag the greens are in. The reaction we get is dancing, head tosses and rattling of condo bars. We want them excited when it’s time to eat. The reason being that if anyone isn’t excited, we know we have a problem. If you do this twice a day, once in the morning and again in the evening, you now have two chances to test the health of your bunny. That extra 12 hours may mean the difference between life and death.
I heard myself say to someone the other day that I never would have imagined the path my life has taken since, say, about 10 years ago. The truth is, I should have seen it long before that. My poor parents really missed those signs as well, and boy, those signs could have prevented some headaches. So, let’s take a look at what we (my parents, myself and society at large) completely overlooked.
Sign #1: My favorite book when I was little was Huge Harold by Bill Peet. I still have this book, and I still love it. It is about a bunny who grows to be too big, runs away from home and has a hard time finding where he fits in the world. I know now that Harold was a Flemish Giant. I also know now that I grew up much like Harold. I do not want to go off on an emo tangent, but I did listen to a lot of The Smiths as a teenager.
Sign #2: Yeah, I was the kid who wrote the Easter Bunny instead of Santa. I don’t think I even need to elaborate on this because it speaks for itself.
Sign #3: I think I cried for 2 days straight after I watched my dad put live lobsters into boiling water at the age of 5 or 6. I had nightmares about those lobsters, and even saw them in my bed. They were red but still alive, and I can still see them if I shut my eyes.
Sign #4: My best friends were a) my dog Dixie and b) my goldfish Zeekleeoke. I am not joking, they really were my best friends. Dixie being year older than me, passed away when I was 13 and part of me went with her. I doubt I will have another dog in my life and I was lucky to have her as long as I did. Zeek’s life was short, but I loved him none the less.
Sign #5: I always knew the names of neighbor’s pets, but many times did not know the neighbor’s names. I giggle, because this is still true today.
In summary, had any of us (my parents, myself and society at large) put the pieces together we could have all predicted that I would become a vegan rabbit rescuer. I guess it really doesn’t matter how I got here, it matters that I got here. So take a look at the folks in your own life. Is someone lost on their own journey? Are there some quirky portents that are pointing towards a certain future? I say embrace those signs, portents, omens or whatever you want to call them — they make us unique and many times define who we are meant to be.
Recently some rather ugly news has come to light: Mary Kay, Avon & Estee Lauder have resumed animal testing on their products. Make no mistakes these tests are on rabbits and are being conducted so that those companies can sell their products in China. WARNING: the video is graphic but please consider watching it.
Is wearing mascara more important than the suffering of a lab animal? I think not. Look into your makeup bag and pull out some products. Look them up, are they tested on animals? Do you really want to smear your face with products that are priced with a tag of cruelty and torture? It is not as if cosmetics are a necessity, they are fun but we don’t need to wear them. I have taken a stand: I will not use any cosmetic or household product by a company who engages in this archaic practice. Period. It just is not worth the guilt that I feel every time I look at one of our bunnies.
Whether you like PETA or not, they have a place in the fight for animal rights. They are able to bring attention to events & situations that would otherwise be ignored. Without PETA many cosmetic companies would still be using outdated and inconclusive tests on our furry companions. While I may not agree with PETA’s methods on many occasions, I am impressed by the changes they illicit.
The biggest impact, however, can be made by you and it is a rather small change to make. Pick up some new cruelty free swag! There are so many great companies out there to try- I love Gabriel Cosmetics, Zuzu Luxe and Urban Decay. Now we can look swanky whilst supporting companies who actually care! That is something that both bunnies and humans can get behind!