Discuss. Educate. Volunteer.
The Dayton Area Rabbit Network, or DARN, is a not for profit organization, founded in 2008, by a group of rabbit lovers living in the Miami Valley. We work to ensure that all house rabbits live happy, healthy lives through discussion, education and volunteer work.
Our group was founded under the following purposes and principles:
- to support existing and prospective house rabbit owners by way of verbal and written discourse, print materials and educational programs with the goal of improving the quality of life for both the rabbit and it’s human guardian(s).
- to both raise awareness of house rabbits as domestic pets and promote their adoption to responsible individuals and families.
- to provide support and services to homeless and rescued house rabbits under the care of like-minded rescue groups and organizations.
- to work with similar groups at the local, state, national and international level (where applicable) in order to promote the same educational goals.
Although we are not affiliated with the House Rabbit Society, it should be noted that we agree with and follow closely the guidelines for rabbit care that have been set forth by the HRS. We see ourselves as a complement to, rather than in competition with, the HRS and it’s regional chapters. We believe that our existence is important to the local rabbit community as Dayton Rabbit is the only organization of it’s type in the area.
If our purpose sounds like something of interest to you or if perhaps you have an abiding love for bunnies, we’re always looking for others with whom to share the joys of being a bunny’s human. Getting started is as simple as joining our mailing list or if you would like more information, you can contact us via the form on this page or by sending an email to welovebunnies@daytonrabbit.org.
Whether you decide to stick to the mailing list or volunteer at the shelter, you’re sure to make new friends with like-minded people who share a passion for all things bunny.
Thinking of adopting a bunny?
If you’re thinking of adopting a bunny, we cannot stress enough how important it is for you to educate yourself before you do the adoption. Bunnies are not like cats or dogs and therefore, most of your cat or dog skills do not apply. They have special needs and certain considerations that must be taken for the happiness of both yourself and your bunny.
Please remember:
- bunnies belong inside with their families
- bunnies generally are not a good match for children
- bunnies need to be spayed and/or neutered, just like dogs or cats
- bunnies like to chew and special precautions must be taken to avoid injury
- bunnies generally are not cuddly and most do not like to be held
- bunnies require a special diet
- bunnies require time to exercise
- bunnies are not inexpensive pets
- bunnies are social creatures that become lonely when left for long periods of time
All of that being said, we’re here to say that house rabbits make wonderful and rewarding companions if you’re willing to make a few adjustments to your lifestyle.
Dayton Rabbit provides a list of places that you can visit to learn more about the care and feeding of bunnies.
Feeding your bunny well
Note: This is a repost from an article that I wrote for the Humane Society of Greater Dayton in early 2010.
Imagine that you were a contestant in a TV game show and the question posed to you by the host was, “Name a food that is appropriate for bunnies.” I admit that the likelihood of such a question being asked is slim, but humor me for a moment. Now, if you were to answer the question with “carrots”, you wouldn’t win the grand prize.
“But”, you may be saying, “Bugs Bunny always munched on carrots while he was busy outwitting ole Elmer Fudd.” Well, yes he did, but I’m here to say that Bugs Bunny was wrong.
You see, house rabbits have a complicated digestive system, one which heavily depends on the fermentation activity of bacteria and microbes to fully process a meal. The health of the bacteria is dependent on a low protein, low carbohydrate diet that contains a large quantity of undigestible fiber.
The proper rabbit diet consists of copious hay and plenty of leafy greens. These sorts of foods provide fuel for the bacteria in addition to the fiber needed to help push things through their digestive system.
But what about carrots? Well, the answer to that is, sugar. Carrots contain more sugar than one would expect. What happens is that when this sugar enters the “vat” inside the bunny, it feeds the sugar eating bacteria. This bacteria balloons, which can crowd out the leafy greens eating bacteria. Often, as a side effect, gas is generated which can give the bunny a stomach ache and might even lead to a dangerous medical condition called GI Stasis.
So, the next time you go to feed your bunny, it’s best if you pass on the sugary treats and stick with the salad.