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Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Babies grow..............

Time for an update on the babies that were born at Heartland Rabbit Rescue at the end of June of this year. 
Babies at 12 days old.
As you can see, they could be listed in the dictionary under the definition "cute".

At the greens party on September 5th they were introduced to grass for the first time.....as you can see a span of 55 or so days makes quite a difference in appearance.
Not quite a "baby" at 67 days old (Fast Eddie?).

The coloring on their fur is blackish on the body with a nice patch of butterscotch behind the ears and some white highlights on the face, chest and a brilliant bright white tail.

As can best be determined, both are boys and are so far very social and friendly except when they are doing baby bunny things and do not want to be interrupted.  Names are possibly not yet permanent although Fast Eddie is a strong contender as a name for one of the handsome lads.  Mom can be seen behind "Fast Eddie".  She still takes good care of them although when she gets a chance to cruise around the warren she seems to prefer visiting the other bunnies alone.

Baby #2 with butterscotch patch showing.

One may be just a bit larger than the other but in all aspects of external appearance they are virtually twins. Their coloring is unique and makes them both really appealing "eye candy".

Youngsters, no matter the species, are usually quite a treat to be around and these two unexpected additions are no exception.

As noted in my previous post however, a forever home is what these guys need, with their very own human family that is devoted to providing for their shelter, food, playground, toys, and emotional and medical needs.

This is no small commitment, their lifespan is usually given as from 9 to 12 years but some live even longer.  And, like all of us mammals, their physical abilities and functioning decline as they age.  Medical needs increase (often) with aging and just like human animals, cantankerousness may blossom as the years add their toll.

Choosing to live with a companion animal means entering into an unequal relationship.  The non-human animal will always be dependent on the human animal.  This inequality means great responsibility on the part of the one holding the power.

There will not come a day when you can send the companion animal off to live on their own.  This is one of the reasons many animal rights folks argue for an end to the "domestication" of any animal.  It is a forced and human created dependency situation....one that the dependent animal had no choice in creating and has virtually no possibility of ending. They rely on the "mercy" of human animals......and that is one hell of a precarious position for them.

Here is how gross all this stuff is.  Ignoring (for now) the "farmed" animals, domesticated cats, dogs and bunnies (and birds and lizards and etc.) are killed in "shelters" across the U.S. at the rate of about 4 million per year.....killed because no human (and humans created this domesticated status) wants to take on the responsibility of caring for them or has gotten tired of them and turned them over to a "shelter" or has taken them somewhere and "dumped" them.  4 million living, sentient beings murdered because humans can't be bothered with dealing with the consequences of "domesticated" non-human animals.  Some small percentage are euthanized (that means they are sick or injured and suffering with no chance of recovery) but the vast majority that are killed are healthy and active and have years of life left.

This is why it is unconscionable for any human to allow any "domesticated" animal to breed.  For as long as there is a single homeless one of these unfortunate victims of human folly, allowing more dogs or cats or bunnies to be born is simply outrageous and disgusting.

"Breeders", people who encourage or pursue the birth of more baby bunnies or puppies or kittens to be brought into this obscene situation we have created are simply contemptible.  There is no excuse. None. We are all culpable and we are all failing these beautiful bunnies and puppies and kittens....failing them miserably.  Not because we have to fail them, but because we are too lazy or greedy or goofy or mean. So quit it.  And help.

Never, never, never ever purchase or buy a bunny or kitten or puppy....go to a shelter or rescue organization or foster organization and adopt.

If you can't adopt, foster...if you can't foster.....volunteer, and if you can't volunteer.....donate.  Do all of them if you can.  The animal people shouldn't have to pay for our shortcomings.

That's the end of my rant.....whew....and the baby bunnies (like all the bunnies) are exquisite.

10 comments:

Murph's mom said...

So well put VE!! It can't be said too much or with too much anger. Thank you for saying it with such compassion for all the discarded ones. Many of us have gone into shelters and came out forever changed, and not in a good way. Thank you for explaining "95". I'll watch for the link.

Krissa said...

Thank you very much for this post. I think about that a lot...the way we have created a dependency situation that is part of the whole problem in more ways than are readily apparent. It makes me so sad when I feed my cats because I know where their food comes from. In addition to how horrifying that is, it also can not possibly be good for them....they were never intended to be eating cows, etc.. I think about this every day - how there are already way too many 'pets' on this planet and how many of them don't even have families and forever homes. Humans really have made such a mess for everyone else in this world. Again, thanks for bringing this up. ... On a happier note, the babies at Heartland are gorgeous and I hope they will have wonderful forever homes - they deserve that.

Bea Elliott said...

I do yard sales and I often see rabbits left under the car port or on the side of the house... After a conversation starter like asking "what's his/her name"... I suggest that he/she looks very lonely and bored. I'm sure they know this already - I can see the "guilt". After that, I just never know what else to say to make them really care for the bunny person.

Then I ran into this poem and made copies just for the occasion. It's sad to know that these little fluff balls were probably "adored" once (around Easter) then left in absolute solitude ever after... Hopefully this poem can reach those who just aren't thinking beyond "food/water":

IN MY CAGE

by Mary Brandolino

It was colorful and fun
The new life that I'd begun
In my new cage.

I was just a little thing
When they brought me from the store
And they put me on the floor
In my cage.

They would take me out to play
Love and pet me all the time
Then at day's end I would climb
In my cage.

But as days and weeks went by
I saw less of them it seemed
Of their loving touch I dreamed
In my cage.

In the night outside their house
I felt sad and so neglected
Often scared and unprotected
In my cage.

In the dry or rainy weather
Sometimes hotter sometimes colder
I just sat there growing older
In my cage.

The cat and dog raced by me
Playing with each other only
While I sat there feeling lonely
In my cage.

Upon the fresh green grass
Children skipped and laughed all day
I could only watch them play
From my cage.

They used to take me out
And let me scamper in the sun
I no longer get to run
In my cage.

Once a cute and cuddly bunny
Like a little ball of cotton
Now I'm grown up and forgotten
In my cage.

I don't know what went wrong
At the home I did inhabit
I just grew to be a rabbit
In my cage.

But they've brought me to the pound
I was once loved and enjoyed
Now I wait to be destroyed
In my cage

Christina said...

I have spoken to and argued with folks many times about the "breeders" They always justify, justify, justify. They breed "quality" animals? Really? All the dogs/cats/bunnies (except for Dudley buns) have been just like me-heinz 57. Its about money and ego. That is it. Nemo was supposed to be a "pure bred" bun. He had more health problems than you could count and when he wasnt "perfect" The person(and I use that term loosely) that had him stuck in a cage with a free to a good home on him. (She told me point blank that if someone didnt take him he would go to the snake breeder and I had no doubt about that) I had that "less than perfect" angel with me for 2 years and he was a lot of sunshine in my life. He was pefect in every way.

veganelder said...

Thanks Murph's Mom for commenting, the whole topic of "domesticated animals" and their fate is somber indeed.

veganelder said...

Thanks Krissa for commenting, what is really unsettling is to read what Nathan Winograd (http://www.nathanwinograd.com/) says about how we are failing in our "shelters". I agree, the rabbit people out at Heartland Rabbit Rescue are phenomenal.

veganelder said...

Thank you Bea for your comment. You nailed the problem exactly, what are the magic words that could get their behavior and feelings to change? The poem is great (and sad)....I know the bunnies thank you for keeping them in your heart.

veganelder said...

Thanks for your comment Christina, your writing makes it clear that "quality" human animal people do not encourage or allow breeding of "domestic" animal people, ever. Nemo sounds like he was a terrific bunny person, thank you for providing him with a loving home.

Murph's mom said...

Krissa, I didn't see your comment on Heartland's blog until a few minutes ago. I replied. How funny you'd recognize Marshall. tee hee.

Jeannie

Krissa said...

Oh Bea... that poem made me cry. But I'm glad you shared it.

Hi Murph's Mom. Marshall is so handsome, it would be impossible not to recognize him, I think. :)

VE, I'll have to check out that link. But I'll take a deep breath before I do.