House Rabbits

It´s Welfare Wednesday again! Valentines day is just around the corner, and as we know that every bunny needs some bunny to love, we´d like you to share this poster.

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Welfare Wednesday -have you room in your heart and your home for some rescue rabbits?

This week we want to ask you to rescue bunnies. In particular, support rescue shelters which have do such a valiant job, taking in rabbits whose future is uncertain, caring for them and trying to find them the right home.

One of these is Pawz for Thought which is based in Sunderland. Vicky from Paws says,


"Meet Jack and Vera.

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These two are very much like an old married couple! They were brought into Pawz as a bonded pair and have fantastic personalities. Vera is approximately 1-2 years old, she likes to think she is the boss but Jack will put her in her place if she gets too carried away! Vera needs to know who is boss especially when it comes to the hair brush- but as you can see from her picture, the brushing pays off! Jack is of similar age to Vera and is a typical ´Jack the lad´, he loves exploring and is very curious about the world around him. He´s very friendly, enjoys a stroke and doesn´t mind being picked up and handled. These two are a great bundle of fun, you could sit and watch them for hours. They are currently in an indoor foster home but could adapt to a large outdoor space. If your interested in adopting Jack and Vera please get in contact rabbitspawzforthought@gmail.com or visit our website http://www.pawzforthought.org.uk/index.php for rabbits, small animals and even cats and dogs!

Pawz for Thought is based in the North east of England and does not have a rescue centre, it relies on the good nature of fosterers."

And this heartfelt plea from an owner whose changed circumstances mean that she is moving to Australia and is unable to take her beloved rabbits with her

"Sadly, we will be unable to take our two buns with us to Australia. It´s all really come full circle really, as we took in our first bunnies following the relocation of some friends and then a rescue bunny, and years later, we now have to find homes for our bunnies... :(

I know I am taking a chance, but you wouldn´t happen to know of anyone who would be interested in two gorgeous house dwarf lops (6 and 3 years) that are in perfect health (no illness, no dentals, full vaccinations). I have piccies galore that would steal your heart!"

If you are able to help with Jack and Vera, or with the lops whose family is moving away, or can offer a home to any rescue bunnies, then please get in touch with the rescue (or with hq@rabbitwelfare.co.uk) and offer your help.

You may not be able to adopt nor to foster, but there could be other ways you can help...and it needn´t be financial if times are tough for you too. Rescues appreciate practical support too...people who will fundraise for them, people who will clean out bunny homes. If you can do anything at all to help rescue bunnies, then please let the rescues know

Rabbit Interactive - RWAF 2012 conference

We are excited to announce that this year´s Conference is taking a new turn. We are hosting it with our friends Wood Green in Cambridgeshire on Saturday 1st September 2012 and their great facilities mean it will be much more hands-on and practical than we´ve ever been able to achieve in the past. We will be offering master class work shops with our experts as well as lectures.

Even better, we are having a ´mad hoppers tea party´ on the Friday night (also at Wood Green) because there never seems to be enough time to catch up with like minded friends on the day of conference, and it´s also a good excuse for a party!

Although we are still finalising the agenda, we thought you may want to make a note in your diary, because you certainly won´t want to miss this.

Watch this space for more details.

Let´s keep the focus on undersized hutches

How is everyone doing with their New Year resolutions?! A few weeks ago we suggested some resolutions that could help improve rabbit welfare, and we´d love to hear if you have managed to do any of them. If not, it´s not too late, how about starting off by finding a retailer on-line that you think is selling hutches that are too small for rabbits, and politely e-mailing them and telling them. Remember that a rabbit should be able to take 3 hops in its hutch and rear up fully (so that they do not develop painful spinal deformities) - for an average sized rabbit (remember of course they should be kept in pairs so this should be a minimum) this will be 6ft long and 2ft high.

Watch the link below. It will only take you a few minutes to send an e-mail, and could really help to make a difference.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ewd5ASbHtf4&context=C3f24600ADOEgsToPDskJAAG8qORF0LuSWM0uaoqnO

Please share our Welfare Wednesday message

It´s Welfare Wedensday again - we want everyone to know they´re valued by the RWAF and invite you all to speak with us on forums, Facebook and Google +. There is a lot of advice and experience in discussions that can benefit everyone.

This week we are asking you to share Dexter´s story - to give some ideas to anyone who has a small hutch, or a single rabbit.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/making-it-right.htm

RWAF Rescue Fund

Please remember our Rescue Fund. We have money still available to help support the adoption of rabbits from rescue centres.

Those with single rabbits who wish to adopt can apply for funding to have their existing rabbit neutered, if they have passed a homecheck by a rescue and have suitable accomodation for 2 rabbits, so they can then adopt a partner for their rabbit. Funding will be paid directly to the owner´s vet.

Rescues that have a crisis situation can also apply for support from the fund. We will pay towards vet fees for neutering and vaccinations. Funds again will be paid to the vet.

We´ve already given out grants totalling over £5000 to rescues and to individuals, since the fund was launched in late November. We want more of you to apply, so that more single buns will have a partner, and space will be freed up in rescues so that they can take in more needy rabbits. We want to help rescues in need.

Details of how to apply can be found here http://www.houserabbit.co.uk/?section=rescue.html

You may not be eligible for this funding, but if you know an individual or a rescue that is, please pass the message on.

Please remember RESCUE BUNNIES

This week we´re reminding everyone about RESCUE BUNNIES - there are thousands of bunnies patiently waiting for a second chance and a forever home. If you have a single bunny please think about getting him or her a friend, or perhaps you have room to take on a pair of bunnies? Rescue bunnies are often vaccinated and neutered already, and you have the satisfaction of knowing that you have saved a bunny and that the rescue will be able to save another one in its place.

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The 2 rabbits in the photo are Mr Sniffles and Lexi. They have been at the Huntingdon Wood Green centre for just over a year. This is what Wood Green has to say about them: ´They are full of character, ideally looking for an adult home as Mr Sniffles does have a little attitude. Lexi loves her magazine rack which we fill with hay, she will often jump into it and settle down for an hour or two´

All rescues need you to adopt, but as a start, we´re featuring these three across the UK. Please look at their rehoming criteria as they often differ slightly:

http://www.woodgreen.org.uk/rehome/small_animals

http://www.buddiesbunnies.co.uk/BuddiesBunnies/Our_Bunnies.html

http://www.windwhistlewarren.org.uk/adoptr.html

We have a database of rescue centres. If you´re looking for one near you, please get in touch.

If you´re not able to take on a rescue bunny or two this year you can still help! Please spread the word about rabbit rescue. Not everyone is aware that rabbit rescues exist, and you can help a rescue on a practical level by offering to help muck out, or donating food, toys or hay. Why not find out where your local rescue is and get in touch, to see if you can help?

Protecting against infection

We have been asked about a cleaning protocol that would prevent rabbits from contracting Myxomatosis or EC from their accommodation, for example in boarding or rescue establishments, and suggest the following:

Thoroughly clean the area to remove any scale or residue
Use Ark-Klens , which is a benzalkonium chloride disinfectant and as such it should be effective against EC and Myxi, to routinely disinfect the housing. Periodically use Virkon (as an inorganic peroxygen compound) to kill any other viruses

Note: Other benzalkonium chloride disinfectants and inorganic peroxygen compounds may be available, in addition to those named above.