8:20pm
Lions, Tigers, and Bunnies; OH MY! 4/24/08 Visit # 14
49 comments
WOW Debbie is a spark!! She has competed with all the dog and cat lovers in this country and has rounded up rabbit and bunny lovers across America to help support the Midwest Rabbit Rescue. She led her community of Plymouth, Michigan to number 6 out of 1,000 competing shelters. What an accomplishment, Debbie!
This morning we met at a local park in Plymouth. The community was already there waiting to cheer and wave their signs. The street was even blocked off for us and for a HUGE pink bunny float that the shelter used in parades. Along with the pink bunny float, the crowd, from babies to grandparents, was wearing bunny ears to show their support! (The grand-dads were a bit shy with the bunny ears.) There was also music playing in the background from a local high school band called “The Cottontails.” They played along with the event. After I awarded the shelter, the shelter awarded me… I got a Topcat Bunny Hat that I was proud to wear the whole morning. Watch for photos!
After speeches, congratulations, and meeting with local town officials we departed for bunny central. As we went into the shelter we saw that they housed and cared for approximately 130 domestic rabbits and bunnies. The Midwest Rabbit Rescue is one of the only indoor rescues in the country. They love all types of bunnies…white ones with red eyes, big and small, brown ones, and angoras. They also house couples, “lovers,” together and they stay together and never part.
At the end of the day, I would say the people that help rabbits and bunnies are educating not only the public but the veterinarians about the lifestyle, care, and needs of rabbits. They really know their stuff!
What a sight, it was bunny fever! Midwest Rabbit Rescue has such a big heart. You guys have done a wonderful job!
I can't forget to mention the amazing gourmet meal Debbie had donated by a local restaurant. It was a vegan, pasta dish; in honor of HSUS's President Wayne Pacelle. The Zootoo Crew thought it was DELICIOUS!
If you want to know more about rabbits and bunnies as pets, the Midwest Rabbit Rescue and Debbie would love to hear from you!
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It was nice to finally get to see Midwest Rabbitry up close, and all the cute bunnies ofcourse!
It really shows how much they need the make-over! The bunnies need a lot more space to run around and excersize, their cages are so small... A playground/excersize room would be nice! And restrooms for the volunteers, ofcourse, a prep room, an "isolation ward" for sick rabbits, heck, a whole clinic for spay and nueter would be welcome too!
I really hope they win that make-over!
Good luck, Midwest!
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Midwest does such an awesome job not only in rehoming many unwanted rabbits, but also educating people in the resposibilties involved in caring for them. It is rare to find a shelter dedicated to just rabbits. Very often they have to share facilities with other animals, which can be even more stressful for them.
Well done, Midwest. Bunny lovers from far and wide respect you!
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Rabbit owners from all over have united and supported Midwest as the one shelter to represent Rabbits in need.
We need places like Midwest to help and educate people about bunnies.
And we really need Midwest to continue to rescue and find homes for homeless bunnies.
I am from Canada with two rabbits and a dog living in our household.
We all hope Midwest could win the top prize as this could be a truly international event.
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I really hope Midwest's success will bring awareness about the needs of house rabbits to the general public.
2 weeks ago
If it means getting points or driving from houston TX to help I will. Thanks for saving so many lives and giving people a family member. Thank you zoo too and MWRR
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First of all, I would like to say thank you from the bottom of my heart for bringing more attention to the plight of the abandoned bunnies across America. April 24th was a wonderful day and I was proud to be part of the celebration!!
At Midwest, we pride ourselves on the loving care we provide to our bunnies and through this contest we have learned that our community of supporters reaches farther and wider than many of us knew it could. We have come together as one voice for the bunny rabbit's plight in this world. We were able to accomplish a huge dream of getting into the TOP20! We were very proud to show you our humble shelter and our beautiful bunnies. We were very proud to tell you about our wonderful volunteers who have been working non-stop preparing for your visit!!! We were very proud to share with you our philosphy and mission to save as many bunnies as we can and educate as many people as we can! Our co-founders say "People helping bunnies, helping people" is what we do best!!! We will continue to work hard and do our best! We hope that our motto "A-Bunny-A-Day" will materialize and it very possibly will with all the new publicity your zootoo contest has awarded us!!!
Thank you very much for stopping by our shelter and giving our hardworking volunteers that "pat on the back" that they so deserve! If you ever decide that you'd like the loving companionship of a bunny - you know where to find us!! ;-)
Laura Radke, Shelter Manager
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Remember: adopt,don't shop
2 weeks ago
Thank you so much for coming out to see Midwest Rabbit Rescue & Rehome. It was truly a pleasure to get to meet you and talk to you about our bunnies and our procedures.
Zootoo has brought a significant amount of exposure to our little rescue, and we received support from bunny lovers all over the United States! Hopefully this will raise awareness of rabbits as pets, and their needs since they are the third most popular pet. It would also be nice to see the manufacturers of animal products make more bunny toys!! It's so hard to find any in stores right now, and my bunnies love a variety!
We have a wonderful and dedicated group of volunteers. They all care so much about the bunnies, and it shows! The shelter could not survive without their dedication and love. The shelter is a great place to go when you need a break from the world, from the very young to the elderly it helps people in many different ways. Hence, Dominique's phrase "Helping bunnies helping people".
Again, thank you for coming out, it was an enjoyable day for all!
Carol
2 weeks ago
I am hoping that the tremendous support that Midwest received will serve as a message to pet product manufacturers. Rabbit slaves want to buy high quality products for their companions. Currently, there is not a lot to choose from. There are a very few...Oxbow, American Pet Diner, Busy Bunny (to name a few of my personal favorites). There is a tremendous marketplace for you....take advantage of it.
Please give us the variety of high quality products we crave!
2 weeks ago
Some companies like American Pet Diner, Oxbow and Busy Bunny are trying to produce higher quality products that maintain the health of house rabbits. I really wish that all of the companies would invest more in developing appropriate foods and toys for house rabbits. I am fortunate to live near For Other Living Things, which is a small pet supply store that stocks the best pellets, hays, litters and toys. Some people do not have that option, and have to order their bunny supplies on the internet.
2 weeks ago
If I want toys, I end up going to Indianapolis about 40 min. away to a bird store. Then it's not very much to pick from. I do get a few things through local petstores and I am constantly looking at baby departments for things that look like a bunny might enjoy them.
We use WoodyPet for their litterboxes and it's a 40 minute trip to the closest location that sells that now also! I tried Equine fresh and there's something in it that makes my hubby sneeze. I think it's dustier or something.
Honestly, I think it's easier to find stuff for reptiles than for bunnies! and bunnies have such huge personalities and play a lot!
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I think a lot of companies would be surprised what people actually buy (and how much we spend!) for rabbits if they actually asked us. I wish finding good stuff to spoil my rabbits with was as easy as it is finding stuff for my cats.
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It wasn't me...is was all the bunnies ALL OVER the US! We represent buns nationwide. Our bunny following OnLine is INCREDIBLE!! Like I said the other day, we are all just one person to the world...but we are making a world of difference for ALL RABBITS! We truly are the underdog (I mean rabbit!).
Many thanks to Chris Lynn (Plymouth Commissioner) who arranged that very tasty vegan lunch. He truly has been the most supportive business person in Plymouth.
Thank you so much for starting zootoo and giving us a voice! Our goal to adopt A-BUNNY-A-DAY is closer than we ever thought! Thank you again to you and your incredible team.
Debbie
2 weeks ago
You're doing a great job of educating and rehoming! That's the key to a great rescue! I'm proud to be a friend of MWRR! *hug*
2 weeks ago
Lana Lehr
Managing Director
RabbitWise, Inc.
www.rabbitwise.org
2 weeks ago
What many people don't realize is that rabbits can coexist rather well in a home with dogs and cats. Many times they can become good friends and enjoy grooming each other or sleeping together.
Here are some links to a video and 2 slideshows of rabbits and cats here in our home...perhaps it will help people see that rabbits can get along with others.
In the first slideshow, Zeus, the white flemish giant mix rabbit has to share his litterbox with Faith, a kitten. We got Zeus from a rabbit rescue just a couple of months ago and he has settled in so well and lives at peace with our cats and dog.
[URL=http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/PegFlint/Zeus/Feb%202008/?action=view¤t=26ebcb9f.pbw][IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/PegFlint/Zeus/Feb%202008/th_DSCN2370.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/PegFlint/Zeus/April%202008/?action=view¤t=f2272b71.pbw][IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/PegFlint/Zeus/April%202008/th_DSCN3433.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
[URL=http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/PegFlint/VIDEOS/?action=view¤t=DSCN0576.flv][IMG]http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y139/PegFlint/VIDEOS/th_DSCN0576.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
By the way, Mitzi, the cat in the slideshows and videos was adopted from a shelter also.....in 2002.
Enjoy.
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But rabbits and cats (and dogs too) can live together in harmony and sometimes even be close friends!
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We loved visiting with you and the rest of the Zootoo Crew yesterday! Thank you so much for coming to our rescue, and helping us bring our community together in support of the rabbits. The fact that we made it to #6 out of a thousand rescues nationwide, is due to the amazing support we received both locally and nationally. As Haley mentioned, rabbit people are a tight knit community - we may be thousands of miles away from each other, but thanks to the internet we all know each other and work together for the betterment of the rabbits! We received support from rabbit groups from all across the country, from Florida to Vermont, from New York to California. We speak with one voice for the voiceless rabbits neglected in sheds, basements, garages, and back yard hutches; set loose in the woods to die from exposure, predators or disease; on death row in shelters. We speak for lab rabbits, rabbits bred for meat and fur, rabbits fed to snakes, and rabbits used to train dogs. Thanks to Zootoo, we lift our voices with the animal lovers of this nation to put an end, once and for all, to the neglect and exploitation of all animals. Together we will make real change!! Thank you Richard and Zootoo!
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My faithful "meat" breed rabbit snuggles with me to give me comfort, guards over me at night, joyfully performs tricks just because I ask, gives me endless amusement watching her jump and twist in the air, and asks only for a few scritches in return.
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Zootoo has really helped bring a lot of attention to Midwest Rabbit Rescue and the rabbit community nationally. The turnout yesterday was only a mere fraction of the national support for Zootoo and Midwest from the rabbit community. We had people in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Florida, Texas, New York, Indiana, Illinois and California signing up for Midwest and recruiting other animal lovers to join on our behalf. This was really a national effort on the part of the rabbit community who often are overlooked or forgotten among the larger cat/dog rescues.
Thank you again for helping our shelter raise awareness for the rabbits. As the third most popular pet in America, domestic rabbits are being set free, surrendered and euthanized at alarming rates in the U.S.. All of us across the U.S. with rabbits who share our homes thank you for your support in our efforts to educate people on these wonderfully social and loving companions.
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The volunteers at Midwest are such a dedicated and hard-working group of people. In fact, their passion and devotion are what inspired me to begin volunteering with the rabbits at my local humane society.
Winning this contest would be a dream come true for Midwest. Having the proper facilities would enable them to save the lives of more rabbits and house them in less cramped conditions. It would give the volunteers a bathroom too, so they wouldn't have to walk down the block. I'd be willing to bet they are the only shelter in the Top 20 without a bathroom!
Having this tiny rescue finish not only in the Top 20, but at an impressive #6, was not by any means just "lucky". It was thousands of voices across the nation drawing attention to the problem of rabbit overpopulation and homelessness. The national support that Midwest achieved was a powerful demonstration of the strength of the rabbit community and their desire to give rabbits a better life. Winning this contest would not only help Midwest, but would be a victory for rabbits everywhere.
I'm looking forward to hearing Midwest announced as one of the three finalists in Orlando. See you there!!
2 weeks ago
So many rabbits in shelters are around age 5 months to a year old and not altered. So many people get rabbits with no understanding of the short teenager months and how altering the rabbit, training and giving it a couple of months to mature changes the landscape. Instead, out the rabbit goes.
I never imagined I would have a pet rabbit, but wound up with my first when I found one wandering the neighborhood just before the cold Chicago winter set it. I thought I would take it in, vet it and find it a new home. Little did I know how many "dumped" rabbits there are and how few homes and no kill shelters have any room for rabbits. The numbers of rabbits are too overwhelming and the resources to care for them in most shelters are limited.
I am so proud of the work Midwest is doing for animals that are smart, loving, loyal, and wonderful. Mine does tricks, comes when called, snuggles with me when I feel down, and guards me at night, lying on a blanket in the corner of my room...her choice as she has free roam of most of the house. She is nondestructive and of course litter trained. Just got to keep the electrical wire vines out of reach.
I just adopted my second rabbit and we are in process of bonding sessions. I have had dogs and cats, I have parrots, and other pets, but my rabbits have a special place in my heart.
Go Go Midwest! Thousands of rabbits nationwide are thumping for you!!!
2 weeks ago
Sometimes the little hopping balls of fur and personality get lost in the shuffle of larger shelters and those shelters don't know how to care for them much of the time! Midwest provides a safe and loving facility for those darling animals who need them!
Thank you ZooToo for the award today and I'm still hoping, praying and crossing anything that can be crossed for MIDWEST RABBIT RESCUE to win the grand prize!!!
p.s. the bunny ears are very handsome on you!
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Go Midwest! And thank you so much for giving rabbits the attention they deserve!
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We need so much help, but regardless, Midwest Rabbit Rescue is the most amazing place. Thank you to for helping me to show my daughters what true kindness and altruism look like. There is no better example of these qualities, along with learning about hard work, than what we see every week when we volunteer at the shelter! Everyone in this community should have this incredible experience, at least once.
Thank you Zootoo, for traveling all the way to Plymouth, Michigan, to see what we are doing here. It matters so much to us, you have no idea.
Go Bunnies! Go Bunnies! Midwest is the best! Go Bunnies
Marcy Vicini
Maria and Katerina
and...Houdini, Cherish, Rocket, and Dazzle
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