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Do Rabbits Have Guardian Angels?"
By Kathy Smith (photo by Carolyn Bond)
Do you think we live in a world where a 16-year-old girl can't make a difference? Try telling that to 49 meat¯ rabbits who were scheduled to be slaughtered between July 11 and July 25. On Wednesday, July 7, Ashley R** of Williamsport, PA learned that 60 rabbits at a meat farm near her home were scheduled to die. She talked the farms owner into allowing her to adopt a couple of the rabbits three at the most if she paid their ransom.
Ashley and her family share their home with two rabbits, Julian, a gray Holland lop and Jaxom, a scarlet rex, as well as a menagerie of other animals. Armed with determination, a computer, and the Internet, Ashley started looking for no-kill shelters that might help her rescue a rabbit or two. She sent e-mails to more than a dozen rescue groups, including Friends of Rabbits, a non-profit rescue group in Alexandria, Virginia. Like most rabbit rescue groups at this time of year, Friends of Rabbits was up to their ears in local Easter rabbits that were no longer wanted once the novelty wore off.
Although I am not officially a rescuer, I am known in the rescue community for my book Rabbit Health in the 21st Century. I donate books to rescue groups around the world, and thus Ashley's e-mail eventually found its way to my in-box. "These poor bunnies have never been on solid ground, tasted hay or any other treats and the poor mothers have been bred for the past 5 years every time they come into season having litter after litter after litter"¯ her e-mail said. Ashley's words brought tears to my eyes. But I was 1,000 miles away. There was only one thing I could do, and that was to forward the e-mail to a small, close-knit group of bunny-loving friends around the country.
One of my dearest friends, Jane, is a volunteer with the Southeastern Pennsylvania-Delaware chapter of the House Rabbit Society. Although her shelter was bursting at the seams, Jane decided she could personally foster four more rabbits. Ashley sent Jane pictures of the rabbits. How could either of them possibly decide which rabbits would have a chance for a loving home?
Now there were two people determined to save as many of these rabbits as possible. While Jane contacted her friends in the rescue community, Ashley continued interviewing potential adopters in her area. In spite of the urgency of the situation, neither Ashley nor Jane lowered their standards. None of these rabbits would end up neglected in a backyard hutch. Both Ashley and Jane wanted to find these rabbits a home where they would be part of a loving family: true companion animals.
A small group of devoted rabbit lovers jumped on the bandwagon. Mary e-mailed from Kentucky that she would like to offer a loving, forever home¯ to one of the mothers. Was there any way to arrange transportation? Carolyn had just delivered a special shelter rabbit from Tennessee to Jane. She was more than willing to take a rabbit back with her. Meanwhile, Suzanne Trayhan, founder of House Rabbit Network, an independent rescue group in eastern Massachusetts, said her group could take four rabbits if transportation could be arranged.
Within three days of her initial e-mail to Friends of Rabbits, Ashley had found definite places for at least six rabbits twice as many as she had been told she could save. And both she and Jane had many other promising leads. It was time for Ashley to go back and renegotiate with the farmer. Swayed by Ashley's passionate appeal, he agreed to let her rescue as many of the rabbits as she could find places for. However, the mothers had already been killed. Mary was devastated. But she knew how to make it up to the mother she couldn't save she decided to offer a forever home¯ to two of the slaughtered rabbit's baby bunnies. By July 12, six rabbits were safe. Now dubbed Thelma and Louise, the young rabbits began their cross-country journey to Kentucky, and Ashley and Jane set to work to find homes and arrange transportation for more rabbits.
Ashley's enthusiasm was contagious. The new homes these dedicated rescuers were finding started multiplying like rabbits. By July 18, another 22 rabbits had been rescued. A total of six were now in foster care with Jane. House Rabbit Network had found room and transportation for 16 fosters! Ashley found homes for another four And there was still another week before the meat truck was scheduled to arrive.
With 28 rabbits already safe, Ashley, Jane, and Suzanne had redoubled their efforts to rescue the remaining 21 rabbits. House Rabbit Network quickly posted the story, along with pictures of the rabbits, on their website. The public began to respond with donations to help cover the spay/neuter expenses and general care for these rabbits.
By July 24 another nine rabbits had been placed six of these in forever homes. As the numbers at the farm were dwindling, the farmer agreed to extend his deadline one more week after all, it was not cost effective to have the truck pick up so few rabbits for slaughter!
On August 1, Ashley's father took her to pick up the final 12 rabbits. He had spent countless hours driving to and from the farm, helping his daughter to rescue the rabbits. The last time he spoke to Jane he told her, "This is what makes Ashley happy. It's so much more than she expected to be able to do, considering the farmer originally told her she could only take 2-3 rabbits. I know maybe I'm supposed to say this but I really do love her."¯
A small group of devoted rabbit lovers, inspired by the efforts of a tireless 16-year-old and her supportive family, succeeded in performing a miracle for 49 rabbits. Mary spoke for all of the "grown-ups"¯ involved in this effort when she said, "I think what really touches my heart about this particular situation is not just that it's so many rabbits that are going to be killed, but that a teenage girl is trying desperately to save them If I can help foster that kindness and compassion in a young person, and at the same time save a rabbit, I feel it's truly worth doing."¯ In a world where headlines of murder, war, and teenage drug use are the norm, Ashley should be an inspiration to all of us. She is proof that each of us can help make the world a better place!
Ashley (ME) With Thelma and Louise
Ashley
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