The Bunologist Oct09

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What’s News?

October 2009 • • • • • • • •

Munchkin Award Be a bunny for a day – World Vegan Day Restaurant rabbit Farm rabbits Dear Diary Rabbits: their part in my downfall (Molly & Tessa) Adopt me! Clarence the SUPER SPY & the vegan ferret

Global Pet Gallery Global Pet Gallery is a project that aims to set a Guinness World Record for the largest Pet Photo Mosaic. Email a photo of your bun to be included in the photo mosaic.

Radioactive rabbit poop 11 October 2009 (US) http://www.blogcatalog.com/post-tag/bunny+news/ Although it may sound like a plot point in a comic book, there is actually radioactive rabbit poop in Hanford, Washington. As it happens 50 million gallons of liquid waste laced with radioactive salts were dumped in a radioactive reservation in Hanford more than 40 years ago. The dumping area is home to many jackrabbits. The rabbits’ warrens abut some of the dumping sites and the rabbits often lick the radioactive salt. Recent stimulus money has aided the clean up of the rabbit poop, which has trace amounts of radioactivity. Previously, large swaths of earth were dug out and disposed of to rid the area of the radioactive poop. Now, a helicopter is used to spot and map the piles of poop for crews to come in and clean up.

Endangered Kits are Born 14 October 2009 (US) http://www.blogcatalog.com/post-tag/bunny+news/ The Columbian Basin pygmy rabbit has been on the state of Washington’s endangered species list since 1993. The population declined so much that biologists took in the last 14 wild rabbits to create a breeding program. Among the institutions collaborating in the breeding program is the Oregon Zoo, which has been breeding Columbian Basin pygmy rabbits since 2000. This year the zoo welcomed 26 endangered kits, or baby rabbits. This brings the total to 73 kits for the year among all the breeding programs.

www.globalpetgallery.com

Baby hare saved by emergency caesarian www.dailymail.co.uk A woman who found a pregnant hare lying dead in the road performed an emergency operation to deliver its baby. Caring Leila Goss, 25, spotted the mother hare after it was killed by a car and immediately noticed its swollen stomach. Leila, a laboratory assistant at a donkey sanctuary, was driving home at around 10pm when she found the adult hare lying in the middle of the road. ‘She was still warm, so obviously the car had just hit her. When we got her home, I performed a caesarian on her and there were two babies inside. One was quite floppy. The second one looked a bit better so I swung him around gently to get the fluid out of his lungs, then I gently blew down his nose and it started gasping for air. ‘I dried the baby off a bit more and wrapped it up in a towel and put it on a hot water bottle. Its breathing became steadier and the legs started to move around and within an hour it was sitting upright, looking like a little hare should do.’

Munchkin Award The Munchkin Award recognises websites contributing to positive & responsible care for rabbits. This month we proudly award Pepper & Dylan’s blogspot.

Be a bunny for a day! World Vegan Day 1 November 2009 Be a vegan bunny for a day & visit one of these locations for a cruelty-free celebration –

Melbourne World Vegan Day Festival When: Sunday 1 November 2009 Where: Abbotsford Convent, Abbotsford Time: 10am – 5pm

Sydney Pepper and Dylan are rescued rabbits who live indoors. They share their experiences on their blog.

Sydney’s Cruelty Free Festival When: Sunday 1 November Where: Belmore Park, Haymarket (next to Central Station) Time: 10am – 5pm Loads of stalls with cruelty-free products, delicious vegan food & live music. You can also attend free yoga and meditation classes and cooking demos throughout the day.

Perth World Vegan Day picnic Animal Rights Advocates Inc. invites you to join them for a picnic to celebrate World Vegan Day! Bring friends, family, music and vegan food to share. Date: Sunday 1 November 2009 Where: Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth Time: 12pm – 4pm

http://lagomorphlife.blogspot.com/

Restaurant rabbit

Farm rabbits

By Carmen Conway

By Karen (BOING)

What is it with all the rabbit dishes lately? The other week it was Karen Martini in the Herald, last night Matt Moran (who I used to admire and respect as a nice person and gifted chef) on Celebrity Chef, after checking with the Aria Restaurant I discover he actually serves rabbit as a dish in the restaurant.

I guess I’m very biased when it comes to rabbits as food, particularly factory farmed rabbits.

1 October 2009

So many people are surprised to find out that there are indeed many factory farms imprisoning thousands of rabbits all over Australia. These large sheds house tens of thousands of rabbits kept in individual tiny wire boxes living horrific short lives.

Matt Moran Aria Restaurant 1 Macquarie Street East Circular Quay NSW 2000

Dear Matt Let me firstly say how much I used to admire you as a person and a gifted Chef. This was until I saw you on Celebrity Chef on 30 September and one of your dishes was rabbit. I have since discovered that you serve rabbit in your restaurant. I am deeply distressed and appalled by your contribution to the continuing exploitation of rabbits and supporting an industry, which condones scandalous and cruel practises which rival the inhumane practises of the chicken industry. Frankly, Matt you should be embarrassed and ashamed.

This rabbit farm is near Geelong in Melbourne

Rabbits are the most exploited of all animals. They are tortured and used in labs for a multitude of unnecessary testing, especially in the cosmetic industry; they are murdered for the fashion industry; they are marketed as pets for small children to torture at Easter and then conveniently dumped at the shelter after a few months or left to die of neglect in a small cage at the bottom of the garden and they are also raised for food in conditions that rival the abhorrent practices of the chicken industry.

So, when we found out that Karen Martini was again pimping rabbit in the Sydney Morning Herald in late September, we were horrified. Her suggestion for her Spring Rabbit Broth was to choose a “farmed rabbit” because she states, “farmed rabbit meat is much more tender than wild”.

We are not in the midst of a food shortage in this country or a 1920’s Great Depression, we do not need another meat for the plate! Promoting the eating of bunnies is obscenely unnecessary and contributes to the cruel exploitation of these intelligent, loving creatures.

Why should one rabbit be labeled over another as food?

These rabbits, which you are exploiting, are intelligent, loving, vulnerable creatures who deserve our compassion and respect - not our cook pots or frying pans. I beg you to replace rabbit on your menu with a vegetarian option and show you care. Yours sincerely Carmen Conway Thanks Carmen!!! We love letters expressing anger against rabbits as food. We also think that Matt Moran might want to rethink his latest glamour shots (pictured left)!! (BOING)

It makes me feel ill just copying & pasting the above wording. Why? Because we live with three rabbits that were “rescued” from a factory farm and to think that Isabelle, Poppy & Lulu are seen by people as edible, makes me more than angry.

All rabbits are sensitive, intelligent and affectionate. The only difference with the farm bunnies compared to most pet shop bunnies is their size. Lulu (pictured right) is a rescued factory farm rabbit. She adores pats, leans her head on a knee when she’s happy, loves to try & climb behind the couch, adores all veggies & enjoys sitting on top of her cardboard box. Someone tell her she’s supposed to be edible!

SAVE A MEAT RABBIT TODAY!!!

Dear Diary by Karen This month BOING celebrated World Animal Day at Edgar’s Mission in Willowmavin, Victoria – www.edgarsmission.org.au

Currently Pancake is on daily fluids and is being encouraged to eat more. Luckily, she is very keen on banana & critical care mixed in a bowl and she licks that up very happily. Ally (her long term partner) will be devastated if he loses her. He spends most of his time grooming her and is never very far away from her side. It’s a sad time at the Do Hop Inn as we know that her time with us may be coming to an end. Poppy & Lulu (our ex-farm bunnies) are back on antibiotics after a urine sample revealed a medical condition that causes pain when urinating. A culture is currently being grown to see what the actual bacteria could be & the best way of treating it.

Products for your bunny Oxbow Critical Care

World Animal Day is celebrated every year on 4 October to acknowledge the diverse roles that animals play in our lives. Nimal & I had a wonderful day at Edgar’s Mission and enjoyed visiting our favourite friends Tony Blair (turkey), Edgar (pig), some very funny sheep and of course the rescue bunnies!! BOING had a small table to highlight the diverse range of interactions between bunnies and humans – from loving companions to products in the meat, fur & cosmetic testing industries. This month at the Do Hop Inn we were reminded of the dangers of leaving items around the home where inquisitive bunnies can find them. After coming home with a plant cutting I intended on putting in the garden, I placed the plastic bag with the plant inside on the couch (silly I know!!!!). Coming back into the room a few minutes later, I discovered Poppy sitting on the couch next to the bag & a piece missing out of the plant. Panic set in, the bag was thrown out the door and all we could do was to wait & see if she would be okay. Fortunately, she was fine but it is a reminder to all bunny lovers to not leave items around for your fluffy friends to find!! Sadly, we discovered this month that Pancake (pictured on the right sitting next to her buddy Ally) is suffering from renal (kidney) failure. She has been quite weak & has been losing weight for the last few months. Pancake is around 8 or 9 (we guess) and has always been a very confident & happy bun.

This is a powdery form of food for rabbits that need force feeding due to illness. It’s a fabulous product that comes in two flavours - licorice and apple/banana (this one’s a real winner). The product comes in a sealed bag that needs to be frozen after opening. Critical care is mixed with water & syringe fed to ill bunnies. It’s a great way to provide food & fibre when needed. Critical care is a great product to always have on hand just in case your bunny needs it in an emergency one day. You can purchase Critical Care from selected vet clinics. Even if they don’t have it, ask them to order it in for you.

Oxbow Bunny Basic pellets Pellets are not normally necessary in your rabbit’s diet. However, if you need to feed your bunny pellets so that they can gain weight, this is the best product that we have in Australia. Oxbow’s Bunny Basics are high in fibre, low in fat and salt and contain Vitamin D. There are two different types of rabbit pellets. One is a growth pellet, designed for young rabbits. The other is designed for adult rabbits. You can purchase Oxbow’s pellets from selected vet clinics.

Rabbits: their part in my downfall – part 15

Molly

by Nimal

Tessa

In contrast to Tessa was the lively Molly. Karen received a phone call from a teacher who had found a stray bunny wandering in the grounds of a primary school in Malvern, East of Melbourne. “The funny thing is”, the teacher said, “someone has put a lot of effort into training this rabbit. A lot of effort.” Tessa was surrendered to us after her partner Snoopy had died tragically after a suspected fall. Karen had met Snoopy, a lovely gentle Netherland Dwarf. When Snoopy passed away unexpectedly, his owner didn’t know what to do with Tessa, claiming she was very aggressive and had attacked and injured one of her other rabbits. So it was with some trepidation that we agreed to take on this troubled bunny. Given her supposed aggressive history, Tessa was placed under maximum-security care and watched closely for any signs of potential bunnicidal behaviour. However, Tessa did not seem overly aggressive and if anything was a little reserved. But there was no denying that she was an odd little thing. Strangely, she didn’t much care for veggies and often left them uneaten. Apparently she just preferred her hay but otherwise was very healthy. She spent most of her time snuggled up on her favourite pink bed. Today she is a friendly little bunny although she has a tendency to growl when her personal space is invaded or if anyone tries to shift her out of her bed. However, when she comes out for a run in the lounge she can prance with the best of them!

What had led this woman to believe that she had found a highly trained elite super-bunny? “Well, it’s very friendly and comes over to you when you call it”, the teacher reported, apparently expecting that this information would be enough to gob-smack anyone. Karen tried telling her that it was actually not unusual for a bunny to be quite friendly, but the teacher remained convinced that she had found some kind of valuable performing rabbit! Furthermore, she happened to know that a rabbit had been reported missing in South Yarra – could this be that very bunny? Karen said she thought it unlikely given that this was some 10 kilometres from where the rabbit was found, although it would make sense for a bunny from upper class South Yarra to be highly trained and superior in every way! The rabbit in question was currently residing with the teacher’s son, who was a surly so-and-so and very put out that he had been given the troublesome task of looking after a bunny. He called demanding our address so that he could bring the rabbit over immediately and relinquish all responsibility. So it was under some duress that Molly came to live with us. She was a frisky little brown lop whose stocky, furry front legs made her look as though she was wearing baggy trousers. Molly was the epitome of cuteness with a number of endearing habits. She snored loudly and often she would roll over on the hearth and go too far, somersaulting onto the floor. Perhaps she had learned these tricks at the circus where she had been trained?

Adopt me!

Clarence the Super-Spy

Miffy Location: Melbourne

and the Vegan Ferret by James Robertson We join Clarence the Super Spy and his human brother/spy student James, foraging through the Underground Hutch System’s old food cupboard, searching for an exotic spice from Vancouver. They were going to bring a spiced salad for this party in Venice, and they thought they should bring something rare.

This is "Miffy". She is approximately 2 years old, female and undesexed. Miffy’s story is very sad. She spent the first 2 years of her life in a pet shop, living in a small square glass pen. Other rabbits came & went but Miffy was left behind. Eventually, as Miffy was not attractive to anyone looking for a pet rabbit – she wasn’t a baby anymore, she was white & she had red eyes (apparently traits that others find unattractive??!!) – one of the staff members suggested he would take Miffy home, kill her & eat her! Luckily, another staff member took her away from the store & gave her to me to try and find her a new home. Miffy is okay with being handled (does not bite of scratch) but would rather come to you than you come to her. As she is used to meeting other rabbits in the pet shop, she has bonded well with other bunnies in the past and seems eager to make friends, though will need to be desexed to ensure bonding is easier (best for her health too!!). Miffy's litter training is coming along very well. She is a clever girl and is very happy to be away from the pet store. She is now looking forward to her new future as a loved bun.

*Spy-Notes: Clarence obtained the spices from Vancouver on a mission two years ago. He was given the spices by a plump pig named Henry, who was a (fat) fortuneteller. Then Clarence’s sensitive ears pricked. He could hear the unmistakable sound of something heavy falling from the sky. Five seconds later a big, round (fat) object smashed through the trapdoor and bounced around the room, hitting the fridge and the chairs and finally crashing into James’s arms. ‘Oh, hi James. Clarence.’ It was Pumpkin, Clarence’s best friend from Spy School. ‘I bring a message from Colonel Bunny.’ James began talking like he’d never heard what Pumpkin had said. ‘Pumpkin, don’t you know how to use the front door or anything?’ said James in an annoyed tone. Pumpkin shrugged and mumbled something about ‘nice perfume’ and jumped out of James’s arms, trotting over to Clarence. ‘Here’s the message.’ He handed a small, red printed scroll over to Clarence. It read: “Clarence the Super Spy, this message is to ask you whether you’d like a second apprentice. We know you already have one but we think you can cover another. If you agree or disagree send this message back with the messenger who took it with your requests.”

If you are interested in Miffy and could offer her a well needed loving home, please contact Georgina at [email protected]

Colonel Bunny.

We are proud to launch the new blogspot devoted to finding homes for buns. This news blog replaces the website adoption page and will help us keep all buns looking for homes up to date at all times. Please check it out!!

‘Ok.’

http://adoptabun.blogspot.com/

‘Well, that seems like a good idea.’ Clarence handed back the message to Pumpkin. ‘I say yes.’

Pumpkin stuffed the message in his fur and jumped through the trapdoor, disappearing from sight.

Fifteen minutes later Pumpkin once again smashed through the trapdoor, bounced around the room, this time landing in the old cupboard. He rolled out of the messy cupboard, olive oil sticking to his fur. ‘Colonel Bunny says that’s great that you’ve accepted the new apprentice,’ said Pumpkin gleefully, like he’d never left the room. ‘I present to you your new apprentice… Freddie the Ferret!’ Pumpkin opened the little bag he was wearing and out came a little brown ferret, with white stripes. He was dragging out a large suitcase from the bag. ‘I am Freddie Vestina, and I’ll do anything you ask me, oh my great leader.’ Freddie dropped his suitcase and bowed. Clarence frowned. ‘You know, this is a spy base not an army academy. And I just want you to think of me as a good friend and colleague’ he said, patting Freddie on the shoulder. ‘Phew.’ ‘Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour’ said Clarence happily. ‘James and Pumpkin, come too.’

Five hours later (not fifteen minutes), Clarence and Pumpkin taught Freddie how to operate a Shield Detonator, how to ride a Rope Clinger Gun, how to create a non-metal made laser and much, much more. Clarence even let Freddie borrow his spare aqua marine scooter. Yes, this time fifteen minutes later: ‘Oh no, we’re late!’ screamed Clarence. There was thirty minutes until the party in Venice started and Clarence still hadn’t found that exotic spice from Vancouver! But Pumpkin had a plan. ‘Leave it to me, Clarence,’ said Pumpkin heroically. He waddled over to the old cupboard and ripped it right out of the wall. Yes, just like that! He turned it over and spilled all the contents on the floor. ‘Here it is!’ Pumpkin held out a small bottle of a liquefied spice that you all know is from Vancouver. ‘Thanks Pump!’ Clarence snatched the bottle, took it over to a big bowl of salad in his kitchen and poured it all in. That’s when James entered the room. The first thing he saw was the spilt foods on the floor and then the empty bottle in Clarence’s paw. ‘So I see you’ve found the spice.’

Clarence, James and Pumpkin took Freddie around to each place in the base. They showed him the mud room, the Poop Station, the garage, the explosives room, Clarence’s bedroom and obviously the living room, where Clarence shared his computer password to Freddie and showed him the Library.

Clarence nodded.

Another fifteen minutes later they came back to the cupboard.

‘Yay!’

‘And now, obviously, I’ll teach you about being a proper spy. But, I must warn you, it’ll take many years before you’re a real spy,’ said Clarence secretly. ‘James has been with me for four years and he’s still not a spy.’ ‘It’s true’ James added.

Freddie piped up. ‘Can I come, Clarence?’ Clarence stopped and shrugged. ‘I guess it would be ok to take you along with me,’ he said carelessly.

Clarence loaded his scooter boot with the salad, extra precaution weapons and a book called Moron’s Guide to Socializing with Italians, also by Bugze Wiz. They took their scooters and bikes and sped down Clarence’s tunnel, not forgetting to check out his great paintings. They darted up the ramp and into the street, as dusk came.

Freddie smiled. ‘I know. I’ve read the Moron’s Guide to Super Spying, by Bugze Wiz’ he said innocently. Clarence turned to James. ‘As I think you are thinking, a spy apprentice cannot teach a new spy apprentice. You may be dismissed,’ he said.

**** ‘So, you’re Sunny. And you’re French. And you’re holding a party in Venice?’ said James, frowning.

James grinned. ‘See ya!’

The bunny with the huge beret nodded. ‘Yep!’ she said in a French accent. ‘Oh, pardon, I’ve just seen my comrade. Tootles!’

He got to the trapdoor, opened it and walked down his garden to the house. If my calculations are correct he’s probably gone to work on those Karate Kid comics he’s really into.

She left James as Clarence and Freddie came to the punch stand. ‘Hey,’ said James casually.

*Spy-Notes: James bases the Karate Kid comics on himself, as he is a green belt in Karate (that’s a very high rank). The comics are about a boy who saves the city via Karate moves.

‘Great party, eh?’ said Freddie. They all nodded vigorously. ‘Hey, Freddie, why aren’t you having some steak with those Komodo Dragon Super Spies. That is what ferrets eat, right?’ asked Clarence.

Freddie smiled. ‘Oh, no! I can’t believe I forgot to tell you that I’m a vegan, I don’t eat meat,’ he said with a laugh.

‘Ok… Attack Formation, umm, J.’ Clarence and Freddie charged from two sides and Rogan once again shot a big blast at Freddie! But Freddie acted fast and flung out his shield detonator, deflecting the blast. ‘Your reflexes are improving!’ called Clarence.

He and James departed from the scene as Pumpkin waddled over next to Clarence. ‘Wow, who ever knew ol’ Freddie was a vegan. Phew, this means you wouldn’t have to have kept meat in your fridge.’ Clarence and Pumpkin drank a few (thousand) glasses of punch. Until, they heard a scream! Clarence and Pumpkin dropped their punch glasses and ran to where they heard the scream. Freddie and James tagged on with them. They soon came to a clearing in the middle of the crowded hall. A grey bunny wearing a purple robe was standing in the middle of the clearing, holding an old fashioned bomb. The bomb’s string was flaring. Clarence grimaced. ‘Nice to see you again, General Rogan,’ said Clarence grimly. General Rogan is a great general of the S.O.O.T.M.C (Secret Order of the Mystifying Cucumber) and the last time Clarence had seen him was the time he met Harry the Gossip Guinea pig. Rogan swung his head in Clarence’s direction. ‘Nice to see you again, Clarence,’ he said feverishly. ‘I am here because I heard you and Pumpkin and James and Sunny and Bugze Wiz were going to be here. So, I thought, why not bring a lovely present to blow you all up!’

Clarence leapt forward with a veil of lead in his paws. Rogan didn’t turn round in time and ended up being knocked out by the lead. ‘Wow, that took a lot out of me,’ panted Clarence. Pumpkin and James came over to Clarence, Freddie and the unconscious General Rogan. Then they realized the bomb was still flaring and it was about to stop! ‘Quick, we have to shut it down,’ said James. ‘Anyone know how to deactivate old fashioned bombs?’ Clarence, Freddie, Pumpkin and Rogan shrugged. Wait what!! Rogan got up on to his hind paws, rubbing his head. ‘Uh, did you really think a block of lead would affect me?’ said Rogan fiercely. ‘Actually, yeah, we did,’ said Pumpkin nervously. Rogan grinned, unlatched a stolen Rope Clinger Gun and sent himself up into the air and through the roof. ‘Astalevista, suckers!’ he yelled with a laugh. Rogan soon disappeared from sight. And they were all panic-stricken. What about the bomb? How would they stop it? The flare was nearly out… ‘Umm, guys, I think I have an idea,’ said Freddie uneasily.

Freddie stepped forward. ‘Hey, you forgot me,’ he said angrily. Rogan turned to him. ‘Because you are no matter to me, little spy apprentice!’ he said. Rogan put the bomb on the ground and brought out a big roll of duck tape, which he wrapped over the bomb, thus sticking it to the ground. ‘This tape will never come off, it was made with honey and syrup,’ said General Rogan slyly.

They looked at him astonished. ‘Clarence, use your Energy Cane to rip the tape,’ ordered Freddie. It may seem weird, the apprentice ordering the master about, but… Freddie grabbed the bomb and ran out of the hall, his long tail and the others trailing behind him. He came out to an open canal and, without another though, threw the bomb into the murky water. ‘Fire in the hole!!!’ he screamed.

Clarence, James, Pumpkin and Freddie flipped out their weapons as Clarence yelled ‘Attack Formation X!’ They split into four groups, all the other spies at the party included. They attacked from four different sides of the crowd. Rogan brought out a sleek, black gun from his robe and blasted it in all directions! Freddie and Clarence ducked the blasts, but Pumpkin, James and all the other spies were flung back at the wall and some even fell on the food.

The bomb exploded in the canal, water spraying everything! Freddie was blown back into the hall, as were Clarence, James and Pumpkin! As a result there was a huge hole in the middle of the canal. ‘Now that’s a way to stop a bomb!’ said Clarence breathlessly. And with that they went to drink more punch.

The End!