One of the bunnies recovered from the Howard County home, now waiting for a home
Photo: Courtesy of Howard County Animal Care and Adoption Center Howard County police officers seized 89 pet rabbits from a residence in Columbia, MD, overwhelming the Howard County Animal Control and Adoption Center (HCAC) with an unusual influx of rabbits during a time of year where all adoptions are typically slow. In an effort to avoid euthanasia of any of these rabbits, HCAC is working with rabbit rescue groups around the Mid-Atlantic while also pleading with local residents to open their homes to a new companion.
According to the House Rabbit Society, one of the rescue groups involved with the case, the residence had two rabbits both assumed to be female, but the sex was mistaken and the two began to mate. The two-rabbit household became overwhelmed with the rate of reproduction, and in the course of two years, 78 rabbits roamed freely through the home.
“It’s difficult to determine the sex of baby rabbits; anyone getting one from someone who is not a rabbit expert risks this scenario,” explains Patti Henningsen of Bright Eyes Sanctuary, another rescue group involved in the case. “Even veterinarians mistakenly identify males as females in rabbits under four months of age.”
When HCAC received the animals from the residence, they evaluated the animals to determine their adoptability. “They are all very friendly and used to being handled,” states HCAC employee Jessica Cain. Cain explains the seized animals range in ages six weeks to two years, but that most of the rabbits are under one year old. The rabbits vary in coloring, but many are albinos (white with pink eyes) which are the most challenging to adopt to the general public. “Albinos always have a low adoption rate because people find their pink eyes 'scary',” explains Henningsen. “But my opinion is their eyes are the color of love-people shouldn't be scared because it's just their heartlight shining through.”
At the time of publication, 49 of the rabbits were still with HCAC, with the rest having been adopted or rescued by other groups. The staff is working tirelessly to make sure that every rabbit finds an adoptive home either through them or through partnering rescue groups. “HCAC should be commended up and down for doing this while at the same time not having a Gestapo attitude about adoptions,” states Henningsen.
The general public is able to adopt directly from HCAC, and unlike most open-admission shelters, the facility will spay or neuter the rabbits in house before they are adopted. To entice potential adopters, Animal Advocates of Howard County has offered to pay for the spay or neuter surgery and assist with transport for any new adoptive homes or any rescue groups taking in the rabbits as fosters. Rescue groups that have already taken some of the animals include the House Rabbit Society, Bright Eyes Sanctuary, Bunny Magic, and Cherished Companions.
To find out more about the rabbits still available for adoption, visit the Howard County Animal Control and Adoption Center (8576 Davis Road, Columbia, MD) or call 410-313-2780.
According to the House Rabbit Society, one of the rescue groups involved with the case, the residence had two rabbits both assumed to be female, but the sex was mistaken and the two began to mate. The two-rabbit household became overwhelmed with the rate of reproduction, and in the course of two years, 78 rabbits roamed freely through the home.
“It’s difficult to determine the sex of baby rabbits; anyone getting one from someone who is not a rabbit expert risks this scenario,” explains Patti Henningsen of Bright Eyes Sanctuary, another rescue group involved in the case. “Even veterinarians mistakenly identify males as females in rabbits under four months of age.”
When HCAC received the animals from the residence, they evaluated the animals to determine their adoptability. “They are all very friendly and used to being handled,” states HCAC employee Jessica Cain. Cain explains the seized animals range in ages six weeks to two years, but that most of the rabbits are under one year old. The rabbits vary in coloring, but many are albinos (white with pink eyes) which are the most challenging to adopt to the general public. “Albinos always have a low adoption rate because people find their pink eyes 'scary',” explains Henningsen. “But my opinion is their eyes are the color of love-people shouldn't be scared because it's just their heartlight shining through.”
At the time of publication, 49 of the rabbits were still with HCAC, with the rest having been adopted or rescued by other groups. The staff is working tirelessly to make sure that every rabbit finds an adoptive home either through them or through partnering rescue groups. “HCAC should be commended up and down for doing this while at the same time not having a Gestapo attitude about adoptions,” states Henningsen.
The general public is able to adopt directly from HCAC, and unlike most open-admission shelters, the facility will spay or neuter the rabbits in house before they are adopted. To entice potential adopters, Animal Advocates of Howard County has offered to pay for the spay or neuter surgery and assist with transport for any new adoptive homes or any rescue groups taking in the rabbits as fosters. Rescue groups that have already taken some of the animals include the House Rabbit Society, Bright Eyes Sanctuary, Bunny Magic, and Cherished Companions.
To find out more about the rabbits still available for adoption, visit the Howard County Animal Control and Adoption Center (8576 Davis Road, Columbia, MD) or call 410-313-2780.
Howard County Looks to Place 89 Rabbits Recovered from a Single Home - Washington DC animal welfare | Examiner.com: "- Sent using Google Toolbar"
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.