Hug-a-Bunny Rabbit Rescue, Inc.: May 2012

Poppy has been with us almost a week and we're still piecing together the puzzle. We do not know how or when she was injured. We are trying to get Poppy into a routine that will help her live a happy and "normal" life! Despite all she has been through, Poppy is as sweet as can be! She is a big licker and loves to be around people and other animals!

Poppy's amazing spirit could inspire anyone.

Poppy hanging out in the morning wit her new friend Jaffa.

Poppy's X-ray- the fracture is on the dorsal process of the vertebrae between l3 and l4.

Here's Poppy scooting! Poppy's wheelchair cart should be arriving this week, but we will use it slowly due to the fracture in Poppy's spine.

"Little Guy"

UPDATE: We are so sad to report that the situation with this little guy was MUCH worse than expected. As soon as Lisa picked him up out of the box, she smelled a rotting smell and saw maggots that he had left behind below him. We both immediately rushed to an emergency hospital where the doctor uncovered just what kind of shape this little guy was in. This picture was taken right after his initial exam. H...e only weighed 1.8 pounds (should be a 6 pound rabbit), had pneumonia, incredibly long nails, ear mites and crust all the way down his ear canal and over his eyelids, was dehydrated, had severely labored breathing, could not even lift his head, and in GI stasis. However, the WORST part was that he was covered in maggots, likely from being kept in a small cage (probably outdoors) where flies could easily get to him and lay eggs on him. The maggots were tiny and were all over this little guy's private area. They had infested and infected him so badly that he had infections inside his body and he became neurologically impaired. We were willing to try anything and everything to help with sweet little guy, unfortunately by the time he was found last night by a sweet family, it was too late and there was nothing we could do to save him. We peacefully let him go. THIS is the face of domestic rabbits who are released by people. THIS is the face of neglect and cruelty. You cannot lose that much weight overnight. THIS is the rabbit that is bought on a whim and when people don't want them anymore, they release them to the wild. He simply could not survive outdoors. If he hadn't been rescued by this family, he would have died outdoors- cold, wet, and sick. We are thankful that this family did NOT listen to their shelter (who does not typically have rabbits and told them to release him) and that they contacted us to help. We are deeply saddened that this little guy did not have a chance to be in a safe home where people love and cherish him, but we are happy that he knew love in the last moments he had in this life. ♥

ORIGINAL POST (from 5/2/12): We got 4 emails for surrenders just TODAY! Post-Easter is in full effect...people moving, allergic, no time...the excuses go on and on. The most heartbreaking and urgent was from a family who spotted a domestic lop rabbit in the bushes by their work. Soaking wet from the rain- this poor rabbit could hardly move. They took the rabbit home and were told by their local shelter to LET him/her go (a wh...ole other issue). Thankfully, they knew better and contacted us. It sounds like the rabbit may be injured or sick, and is likely in GI stasis. Our amazing rescuer and foster mom Lisa jumped into action and is on her way to pick up this rabbit now. We hope that with medical attention, forcefeeding, and a safe place to recover, he/she will be ok. Our rescue is always operating at capacity, but we cannot turn our backs on this rabbit. We will post more information and a picture as soon as we can. Releasing domestic rabbits is NOT a way to find them a new home- it is a death trap.

Welcome Poppy!

Take a close look at this face, read on, and you'll know exactly why rabbits aren't a good pet for kids and why we're so strict with our adoption policies. Aside from the fact that they are prey animals and scared of loud noises and fast movements, children do NOT know how to properly care for rabbits on their own. So often we see this happen, but we don't always have the opportunity to share the ...faces behind the stories...since often it's too late. Welcome Poppy to Hug-a-Bunny. Rescued just in time with her daughter Pippen from a home where they were owned by a high school student. Both are disabled and NEITHER got medical care...because the girl's parents refused to spend money on them or take them to a vet (this situation is being investigated). Thankfully, she reached out through the internet to find someone who could care for these two rabbits, which was seen by one of our foster moms. There was a third rabbit (another baby) who was "given away" before we got there. Poppy is an adult female who is paralyzed from her waist down! The x-rays we had taken just hours after rescuing her show a fracture in her spine and a missing disk! Poppy has no muscle tone in her hind legs, leading us to believe that this is not a new injury. While we may never know the true story, we are focusing on the future and making life as good as possible for Poppy. She can scoot around and has such a wonderful personality. We think that Poppy is about 2 years old, and we have no idea how long she has lived like this. Poppy's cart has already been ordered and is on it's way (she was only rescued yesterday...we move fast!) and she's getting comfortable in her new foster home. We have no doubt that Poppy will find a perfect "forever home" in time...she most definitely deserves it! Welcome to the rescue Poppy...we promise you'll never have to worry about your safety again!