A small back yard breeding operation in Aptos CA has turned into a major rescue for us at The Rabbit Haven.  Animal Control shut down the operation and seized 114 rabbits from the site due to lack of food, water and shelter, incredible filth and sick/injured rabbits not being cared for.  Many of the rabbits that were taken are pregnant females, so we will likely see this number grow if the litters survive.  The rabbits are currently at two area shelters and several Haven triage sites where they are getting adequate food and water (they eat constantly poor things), vet evaluation and care for their injuries and infections. 

The story has been picked up by the local media and so far we are weathering the storm.  Once the initial court case is dealt with, the shelter will be able to release more of the rabbits to us.  There is no way they can house this many in the facilities they have, so we are preparing to have to rescue many of these to save their lives.  The rabbits are mostly dwarfs and dwarf mixes, with a few rexes and lops in there also.  Many are missing ears and limbs due to being housed together and fighting over limited resources.

You can read more about this ongoing rescue on our website therabbithaven.org/WatsConfiscation_110711.html

 Awhh that is horrible! All those poor bunnies 

So I went to volunteer at one of the shelters today, and it wasn't too bad! I think the Santa Cruz location, they had 70 of the rabbits and Watsonville had the rest. They did a REALLY good job at cleaning up the buns, cos their coats were pretty clean! They were all absolutely adorable, and surprisingly weren't too scared to be handled. Some of them seemed a-okay, but a number of buns I saw had 'meds' written on their card, some with eye infections, and unfortunately I did groom a poor handsome fella w/ just one ear what's horrible was that me & some of the volunteers don't think the ear was lost in a fight or anything because it was a clean job... supposedly that sh!thead did it deliberately! D: it was just awful.

so they're going to court with this i-dont-know-what-to-call-him-cos-he-can't-possibly-be-a-person next week, and if he wins, he gets all the rabbits back! D: I certainly hope he doesnt. Here are just a few pictures I took!

this one was a CUTIEEEE! ♥

a pair of baby bunnies, part of a mini family & their mama

 pretty young thing

He better not win, or I'm going to have to drive up there and beat somebody up!!!...sorry, anger issues..

but those pics are adorable! I wish I was closer so I could help foster/rehome some of them!

This man was also responsible for this atrocity from a previous rescue, again, most likely intentionally inflicted:

Thank you for volunteering your time, mzsunshine.  The rabbits are in decent shape in large part because of volunteers like yourself who donate their time to care for them.  We are running 2 volunteer shifts 7 days a week now to clean, feed and socialize these rabbits at the shelters.  Your hard work is paying off for sure.

A petition can sometimes help, if there is a large national show of support AGAINST a person, a lot of the time the courts will take it into account. care2 runs petitions like this all the time, but someone would have to start one to be delivered to a political power in charge of the case. Sometimes they listen, sometimes they don't - but getting it on that site would put it in the spotlight and no judge wants to be known as the guy who let an animal mutilator off a SECOND time to abuse more animals.

I can't believe someone would purposefully cut off the ears of a rabbit what would be the point of that? Just cruel sport? Argh. This guy needs to be given whatever the maximum sentence is for animal abuse!

Edit: I added the news story to the site, if anyone wants to go "note it", with enough it will make front page and  it might generate more volunteers etc for the shelter. www.care2.com/news/member/591094451/3018546

Those poor bunnies. Thanks to everyone who is volunteering and sheltering the rabbits.

I have a care2 membership, so I went and "noted" the story.

That breeder should be prosecuted for animal cruelty and never be allowed to have another rabbit.

This is truly horrible to my mind -- absolutely sickening.

I have searched the web for the name of this individual, any records or accounts of his previous offenses, and the address of where the current group of rabbits were taken from.  All I have been able to find is the approximate location of his property -- Freedom Boulevard and Hidden Oaks in Aptos.

Can anyone provide links to further information on him?  Will the report filed on this incident be made public?  Is there information on his court date?  

I don't have any more information about the hearing, but from what Auntie Heather told me, it is extremely unlikely that he will be allowed to get these rabbits back.  I am pretty sure we are palnning to take as many as we can, because once these are transferred to the county shelter officially, they can start euthanizing them.  I'll keep you all posted.

 Went to the shelter today, and I have goodies for all of you! (WARNING: Pic & cuteness heavy)

Good news, there were noticably less bunnies today than there were last week, which means more of them went to loving foster homes! 

     she was my favorite bunbun of the day, so sweet and affectionate. She loved being petted and held! I'd take her home if I could, or even foster, but I don't have the space, and I know I woudln't want to let her go  

okay just 2 more of her... 

what a cutiee 

isn't he handsome? I've never seen a gold(?) rex/rex-mix (??) before... He was being good and ate his greens. 

cutie white nethie from last week, I think he remembered me! 

  thisdapper fellow may be missing an ear, but don't let his looks fool you, all the lady volunteers were fawning over this one. 

simply adorable. liked to poke his nose out of the cage for eskimo kisses!

 zZzz... food coma after all those greens!!

 another good looking fella, it was my lucky day I must say , being surrounded by such charming bucks 

  a group of friends & a velvety rex-mix?

 this one was named Joey. I remembered him because he flopped multiple times when I let him out to play! Did wonders for my ego  the 2nd pic is Joey in action w/ that hay stuffed roll. 

 this one was quite the little lady, look at her paws, so proper!

 Why hello!

 2 out of a trio, this one in the front looks surprised all the time! Her name should've been surprise.

That's all for now! Hope you enjoyed them!

I got some more information today.  The breeder is now out of the picture, there is a criminal case pending against him, but the rabbits are out of his life for good.  The Haven has informed the shelter that it is our intention to find rescue for all of these rabbits.  So far, we have gotten 38 out into new foster sites and to other rescues.  Several litters have been born, and most of the babies didn't make it due to the conditions they came from.  Dr. Hillary Stern from Avian and Exotic Vet Clinic in Monterey came in on her own time to spend two hours doing initial evaluations on all of the rabbits housed at the Santa Cruz shelter.  Several had serious wounds that required surgery and were taken out of the shelter immediately into medical foster care.  We have gotten a bunch of them spayed and neutered, and are available for adoption now.  Volunteers are working two shifts a day to clean cages, refill hay and water, clean and cuddle these bunnies.  We are working with the shelter to get as many out as we can to free up space there.  I think a few of them will be at our adoption show this weekend, if I get any photos I will post them.

We are still in need of foster sites and volunteers for these rabbits.  If any of you are in the Bay Area and can help, please don;t hesitate to contact Heather at director@therabbithaven.org.  I posted an update with more information on The Haven's website if you want to learn more.  Thanks for your interest in this situation.  So far we are weathering the storm, and the response has been great from new fosters, donors and are vets.  Soon, we will be able to concentrate on finding homes for these rabbits.

I just posted anoterh update.  To date, 41 have been removed from the two shelters.  We were given until December 17 to get the rest out, or they will begin euthanizing them.  Needless to say, 67 rabbits in just a few weeks is a big project for us.  Volunteers continue to go to the shelter every day to feed, clean, medicate and socialize the bunnies.  They have come a long way in the few short weeks since this all began.  If you click on the Rabbit haven story link, you can see some of the volunteers in action.  One of the bunnies, a little rex with himalayan type markings named Alamea was at our adoption show this weekend, and I got a new photo of her, which I will share below.  I'll keep everyone updated as this situation progresses.