Okay so this is my  very frustrating situation I gotta pour my little heart out. I'm extremely passionate about animals, even more so rabbits (obviously). I want to do anything and everything I can to help them. I'm so envious when I look at the shelters some of you work at, not that it's good there are so many rabbits in them, of course, but that you have an opportunity to help. I feel like I'm all alone in my little rabbit world.

I have tons of spare time as I currently am a homemaker due to very bad stress (which my bunnies help me relieve much of ) and have no kids (two legged anyhow). I dream of opening my own shelter/sancuary but as I have mentioned before there is so very little start-up info out there and it would be extremely hard to undertake on my own. I feel so alone here. (KokaneeandKahlua if your reading this: seriously move down here right now or I'm gonna send my evil mini-rex after you).  I own my own home and although not a huge house I could keep a half decent amount of buns here.

My local spca, I hate to say it, sucks big time. I find the staff very rude as I have on several occasions questioned about helping foster/volunteer re: rabbits and it's almost like they don't want help the way they make me feel. They usually only have about 10 or so buns at any given time.

So right now I do a lot of little things for bunnies, writing letters on their behalf and such. I'm currently on a one-woman anti-Bunnies for Easter warpath. Putting up flyers and writing editorials and such in my area. I just REALLY want to do more. This is my passion and it's so very hard when I know I can do so much more.

Rabbits are not as popular in my area as a lot of places, it seems they're defninetly not the 3rd most common pet here. I'm racking my brain. I want to help so much but the closest shelter is over 6 hours away.

 

I think what you are doing is a huge help to rabbits right now. There are tons of ways to help rabbits other than being actually at the shelter - can you call the nearest shelter with rabbits and explain you want to help in some way - like some campaigns for them or do some press releases, etc...that way you can still help from afar. Or even setting up a blog that tells what rabbits need help in shelter and doing your Anti-Easter Bunny campaign.

Do you have any petstores that you can set up a table for "Make Mine Chocolate"?

Unfortunetly the only pet stores big enough for that would be Pets Unlimited but they sell tons of buns at Easter so obviously would not let me try to persuade people to not buy rabbits. I'm gonna put Make Mine Chocolate flyers up on their notice window and see if they take it down. I'd be surprised if they didn't.

I've been in contact with Rabbit Rescue in Ontario in the past and they don't really need long distance help and the Quebec Rescue never got back to me (I know they are very busy, so I'm not holding a grudge)

You may know this already, but there are many opportunities to help rescues that can be done from anywhere in the world.  Petfinder, MySpace, LiveJournal, BunSpace, Craig's List are all accessible anywhere.  There are 3 of us at The Rabbit Haven who handle our online presence, and we do all of our communication via email.  Many rescues are so tied up in the day to day management of the animals and the foster sites/shelter that they don't have any time to do online things.  If you like fiddling with computer stuff, might I suggest finding a rescue that you connect with and offering to set up some online presence for them.  This works best if the rescue in question has fresh content from time to time, so you can do updates/bulletins and develop a solid readership.  Our web team puts out weekly adoption reports, new videos, fundraising items, information about special needs rescues and moms with litters that get rescued, etc. 

I know for a fact that SaveABunny is looking for help with their online presence, I am sure there are others.  Thanks for thinking of the bunnies!

 

I actually do some online work for RabbitWise. I helped them with their anti-fur campaign. They are an advocate site though not a shelter.

i sort of know how you feel!  i don't have as much free time as you describe BUT i work from home & it does simplify my schedule quite a bit.  i, too, wanted to find a way to help.  i thought fostering was an option but because my baby bun is not spayed i do not qualify. 

what i have chosen to do is apply to volunteer at my local shelter.  unfortunately the shelter in not a no-kill facility which i know will be difficult, but rabbitrescue.ca and ontariorabbits.org have a presence there so i am hoping to make myself another advocate for buns here.  until i hear from them (the volunteer wait list is long) i go in there once a week to pet the buns.  i've met a few of the animal care staff there & a couple of them actually do seem knowledgeable about rabbits.

also, my cousin works for the london ontario shelter as their events coordinator & i hope to find out about more of the behind the scenes shelter stuff from her.  she knows that my angle is only to try to help & so she won't be defensive or hold back info.  i have also found some people at my shelter to be very unfriendly or reserved in answering my questions.  even during the brief adoption process for pinky some of the people were guarded in answering my questions on their policies.  i had asked about 'speed dating' and the girl looked at me as though i was insane.

anyways... i wrote rabbitrescue and asked if there's another way i can get involved and have inquired about possibly driving bunnies from shelters to their rescue when needed.  is there a rabbit rescue in new brunswick that you could hook up with?

LittlePuffyTail, I am on the Rabbitwise Bunderground - I'm not sure if there is a need for that in Canada - I would imagine there would be - maybe you could contact them to offer your help doing this in Canada.

 

mysite.verizon.net/vze27h5b/rabbitwisesbundergroundrailroad/

 

 

That's a great idea, Sarita. I think I will e-mail Lena tomorrow and offer my services. It would be great to start something like that in Canada.

I know how y ou feel. I want to volunteer at our shelter but I don't drive health and hard on my back. I feel bad. is a long trip on a bus to help out. I can't foster cuz they only allow 1 bun. and I rent. besides if mine smells another bunny on me he attacks my hand. so emailing writing letters putting up the make mine chocolate flyers. is more than I am doing. the pet store near me doesnt' have rabbits often as I have never seen one this month there. well that is good i suppose. I do put food in the donation can for them and do what I can that way. is about it fo rme.

 

Puffy tail...I'm thinking of moving....What universities are near you?

Are you really thinking about moving? The only university near me is University de Moncton. It's only french. There are some others in the province though I think they are St. Thomas and St. FX and University of New Brunswick.

Yeh, we want to move; Edmonton is getting old! LOL ....I think really I have to make up my mind about what I'm going to go to school for (doctor of chriopractic to be an animal chiropractor or my MBA and go the zookeeping route) and then we can ensure there is a school for Dave to go to...then move and voila-Awesomeness!
I don't know french though... Don't you want to move? To texas....? I just found a great school there....

I don't think I will ever move actually. My city isn't overly exciting but all my close family is here and it's a pretty good area. I live in the middle of the city but in 10 minutes I'm in the country with my horse. Plus horse board in some provinces is about twice what I'm paying here.

I've lived in this area 26 years, the farthest I've ever moved is the next town over. Although I've been to Calgary (yeehhha, Spruce Meadows!) and I LOVE that place. I wouldn't mind moving up there for a while I guess. That would be rough to move bunnies across the country though. I can just see it: My little Tercel with me, my bf, 4 cats and 2 buns in the back while I'm towing my horse trailer!

I'm in Fredericton and it's a great city