No to Rabbit (and other Live Animal) Give-Aways this Easter

A reminder to everyone. Easter is fast approaching and we all know that something is associated with it. Bunnies.

Please do not give live bunnies as a give away this easter. If you see a promotion by a mall or a hotel, please report it immediately to PAWS by emailing at philpaws@....

Here's something to keep in mind:

Owners who do not know what to expect from a pet bunny often end up surrendering them to shelters after Easter once the novelty wears off and the amount of work required to properly care for pet rabbits becomes apparent.

Rabbits can be wonderful companions -- for owners who know what they are getting into. Rabbits are fun and entertaining and often form very close bonds with their owners. Here are some thing to consider before deciding if a rabbit is right for you:

Being social, rabbits need a great deal of interaction with their owners and/or other rabbits to be happy. Daily playtime and exercise outside of their case are necessary.

They are not low maintenance - it takes a good deal of work to properly care for a rabbit.
Rabbit pellets alone are not a sufficient diet -- they need lots of roughage in the form of good quality hay and a variety of fresh vegetables.

They do need to chew, so lots of safe chew toys should be provided, and any spaces where the rabbit is allowed to run must be carefully rabbit-proofed.

They need a relatively large cage. They are also better off indoors, where they can be more social with their family and also are also safe from predators (even in the city) and extreme weather.

While they are generally quiet pets, rabbits are not a good match for active young children who may not be careful enough when picking them up or playing around them.

Rabbits like to be near their people, but they often would rather not be held (which can be disappointing, especially for kids)

They require some veterinary care, which can be expensive. They should be spayed or neutered (by a vet experienced with surgery on rabbits) and they require vaccinations.

Rabbit urine can have a strong odor so expect to change their litter box frequently (rabbits usually take quite well to litter box training though, spaying and neutering should help reduce the odor).

http://exoticpets.about.com/od/rabbits/qt/rabbitseastermix.htm

So please, DO NOT PATRONIZE LIVE BUNNIES GIVING THIS EASTER. Please tell your mall / hotel / any organized easter celebration NOT to give out live bunnies this easter. It is also a requirement that these activites are regulated and registered with the Bureau of Animal Industry. Failure to comply is going against the law.

Thank you!