The “I’m Animal Friendly” license plates are a program of the Massachusetts Animal Coalition. Funds are dispersed annually to organizations who demonstrate a need for and provide low-cost spay/neuter services. These funds will allow HRN to spay and neuter approximately 60 rabbits that will then be put up for adoption. The first rabbits were fixed last week- a mother bun that was captured as a stray and the boys from the litter that was found with her. The girls will be fixed when they are a little older. Suzanne Trayhan,the President of HRN said “We are thrilled to receive this grant. Most people don’t realize that spaying and neutering is also important for rabbits”. In fact, single female rabbits should be fixed due to the high rate of uterine cancer. Male rabbits, like cats, can spray and be obsessed with finding female rabbits. Fixing them also improves litter box habits and calms them down. Rabbits are also notoriously hard to sex leading to many accidental litters when people believe they have two males or two females.

About the Massachusetts Animal Coalition and the “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate Program:

Massachusetts Animal Coalition (MAC) is a statewide, non-profit organization comprised of animal professionals and individual volunteers dedicated to working together to decrease the number of homeless, neglected, displaced and abused animals in Massachusetts. MAC’s “I’m Animal Friendly” License Plate program helps fund spay and neuter programs across the state. These charitable plates are available through Massachusetts RMV and are tax deductible. href=”www.petplate.org” target=”_blank”>www.petplate.org

About The House Rabbit Network

The House Rabbit Network is a Massachusetts-based 501 ©3 non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to saving and adopting out unwanted bunnies and educating the public about rabbits. HRN provides rabbit education and adoption in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut.

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Pet stores count on that during the month of March; the impulse buying so typical of the season, and rabbit breeders are all too eager to provide the necessary supply, not always acting in the best interest of these defenseless little animals, as Suzanne Trayhan, HRN President explained.

“The problems with these businesses have been around for decades. They breed rabbits to be born about five weeks before Easter, and then have them in pet stores when they are these cute fluffy things. Sadly rabbits are often in stores at four to five weeks, when they are so adorable, yet they don’t even wean until they are six to seven weeks old and shouldn’t be separated until they are eight weeks old. Many of these “too young” rabbits experience digestive problems that sometimes kill them or can cause problems for them the rest of their lives.”

Another factor that is usually not considered is that the little bunny, depending on the breed, may grow up to be the size of a cat, and may not be that sociable. Most rabbits do not like to be held, and may bite. A parent who is not familiar with the intricacies of rabbit behavior may, in frustration, decide to get rid of it. Doing so, parents are setting the wrong precedent. “They are teaching their kids that pets are disposable,” Trayhan pointed out.

Other times the child may quickly lose interest in the bunny and the parents end up caring for an animal that may live for about ten years. That’s a big commitment, and a lot of people just don’t think about this going in.

Many of these defenseless animals are abandoned out in the wilderness, where they are killed by predators or starve to death, given their limited survival skills. If they’re lucky they’ll be taken to an animal shelter, such as HRN, where they at least will be cared for and hopefully adopted.

HRN strongly believes there are other means of providing children with an enjoyable Easter, without putting innocent bunnies at risk. Plush rabbits, candy and other toys are better alternatives to the care required by a live rabbit.

Like always, HRN welcomes those individuals who have seriously thought about the long-term commitment that is required, and have decided to adopt a retired Easter bunny.

“If they plan on getting a rabbit — or any pet — they really should research and learn as much as possible first to be sure having a rabbit is the right match for their family,” Trayhan added.

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House Rabbit Network (HRN – http://www.rabbitnetwork.org) is rallying supporters, hoping to get the most votes in the state category and be named State Winner for Massachusetts, which will entitle it to a $1000 grant.

The following are examples of sorely-needed items or services that could be procured with this grant:

• Twenty exercise pens to be used in foster homes for housing and exercise
• Ten rabbit spays
• Twenty neuters
• One month’s rent at the HRN shelter
• Six months’ worth of hay and food for the shelter rabbits

“Grants from The Animal Rescue Site are very important for an organization like ours,” commented Suzanne Trayhan, HRN President. “Besides the much needed funds, it also provides advertising and visibility for us. Much of the focus in animal rescue is on dog and cat groups; as a result many people don’t realize there are rabbits (and other animals) that need help too.”

Voting ends Sunday, April 28th, so HRN is actively reaching out to volunteers, supporters and the general public to garner the most votes and secure the state prize. Supporters can visit The Animal Rescue Site’s Shelter Challenge page and vote once per day from now until 04/28.

Individuals interested in supporting this organization can do so in several ways, in addition to casting votes. “If you are local to Billerica MA we can always use more volunteers at our shelter,” Trayhan added. “In the New England area we need foster homes, volunteers to help at education events and even catching stray rabbits. People who are further away can assist us with tasks like managing our web site, writing newsletter articles and answering emails. And of course, financial donations are always a big help and much appreciated.”

About The House Rabbit Network

The House Rabbit Network is a Massachusetts-based 501 ©3 non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to saving and adopting out unwanted bunnies and educating the public about rabbits. HRN provides rabbit education and adoption in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut.

About The Animal Rescue Site

The Animal Rescue Site is owned and operated by Tim Kunin and Greg Hesterberg, co-owners of CharityUSA.com (parent company of GreaterGood Network). Long-time friends and activists, they met at the University of Michigan while working on the Michigan Bottle Bill ballot campaign in 1976. In the late 1990s, they recognized that broad consumer-adoption of the Internet offered a new opportunity to raise funds for good causes. As enthusiastic supporters of The Hunger Site, they realized the power of providing busy Internet users with a fast, free and easy way to make a difference and launched EcologyFund.com to give people the means to support wilderness preservation efforts worldwide. They launched The Animal Rescue Site in July 2002.

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This generous grant will be used to help with the cost of spaying and neutering rabbits. Last year, HRN performed over 100 spays/neuters. Controlling the rabbit population is an important component of rabbit rescue and we appreciate the PETCO Foundation’s assistance in reducing the potential for unwanted and abandoned rabbits.

The House Rabbit Network is a Massachusetts-based 501 ©3 non-profit, all-volunteer organization. We are dedicated to saving and adopting out unwanted bunnies and educating the public about rabbits. We can always use more volunteers! Donations of any amount are always welcome and are used to support our efforts to find loving, forever homes for each and every bunny. Thank you for your continued support.

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The rabbits were found living in a dark shed with urine and feces piled high on the floors. They were thirsty and plagued with numerous injuries and parasites. Despite this, the bunnies have been remarkably resilient. They are sweet, gentle bunnies still in need of good homes.

The PetSmart Charities grant will help HRN provide sterilizations for the rabbits, medical care for several sick and injured rabbits, and food and other supplies for their continued care. Of the 104 rabbits rescued, 32 have been placed in area shelters for adoption; 72 rabbits went to HRN foster homes. Most are still available for adoption through HRN and are waiting for loving permanent homes.

HRN is an all-volunteer 501(c)3 organization specializing in rabbit education and adoption in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut. Volunteers are always needed and donations to care for the rabbits are always appreciated. For more information on adopting rabbits or volunteer opportunities, contact HRN at either 781- 431-1211 or info@rabbitnetwork.org. To make a donation, send your support to HRN P.O. Box 2602 Woburn, MA 01888.

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The House Rabbit Network

The House Rabbit Network is a Massachusetts-based 501 ©3 non-profit, all-volunteer organization dedicated to saving and adopting out unwanted bunnies and educating the public about rabbits. HRN provides rabbit education and adoption in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, and Connecticut.

About PetSmart Charities

Established in 1994, PetSmart Charities, Inc. is an independent, nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that creates and supports programs that save the lives of homeless pets, raise awareness of companion animal welfare issues and promote healthy relationships between people and pets. The largest funder of animal-welfare efforts in North America, PetSmart Charities has provided more than $165 million in grants and programs benefiting animal-welfare organizations and has helped save the lives of nearly 5 million pets through its in-store adoption program. To learn more about how PetSmart Charities is working toward its vision of a lifelong, loving home for every pet, visit petsmartcharities.org or call 1-800-423-PETS (7387).

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Bunnies nowadays are considered ‘in- house’ residents just like your dog, cat or bird. They are a sweet , loveable species requiring large, clean, comfortable living arrangements with plenty of space to run and jump and play (very similar to a puppy). Bunnies need unlimited amounts of fresh hay, clean fresh water daily, a salad and nourishing pellets that are produced specifically for a bunny to thrive on.

There are also many misconceptions about rabbits. While most rabbits are friendly, craving pets and attention, the majority of them don’t like to be held. In addition, they have fragile bone structures that break easily if they are dropped. Young children need to be taught to never pick up a bunny. Rabbits are also larger than most people realize, but size with rabbits (like dogs) depends on the breed.

Consider adoption! House Rabbit Network has many ‘retired Easter Bunnies’ who are looking for their forever home. Bunnies are a 10 year commitment, require veterinary care (you need to find an exotics vets, not a regular vet) , and who want and need caretakers who will take the time to learn about them and live happily ever after together! Want to adopt? Please call House Rabbit Network and we will help you! 781-431-1211.

Most of all—bunnies need love and attention (don’t we all?).

The House Rabbit Network is a Massachusetts-based 501 ©3 non-profit, all-volunteer organization. We are dedicated to saving and adopting out unwanted bunnies and educating the public about rabbits. We can always use more volunteers! Donations of any amount are always welcome and are used to support our efforts to find loving, forever homes for each and every bunny. Thank you for your continued support.

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