Just say no to the Easter bunny...

Yesterday Paul and I stopped at a pet store to find Petey and Laurel's favorite bunny treats. As we walked through the store we had to pass birds and hamsters and piles of the cutest, sweetest little bunnies. I try to avoid going in to shops like this. It is hard to pass by the rabbits and not want to purchase all of them. Easter is a particularly difficult time as every pet shop loads up on bunnies to appease the momentary interest in these wonderful creatures. I have never been able to understand why most of the population places rabbits into the category of disposable animals. This is both heartbreaking and maddening.

Over the past 16 years I have had the privilege of sharing my home with four different rabbits. Corduroy, Salinger, Petey and Laurel. None of them ever lived outside, all were litter box trained, my sweet girl Salinger lived to be 10 years old, Petey and Laurel were both adopted from the House Rabbit Society. Rabbits are the most forgiving, loving animals who know better than any how to enjoy life. They are happy and funny and smart. They play and dance (seriously!) and frolic and bring constant joy to those lucky enough to be around them. The point of this mushy rant is this: On this Easter holiday please consider the life of a rabbit to be something special, something worth honoring and respecting. Do not buy your child a cute fuzzy bunny that they will lose interest in in just a few days. Do not then place this rabbit in a cage in the back yard to live a lonely life and suffer a premature death. If you must buy a rabbit this Easter (or anytime) please educate yourself and consider adopting one of the many former Easter rabbits that have been abandoned or neglected. And please, consider keeping your rabbit in your house just as you would a cat or a dog. For more information please see the House Rabbit Society's website.