Outbreak Of Easter 'Bunny-Dumping' At Humane Society

[matcom]

<snip>

Who says there's no crime in the suburbs? Consider the recent outbreak of bunny-dumping.

A growing number of the adorable leporine fuzz balls has been dropped off at the Minnesota Valley Humane Society in Burnsville or abandoned by the front door. Or left outdoors, where they become snacks for neighborhood dogs and cats.

And the most dreaded time of year — Easter — is just around the corner. That means another wave of bunny-dumping is coming, as hundreds of families dazzled by the cuteness of bunnies acquire the critters without realizing what difficult house guests they can be.

"It's a big problem," said Kris Best, spokeswoman for the Humane Society.

There were 133 rabbits dropped off at the animal shelter in 2003, up a whopping 45 percent. And the dumping is raging this year, Best said.

Rabbits are now the third most common animal to be given up after dogs and cats, said Ingrid Harding, the education director of the Minnesota House Rabbit Society, a group that educates people about rabbits as pets.

To remedy the situation, the Humane Society declared February "Some Bunny Loves You" month, offering special deals to adopt rabbits, and classes for prospective owners.

http://www.twincities.com/mld/pioneerpress/news/local/8343705.htm

[LoZoccolo]

1. What don't they like about bunnies?

It wouldn't seem any worse than taking care of a guinea pig to me, but I don't know.

[aquart]

3. Bunnies are bigger. Need more room.

[aquart]

2. Hey, the chicks don't even live long enough to get dumped.

Rescue workers have an expression "last year's Christmas puppy" for dumped dogs, relatively young, who have lived pampered lives and are in shock at their sudden rejection, just for growing up.

[Dogmudgeon]

5. Don't feel too bad about the puppies

This happens to an enormous number of human children, too.

--bkl

[MisterP]

10. how does that preclude sympathy for the puppies

and if we stop feeling too sorry for the puppies, what will you do to us?

[Dogmudgeon]

12. Check out that modifier

Feel sorry for the puppies, but not too sorry for them.

What will I do to you? Why do I have to do anything?

There have been about a dozen threads protesting animal abuse in the last few weeks. And ZERO protesting any kind of child abuse -- aside from pedophilia, which is always good for a cathartic rant. Maybe I missed one or two of them, but it seems to me that negligence, physical abuse, and the out-and-out killing of animals evokes a lot more outrage than when it happens to children.

It precludes nothing. It simply advertises the preferences many people have.

--bkl

[truthseeker1]

4. House rabbits are the best!

"families dazzled by the cuteness of bunnies acquire the critters without realizing what difficult house guests they can be."

I beg to differ!! Those crazy people don't know what they're missing.

http://groups.msn.com/VelvetLounge/velvetdivas.msnw

[RebelOne]

6. It's the same thing after Xmas

All those cute puppies that the parents gave their kids for Xmas grow up to be big dogs, so they are dumped at animal shelters.

[Butterflies]

7. I have rabbits, and they're an 8 - 10 year commitment

People who adopt the cute little baby bunnies don't think about the years afterwards with adult rabbits. It's not that they're hard to care for - mine sleep a lot, and they eat pellets and hay and little salads everyday. The only hassle is cleaning out their cages.

[Lisa]

9. our bunny at work was litter-box-trained

And rabbits are one of the easier creatures to pick up after, anyway. The main problem over here was going around with copper tubing, shielding all the appliance cords from those little teeth.

[Frangible]

8. that's just sad

People need to own up to the responsibility that getting a pet entails, not just dump it off to a life of misery when it's no longer a cute baby.

[JVS]

11. I thought that people made Hasenpfeffer when they got tired of bunnies

[blindpig]

13. it's also fat city for hungry pythons n/t