Posts Tagged ‘ volunteer ’

The judge rendered a verdict today in the Louisville confiscation. The breeder has 48 hours to pick up 25 rabbits from the shelter. All rabbits remaining after 48 hours are eligible for rescue.

We are working hard to facilitate the transfer of all rabbits to 9 rescue groups. We are currently working through logistics as the shelter will not transfer animals unless they are altered. We are hoping that they will reconsider their decision for groups with mandatory spay/neuter policies.

Many thanks to the many volunteers who have generously donated their time to care for the rabbits on-site. This has truly been a labor of love as the conditions at the shelter are very dire. Special thanks to Mary Kalb, who has been on-site weekdays caring for the rabbits primarily by herself. Many thanks to Miss Jewel, DVM who provided excellent on-site care for the rabbits, successfully negotiating treatment for rabbits who need it.

We’ll keep you posted whether the breeder reclaims any rabbits.

Indiana House Rabbit Society rescued a milestone 300th rabbit in May 2007 (two months later we’re already at 320!). Our ability to rescue so many rabbits comes from our Petco adoption partnership, which enabled us to take in at least 75 of the approximately 100 rabbits rescued so far this year.

We foster rabbits in five Indianapolis-area Petco stores and the Mishawaka Petco, and are expanding to Merrillville and Highland in northwest Indiana.

Each month, our Bunny Buddy volunteers log 40+ hours of time at each store exercising the rabbits and educating the public. It’s hard to quantify, but the Petco program has required nearly 3,000 instore volunteer hours since we began in one store in 2005! That number doesn’t include hundreds of hours spent in behind-thescenes work getting rabbits from shelters and taking them to the vet, screening adopters (150 hours this year alone!), and maintaining literature and supplies at each store. When we also think about the thousands spent in greens and hay, we are amazed that the program is even possible.

Your volunteered time and donations go directly to programs like these. We appreciate your generosity and need your help!

It is with great sadness that I report the loss of Rainn MacPhail, a special Indiana House Rabbit Society volunteer, licensed wildlife rehabilitator, and compassionate friend to all creatures. Rainn passed away in a car accident the morning of April 27, 2007 on her way to work at the Koinonia Environmental and Retreat Center at Manchester College.

Rainn has been a tireless supporter of rabbits and other animal species in the state of Indiana, going back many years. She was truly Fort Wayne’s Mother Teresa to the animals.

Rainn’s accomplishments in this capacity are too numerous to list. Her most recent contributions include assisting in the care of the 180+ rabbits seized from a neglectful breeder at South Suburban Humane Society near Chicago, IL. While there, Rainn and another volunteer worked for over an hour “freeing” Noah from severe matting.

As recently as April 26, the day before she died, Rainn and I successfully captured Sampson, a domestic rabbit released to fend for himself.

Rainn’s contribution to animal welfare for house rabbits, wild cottontails, and various other species in need who stumbled across her path are deeply felt and will be dearly missed.