Angela ChangedHer Name,Started OverAnd Went to U.K.Pages 3-6

Gentle Fred, our masthead bunny, was found limping among vans in a commercial parking lot. Rescued by Long Island Rabbit Rescue Group, he underwent surgery to remove a huge abscess that was cripplinghis leg. He is recovering beautifully in a foster home in Bethpage, and LIRRG is seeking donations to help offset the cost of his surgery.

Original watercolor art by Kathie Rokita (lovinganimalportraits.com), based on a Mary Ann Maier photo.

The following account was compiled byLarry Marion with Marcie Frishbergand Mary Ann Maier.

It was two days before Thanksgiving whenseveral local volunteers received this emailfrom Davida Kobler, a House RabbitSociety chapter manager in Utica, N.Y.:

Subject: URGENT SITUATIONWITH 3 ABANDONED RABBITSin BROOKLYN: NYC/LI RESCUERSPLEASE RESPOND

I just received a phone call from a lovelylady named Ashley…I am copying all ofyou in the NYC and LI area who are onthe HRS listings because I do not know whois closest or who is most available tonight.Ashley was looking at a property this after -noon in Brooklyn on Beadel Street anddiscovered three domestic rabbits withoutfood/water in a makeshift enclosure withoutadequate shelter…

One of those who received the urgentrequest for help as darkness fell that (Continued on page 2)

NYC METRO RABBIT NEWS DECEMBER 2011

Thanksgiving Comes Early for Three Rabbits

Marcie and Larry discovered this scene in the filthy, wet alley.

Tuesday night was Long Island RabbitRescue Group volunteer Mary AnnMaier, who widened the circle by sendingan email to local bunny-owner listserv,nycbuns: “Three rabbits abandoned inmakeshift cage on abandoned propertyin Brooklyn. Left for dead, essentially.Details emerging now. If anyone cantake these three poor rabbits, we willassist with cages, spay, neuter, etc.”

Mary Ann had no room for anotherfoster rabbit on Long Island, let alonethree. But this case, although not unusual,was particularly troubling because, for one,the rabbits were trapped in a crampedcontainer (as opposed to being free toroam), and two, they were without foodor water. Additionally, it was likely theywould start to breed and proliferate inthe neighborhood.

The three rabbits were packed in like sardines,surrounded by mud and debris.

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RESCUE AND REHAB

What’s the best holiday gift for your bunny?Another bunny!Wouldn’t your bunny like a friend to snuggle with?Email Cindy Stutts at bygolyoly@yahoo.com or Mary Ann Maier at altitude8@yahoo.com to set up a speed date for your rabbit.

Great Gift Idea

THUMP DECEMBER 2011 2

Thanksgiving Comes Early(Continued from page 1)

Making matters worse, the rabbit cages atAnimal Care & Control were completelyfull, too. So Mary Ann discussed theAC&C situation with Cindy Stutts andLIRRG’s Nancy Schreiber and theyhatched a plan: If Mary Ann and Nancycould take two spayed/neutered, healthyand adoptable rabbits from the shelterinto LIRRG, Cindy could squeeze theBrooklyn three into the shelter.

Rabbit Rescue volunteers Larry Marionand Marcie Frishberg set out to rescuethe rabbits. They drove to the industrialarea of Greenpoint, far from their ParkSlope residence.

They found the rabbits in a dark, garbage-strewn alley around 7:30 that night. Itwas raining hard, and as soon as theystepped out of the car and into the alley,Marcie slipped and fell into mud.

Whoever had abandoned the rabbitshad put a wire shopping basket upside-down on top of them and placed a largepiece of glass over it, with a decrepitcarrier balanced on top of that.

Because it was dark, Larry and Marciewere afraid one of the bunnies might getspooked and make a run for it. So theysurrounded the wire basket with apuppy exercise pen, removed the pieceof plate glass and then gently lifted offthe basket.

They could see the three frightenedbunnies huddling together. It wasimpossible to know how long the rabbitshad been out there without any food orwater. The bunnies were covered withmud and their own feces, and Marcie saidshe’d never smelled anything that bad.

They put the rabbits into pet carriers thatthey’d brought along and drove as fastas they could to the Manhattan AC&Cshelter. Freezing rain notwithstanding,they left the car windows open to helpthem breathe amidst the stench.

The rabbits arrived at the East 110thStreet shelter and gobbled up all thegreens offered to them. The two white

girls were estimated to be four- to six-month-old sisters and it was assumedthat the larger dark brown rabbit wastheir mom. The mom was given thename Jackie; the sisters became Venusand Serena.

Jackie, it turned out, was pregnant andwas taken to the Center for Avian andExotic Medicine for an emergency spaythe next day. Jane O’Wyatt, who broughtJackie to CAEM, arranged for Venusand Serena to be spayed at AC&C byDr. Alemnesh Terefe. Jackie is beingfostered by volunteer Amy Odum. Serenaand Venus are currently at AC&C.

Davida Kobler, the HRS chapter managerin Utica, emailed the volunteers justafter 1 a.m. Wednesday to say, “Thankyou all for your amazing rescue. I receivedan email from AC&C with a photo ofthe horrendous setup, just as Ashleydescribed. I hope whoever did this doesnot plan to get more buns and keep themin this location. Thank goodness they arewarm and dry and fed and safe tonight.”

The two shelter rabbits chosen by CindyStutts to go to Long Island RabbitRescue Group were Shadow and Edith,and they were delivered there the dayafter the Greenpoint rescue. In a happyturn of events, Edith was adopted into aloving home three days later!

(Editor’s note: Larry returned to theGreenpoint area a week later during day -light hours to look for any other rabbitswho might be there, or for evidence that amale was in the area. However, he foundno additional bunnies and nothing thatwould indicate that another rabbit wasliving there.)

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Top, safe at last: the three rabbits devour fresh greens. Middle, Dr. Anthony Pilny examines Jackie.Bottom, Venus and Serena in their hidey box at AC&C.Right, AC&C bunny Edith makes quick work ofcharming her adopter Rebecca Parisi (shown withboyfriend, Paul).

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THUMP DECEMBER 2011 3

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By Jane O’Wyatt

Angela’s Abscess

Jan. 21, 2011. Angela makes her firstappearance on the AC&C rabbits listserv,where she is described as a sleepy MiniLop mix with a healthy appetite. Thenext day’s volunteer notes nervousnessand “overly enlarged dewlap.” When I meet Angela on Jan. 24, I find that her dewlap contains a large, firm mass(abscess? tumor?). If Angela were human,the weight and volume of this lumpwould be like that of a softball danglingfrom her lower jaw. What caused thismass? How long had it been developing?Why wasn’t it treated? How and whydid Angela wind up at the shelter? Weknow nothing of her history.

Abandonment in its many forms, alongwith the unfamiliarity of the shelter’srabbit room, has a dampening effect onthe personalities of most new arrivals,and Angela is no exception. Evictedfrom her former home for who knowswhat reason, she is now surrounded bythe scents and sounds of strange rabbits.She is made anxious by the barking ofdogs in a nearby ward and startled byperemptory announcements on theshelter’s PA system. Angela docilely allowsme to move her from cage to puppypen, where she hops around sniffing and

chinning. Although too worried to binky,she allows me to pet her and leans into a cheek rub.

Except for the mass in her dewlap, Angelaappears healthy. So on Feb. 3, withCindy Stutts’s blessing, I take Angela toVeterinary Internal Medicine and AllergySpecialists (VIMAS) to be examined byDr. Anthony Pilny. He decides onsurgery to remove the mass, and, whileAngela is anesthetized, he will spay her.A few hours later, Dr. Pilny reports thatthe mass was “part abscess” and hadbeen there a relatively long time. Themass was vascular, connected to one ofthe jugular veins. It also involved somesalivary gland tissue, which Dr. Pilnyexcised. Because the skin of the dewlapwas loose, Dr. Pilny put in three “skinstitches,” to be taken out in about aweek. Surgically removing this mass wasimportant, he said, because of its bacterialand necrotic aspects and its involvementwith the jugular vein.

After spending the night at VIMAS,Angela comes home with me so she canrecuperate in my bathroom. This roomhas been a bunny ward before, andAngela reveals her awareness of this bysniffing and correcting markings left byFrancis, who spent time there recovering

The Incredible Journey of Angela,Who Changed Her Name to Nutmeg and Started Over

from post-neuter scrotal hematoma. (I wasn’t thinking like a rabbit when Icleaned the bathroom after Francis left,but his scent seems to reassure Angela.)What a sorry sight she is! Her shaveddewlap is pink and pendulous, withblack sutures that look like graffiti.

Angela settles in for a few days of “cagerest.” At first she spends a lot of timelounging in the litter box, which nestlesin a small alcove, roofed by shelving.She hops out to eat greens and pelletsand then hops back in. As her post-opdiscomfort recedes and she gets used toher environment, she lies out in the open,where she graciously accepts physicaland verbal caresses. (Beyond the bathroom,cats Virginia and Amelia O’Feral seemuninterested in our patient, for which I amthankful.) The morning of her departure,Angela stretches vigorously and yawns,nudges my ankles and does a binky.

Angela goes to Cindy for a few more daysof foster care, and then returns to theshelter. On March 21 she moves to thePetco store on Union Square, whererabbit volunteers report that she is eatingwell, has good litter-box skills and ishard to get out of her cage. Once theyget her into an exercise pen, Angela is anactive binkier and dramatic flopper. Shehas begun to display feistiness and joiede vivre, but she is still rather reservedwith strangers.

Angela’s Adopters

Jas and Harpal Karlcut and their daughters,Gurpreet and Mandeep, 11 and nineyears old respectively, are passionatelyattached to their house rabbits in India,where Harpal’s employer previouslyposted him. Having made meticulousarrangements for their rabbits’ care byfamily members in India, the Karlcutshad recently moved to Manhattan forHarpal’s current four-year job posting.

RESCUE AND REHAB

Angela at AC&C. The abscess’s weight is pulling her dewlap down.

Angela post-surgery.

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(Continued on page 5)

They miss their rabbits very much, theytell rabbit volunteer Marcie Frishbergwhen they come to Petco Union Squarefor a bunny fix. They, especially Gurpreet,want to adopt Angela. Marcie quizzesthem about their experience with rabbitsand observes their kind and respectfulbehavior toward Angela – and herbehavior toward them. The Karlcutslook at other adoptable rabbits, but theykeep coming back to Angela, who tactfullydiscourages other would-be adoptersbecause she has already made up hermind. On April 9, the Karlcuts adoptAngela, whom they rename Nutmeg.On April 13, after they buy and set up anew Leith triplex condo and a spacious,Connect-A-Mat floored exercise pen forher, Nutmeg, f.k.a. Angela, moves intoher new home.

Because I am now her bunny-sitter, Istay in touch with this revivified rabbit,whose family absolutely adores her.Nutmeg runs and binkies when I cometo care for her. She demands cheek rubsand neck-and-shoulder massages, and,every time she is out of her pen, shemunches naughtily on a large sea-grassrug nearby. This formerly fearful, tractablebunny is now overtly affectionate, high-spirited, energetic, mischievous and bossy!

Nutmeg’s JourneyIn September, Harpal Karlcut’s employertells him that he is being transferred.Harpal and his family will have to moveback to the U.K., where current animalimmigration policy dictates that Nutmegmust be quarantined for six months.

But no, wait… U.K. rules have beenrevamped to conform with EuropeanUnion regulations. On Jan. 1, 2012, theU.K.’s six-month quarantine require -ment for cats and dogs entering theU.K. will be lifted and quarantine facilities

Incredible Journey (Continued from page 3)

THUMP DECEMBER 2011 4

RESCUE AND REHAB

Top, Jas and Gurpreet Karlcut with Nutmeg, f.k.a. Angela,at Petco Union Square on the day she was adopted.Bottom, Nutmeg at home in Manhattan.

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closed. However, since language about petrabbits isn’t included in the new policy,Nutmeg theoretically will still have to bequarantined for six months. If she isbrought immediately from the U.S. to aquarantine facility in the U.K., by Dec.31, 2011, she will have been there forless than four months out of the requiredsix. Then where could Nutmeg go?

In response to Nutmeg’s situation, theAC&C rabbits listserv buzzes withexclamations of disbelief and frustration,along with both reliable and erroneousinformation. While trying to solve aconundrum that Lewis Carroll might havedevised, rabbit volunteers are also thinkingabout air travel for Nutmeg. Since manyairlines have been uncooperative aboutrabbits flying in the main cabin withhuman passengers (and not in the hold),it is essential to find an airline with aclearly articulated, rabbit-friendly policy.Someone knows of someone who movedto the U.K., taking her rabbit with herin the cabin on a Finnair flight. Good,except that without a special dispensationor deus ex machina, Nutmeg cannot godirectly from the U.S. to the U.K.

Enter rabbit volunteer Cathe Rekis, whosuggests that Nutmeg might be able tofly to Paris and then travel to the U.K.via the Eurotunnel, or “Chunnel,” fromCalais, France, to Folkestone in the U.K.

Cathe makes dozens of phone calls tofind out if this can be done legally. Herresearch involves calling airlines toinquire about traveling with a rabbit ontransatlantic flights and on flightsbetween Paris and London. She sendscountless emails to Eurotrain, Eurotunneland the U.K., French and Finnish govern -ments to learn vet requirements andrabbit travel restrictions. Cathe printsout the required form for U.S.-Francetravel, and makes visits to the Britishand French embassies in New York. Shesearches the Internet for personalexperiences about travel with rabbits andfor information from agencies that handlepet travel. “There’s no way to count”

the total number of emails and calls,says Cathe, who adds, “I sent out somany emails that I’m still getting replies!”

Cathe, on the basis of her exhaustiveinquiries, is able to tell Harpal that heindeed would be able to fly to Paris withNutmeg and then legally bring her toBritain by taking the Chunnel.

Harpal, an experienced, prescient travelerand frequent business flyer with abiometric passport, then makes areservation on Finnair. (By this time,Harpal and his family have moved tothe U.K. so that his daughters can startthe new school year. In their absence, Ivisit Nutmeg every day.) His daughterGurpreet eagerly compiles a list ofsupplies and equipment that Nutmegwill need for the trip (Oxbow BotanicalHay, greens, bath towel, water bottle,etc.) and Harpal collects the stuff.

On the day before her departure, I bringNutmeg to see Dr. Pilny, who removedher abscess nine months ago. The physicalexam includes palpation of Nutmeg’snow-normal dewlap. “Nothing going onhere,” Dr. Pilny says with a smile. “Thisbunny is in excellent health,” he says.Although she is free of parasites, she gets

an injection of Ivermectin. Dr. Pilny fills out duplicate copies of the FrenchAnnexe 27 form for veterinarians. Healso supplies a signed USDA formattesting to Nutmeg’s health and writesa letter confirming that she has nophysical signs of Viral HemorrhagicDisease or Myxomatosis. “Please let meknow how her trip goes,” he says, as heherds Nutmeg back into her carrier.

Harpal Karcut’s account (on page six)continues this story, which ends happily.How many people in his situation wouldhave thrown their hands up and dumpedtheir rabbits? Most, I believe. Harpal is ahero, not only to his family, but to every -one who cares for abandoned rabbits.

Incredible Journey (Continued from page 4)

RESCUE AND REHAB

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Top, in Manhattan, Cathe, Harpal and Jane celebrateNutmeg’s successful journey to U.K.Middle, Nutmeg, seen with Mandeep and Gurpreet, onarrival in her Birmingham, U.K. home.Below, reunited, Gurpreet and Nutmeg pose for the camera.

THUMP DECEMBER 2011 5

THUMP DECEMBER 2011 6

By Harpal Karlcut

Nutmeg arrived safely in the U.K. She issettling down very nicely and is gettingused to U.K. hay, salad and pellets.Although she has a new cage and pensomewhat smaller than what she wasused to in N.Y., she doesn’t seem to mind.

While Jas and I were uncertain whetherwe could get Nutmeg to the U.K., thekids loved Nutmeg dearly and wereadamant that a way had to be found tobring her across. They reminded us thatwe had adopted Nutmeg and we shouldmake every effort to look after her.

Our initial calls to DEFRA [Departmentfor Environment, Food and Rural Affairs,http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/

in the U.K. weren’t very productive.Rabbits flying directly into the U.K. fromU.S. would need to be quarantined andwe were told we should get in touchwith a local quarantine center. However,with the quarantine laws changing onJan. 1 so that cats and dogs no longerneeded to be quarantined, the centersweren’t keen to take in rabbits, as thequarantine period would run into 2012.

We tried contacting a couple of thecompanies advertising online as door-to-door shipping services for pets but got poorresponses, so we decided not to use these.

Through Cathe Rekis and Jane O’Wyatt,we learned that it was possible to bringthe rabbit in through France with theappropriate paperwork, and then it wouldbe far more straightforward to get fromFrance to the U.K., as pets traveling withinthe EU didn’t need a quarantine period.

Having made the decision to fly Nutmegto France, we decided it was best to haverabbits travel in the main cabin ratherthan the hold. However, not all carriersoffer this service. We learned that Finnairwas one of the carriers that does, andthat also flies New York to Paris.

Even though Finnair generally providedgood service, we had to make a numberof attempts in order to find out therequirements for flying with a rabbit.We managed to get the right phonenumber and booked the ticket with theadditional cost of flying with the rabbitbeing $139. We were initially told thatthe maximum dimensions for the rabbitcarrier were 14” x 12” x 10” but this wasmuch too small, and it was only whenwe contacted the U.S. Finnair help deskthat we got more reasonable dimensions(22” x 18” x 10”).

We found a suitable carrier online andassembled the other essentials for travel.With the help of Jane and Cathe, wealso got the necessary paperwork from alocal vet.

On the day of the flight, I think Nutmegand I were both apprehensive. We left inplenty of time for the airport. Checkingin was no problem and Finnair alreadyhad assigned me a seat toward the back ofthe plane where Nutmeg could be safelystowed under the seat. The first test wasgetting Nutmeg through security. As Itook Nutmeg out of her carrier to takeher through the scanner, we lost most ofthe hay and although I used a towel topick her up, I was told that the towel

Nutmeg’s Long Hop to EuropeRequired Much Planning, Research

A POSTSCRIPT had to go through the scanner separately.This caused a bit of queue behind me.Fortunately, there were a couple of veryhelpful security personnel who helpedme collect my belongings and get Nutmegback into her carrier in a quiet corner.

There was a wait for our flight, butNutmeg was well behaved and I had achance to feed her and give her somefresh hay.

The flight to Paris was via Helsinki andunfortunately the flight was completelyfull, so I spent a good deal of the timeshielding Nutmeg’s carrier from the feetof the young boy beside me.

By the time we got into Helsinki, Idecided a complete change of beddingwas needed, so I found a large washroom.Nutmeg and I had some fun there (or atleast she did) as she was determined notto come out of the carrier. It took me sixor seven attempts before I finally got thebedding changed. Nutmeg had clearlybecome attached to the carrier!

After all the apprehension, the flight toParis was a breeze and no checks wereneeded because it was an internal EUflight. From there, we got into my carand drove to the Eurotunnel station at Calais and on into U.K. All thatremained was the final leg to our homein Birmingham.

The kids were delighted to see Nutmegand we put her into her new pen. Wemixed her U.S. hay, salad and pelletswith the U.K. ones and she soon wasokay with the U.K. food.

It was a long journey but one that wewere happy we made. The journeywouldn’t have been possible without thehelp of the rabbit volunteers.

Nutmeg’s Journey: Times and DistancesLeg1: JFK to Helsinki • Duration of flight: 8-plus hours • Distance: 4,000-plus mileshttp://maps.google.com/maps?client=safari&rls=en&q=New+York,+NY+to+Helsinki,+Finland&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&ei=8aO6Trz2BYLn0QHvuaHeCQ&sa=X&oi=mode_link&ct=mode&cd=3&ved=0CCQQ_AUoAg

Stopover in Helsinki: approximately 3 hours

Leg 2: Helsinki to Paris • Duration of flight: approximately 2 hours • Distance: 1,000-plus miles

Leg 3: Paris to Birmingham, U.K . • Duration of drive: approximately 6 hours • Distance: 300 miles

(Continued on page 8)

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RESCUE AND REHAB

Sometimes It Takes More Than a Rescue to Save a BunnyBy Astrid Hesse

Part of my work for the Second Avenuesubway project involves surveying nearbybuildings. One day in mid-October,other inspectors told me they had seen arabbit loose on the first-floor back roofof a building. I asked the obvious questions:Did the rabbit seem to be cared for? Wasthere any shelter? Food? The workers onlysaid they thought the rabbit was cute.

Since our schedule was tight that week, Ididn’t have time to return to the building.I wasn’t even sure I’d be allowed access.I technically had no right to go backunless I received the owner’s permission.The week after, I returned. I was dressedin my full work gear – hard hat, bootsand safety vest – and must have lookedpretty official. I entered a first-floorrestaurant and mentioned a rabbit onthe roof. The staff whisked me throughthe kitchen and out the back door. Theypointed at a ladder leading to the roof.

To my surprise, I found not one but tworabbits. There was no visible shelter, andthere was rabbit poop all over the place.The only food was a small handful ofsad-looking parsley and an almost emptywater bowl. I saw a hooded cat litter boxthat I presumed might contain hay, butit was empty. There were exposed wires.Parts of the roof led out to a fire escape,and the rabbits could easily have fallen off.

The rabbits themselves seemed curiousenough about my presence. So I sat downand waited. Very slowly, one, and thenthe other, came closer to investigate. Ofcourse, the second I tried to pick themup, they went flying. It took a bit ofchasing, but I was able to determinetheir sex. The two girls weren’t totallyemaciated, so someone was clearlyfeeding them, but they were matted andcaked with feces. It was heartbreaking tohave to leave them behind, but I knew Ineeded to get more information.

I couldn’t reach the building super -intendent by phone, so I went back to the

building and rang doorbells. The first-floor tenant said the rabbits weren’t his,but that he had seen someone feedingthem. Apparently, that person had triedseveral months ago to find a new homefor the rabbits. I thought this might be my chance. I couldn’t just take therabbits away, but maybe the ownerwould willingly hand them over. So Ileft my name and number.

Within a few minutes I got a call fromthe owner, who said he had no intention ofsurrendering the rabbits. I tried explainingthat the rabbits weren’t being properlytaken care of, but he disagreed and eveninvited AC&C over to see the rabbits. Icontacted Cindy Stutts, who went tocheck a few days later. It was agreed thatit would be in the best interest of thetwo rabbits if they were taken into thecare of Rabbit Rescue & Rehab.

I offered to foster the two girls, Nancyand Nellie, at my home in New Jersey.Despite being nervous, the girls seemedto settle in nicely on their first night.

When I got up the next morning, however,Nancy was shivering and seemed lethargic.Her body temperature had dropped to 94.8 degrees (the normal temperaturefor a rabbit is 101-103 degrees). From HRS conferences and articles Iremembered that anything as low as 99or 98 degrees was already considered anemergency. GI stasis was the first thingthat came to my mind. There was adeadly silence in Nancy’s stomach and it felt bloated. I applied all the availablehome remedies: I administered simethi -cone and Metacam, and tried warmingNancy up with a heating pad. I anxiouslywaited for my personal vet’s office toopen. Just before leaving the house, Itook Nancy’s temperature again, andsaw that it had fallen to 93 degrees.

Above, rooftop where the two rabbits were found. Thewhite arrow points to Niamh, f.k.a. Nancy.Right, Niamh and Nellie on roof.

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We drove to the Rutherford AnimalHospital, where my vet, Dr. TraceyCantamessa, admitted Nancy to thehospital and started trying to stabilizeher with pain medication, gut stimulantsand fluids. An X-ray showed a largemass in Nancy’s intestine. Throughoutthe day I kept calling my vet for updates.Nancy wasn’t improving. The teamhadn’t managed to raise her temperatureand the mass in her abdomen wasn’tmoving. Late in the afternoon, Dr.Cantamessa suggested that immediategastric surgery might be our only option.She was concerned that Nancy might notmake it through the night. A consultingvet recommended euthanizing Nancybecause her chances of recovery, evenwith the surgery, were slim. I wasdevastated. Here we had just rescuedthis rabbit from years of neglect, andnow she was in danger of dying a daylater because her fragile body couldn’thandle the stress of the sudden change.

Heavy-hearted, I went to the clinic todiscuss Nancy’s prognosis. It was 8 p.m.when I was finally called into the exam room. I was told that, against allodds, Nancy had started to improve.Her temperature had reached a morerespectable 98 degrees, the mass in herintestine had finally started to move andNancy was trying to get around. Apparentlythe little girl had gotten so annoyedwith her catheter that she bit rightthrough it. She was sent home overnightwith a dose of injectable pain medication,and I was to drop her off for observationat the clinic the next morning. At home,Nancy made a timid attempt at nibblingparsley, and made it clear that she hadevery will to live. The next day the littlemiracle girl continued to make progress.

In the weeks following, Nancy hasdeveloped into a delightful high-energybunny who loves food, petting, and

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exercise time. She explores every nookand cranny, and literally climbs mountains(or chairs, desks and shelves). Her friendNellie has adjusted to the new circum -stances as well. She continues to becautious, but enjoys company if she isapproached with patience and givenspace to build trust on her terms.

In honor of Nancy’s incredible recovery,I renamed her Niamh, meaning“radiant” or “bright” in Gaelic.Coincidentally, “Nellie” has a similarmeaning. My hope is that both girls willhave a bright future.

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Top, the bunnies’ foster home. Nellie is in theforeground.Middle, Niamh inspects Astrid’s bicycle.Bottom, Nellie plays with a favorite toy.

THUMP DECEMBER 2011 8

Bunson at Dr. Pilny’s office.

RESCUE AND REHAB

A Little Girl Bunny, Left Out With the Trash

By Sari Krieger

On Wednesday, Oct. 26, I got a callfrom a concerned bunny parent I hadmet while rescuing a bunny namedBaxter. She said another bunny neededmy help.

Apparently someone had left a rabbitand her cage outside with the trash inthe Kingsbridge section of the Bronx.

A neighborhood woman brought thebunny to a local Petland Discounts store.I called the store the next morning andfound out that they planned to send therabbit to their warehouse to be checkedout and then possibly put on sale. Thestore manager said he would give thebunny to me as a member of a rescuegroup, but only if I came down to thestore that day.

I sneaked out on my lunch break,traveling in the rain to the Bronx frommy job in Yonkers, after Cindy Stuttsasked me to bring the bunny to Dr.Anthony Pilny. The store manager hadtold me the bunny looked sick so Cindythought it best to bring her to a vet, notthe shelter.

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DVM I found my way to the pet store and an

employee brought me a small, terrified-looking black-and-white rabbit in afilthy cage. The store employee had triedto give the rabbit some water, cut-upapple and pellets, but it looked as ifnothing had been touched. There wasno hay.

I put some soft classical music on thecar radio for this nervous little girl as wedrove into Manhattan together. I hadnever driven alone in Manhattan before,so I was nervous. But I delivered the littlebunny to Dr. Pilny, who reported thatshe was about six months old and instable condition, despite missing spotsof fur. I named her Bunson.

Bunson found a forever home with afriend of Dr. Jennifer Chaitman atVeterinary Internal Medicine andAllergy Specialists.

Playful Young Bertie Gets a HomeKim Gentles and her family adopted arescued rabbit in September. The rabbitthey adopted, four-month-old Bertie,was one of seven kits born to Xena, arabbit fostered by volunteer Cathy Zelonis,who also cared for the five surviving babies.

A longtime animal lover, Kim Gentleshas had many pets over the years. Whenshe was in Tottenville High School onStaten Island, she had a class in animalcare. There were many animals in theclassroom and each student was assignedone. Kim’s animal was a rabbit namedTrixie, who came home with Kim onweekends and holidays. On one of thoseweekends, Trixie had babies. One of thebabies survived. Kim and her familycared for the baby and kept the bun alivewith kitten formula. The bunny lived for along time, and grew to be a very largerabbit. Kim has been in touch withvolunteer Cathy Zelonis regularly and hereis a bit of her recent email about Bertie:

“Bertie is doing great. Our daughter,Talia, brought in pictures of him toschool for show and tell to show him off!We just love him so much. He finallydecided to start eating his pellets. Butnow he has also decided that they are hisfavorite over his hay and alfalfa. Nowwhen I feed him and clean his cage inthe morning I feed him his hay/alfalfaand veggies first; then before I leave thehouse I give him his pellets, which heonly gets once a day. We let him runaround as long as we are home and if hechooses. Sometimes he just enjoys stayingin his little hiding area at the bottom ofthe cage. It is very cute how Talia justenjoys spending time with him. Shegoes in the room and talks to him,brushes him and sometimes practicallylays her body in his cage if he doesn’tfeel like coming out. I hope you wereable to finally view the last photos Isent. I attached some new ones. Thepictures of him in the American Girl

bag were taken oneday when he wasrunning aroundand discovered thatbag, which is whereI keep his extra hay,and he jumped inthe bag. It was very

funny because every time I would say“hey, Bertie, what are you doing?” hewould pick his head up and look out thetop of the bag. Have any of his siblingsfound a home yet? I hope all is well withyou. We will keep in touch.”

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Top, Bertie peering out of a shopping bag. Bottom, Talia and Bertie.

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Veterinarian and Behavior Expert Teaches ‘ABCs’of Rabbit BehaviorBy Natalie L. Reeves

Rabbit guardians spend too much timetrying to figure out why their rabbits docertain things, according to Dr. SusanBrown, former health director for theHouse Rabbit Society. Dr. Browndelivered the keynote lecture on animalbehavioral issues at the annual rabbitconference sponsored by the New Yorkmetro chapter of the House Rabbit Society.

As an exotic animal veterinarian for morethan 35 years, Dr. Brown observed thatapproximately 80% of the diseases shesaw in her animal patients were the resultof husbandry problems, including thefailure of guardians to properly observetheir rabbits’ behavior or provide sufficientstimulation. This behavioral connection todisease intrigued Dr. Brown, and she lefther full-time veterinary practice to foundthe Behavior Connection, which seeksto educate caretakers on how to improvetheir relationships with their animals.

Since the exact cause of a rabbit’s behavioris complex and we cannot read ourrabbits’ minds, Dr. Brown believes that weshould focus our attention on observingbehavior as it is and changing it, insteadof worrying about the underlying cause.All animal species focus on staying safeand getting what they want, and theirbehavior is usually linked to these impulses.

Dr. Brown said we should start bylearning our “ABCs.” In this context, “A”stands for antecedent, which is the stimulusthat signals the behavior. “B” is thebehavior itself, and “C” is the consequenceof the behavior, or whatever happensafter the behavior that is contingent onthe behavior. Learning the ABCs isimportant because it helps us rememberthat we cannot change behavior directly.What we can do, however, is change theantecedent or the consequence.

Most of us like to label our rabbits’ behavior.For example, we might say a rabbit is

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Dr. Susan Brown.

Below, Mary Cotter demonstrates how to build a trust account with a rabbit.Bottom, a bonding demonstration.

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smart, stupid, funny, aggressive, etc. Dr.Brown cautioned that this tendency tolabel is a mistake because when webelieve labels, we change the interactionwe have with our rabbits.

Dr. Brown demonstrated her theoriesthrough slides and videos. One slideshowed a golden retriever with histongue hanging out. She asked theaudience to describe the dog. Most peopleagreed that the dog looked happy andrelaxed. Although these were theresponses that Dr. Brown expected, she

(Continued on page 11)

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instructed audience members to curbtheir impulse to describe animals’feelings. Instead, we should be objective,such as by describing the position of thedog’s ears, his posture, his eyes (completelyopen or half closed), etc.

Avoiding labels is particularly importantwhen you describe your rabbit’s symptomsto his or her veterinarian. If you tell theveterinarian that your rabbit is depressed,you may or may not be right, but thevet will be better equipped to diagnoseyour rabbit if you provide a betterdescription of what observations leadyou to believe your rabbit is depressed.For example, is your rabbit sitting in adifferent position? Are his eyes running?Are his normally upright ears in adifferent position?

If you wanted an artist to paint yourrabbit in the position you are describingbut cannot show the artist a photo ofyour rabbit, think of how specificallyyou would describe your rabbit to theartist. This type of specificity is helpfulto vets who are not in your home andable to observe your rabbit’s behaviorthemselves. Eyes are important – look atthe shape of your rabbit’s eyes. Is yourrabbit’s nose moving more quickly thannormal? What is the position of the ears?

Just as you may prepare for your future bybuilding a savings account, you shouldbuild for your future with your rabbitby building a “trust account.” You canbuild a trust account with your rabbitthrough high repetition of positiveexperiences.

Mary Cotter demonstrated how to builda trust account with a rabbit. The rabbitMary worked with was known as anaggressive rabbit who bit everyone hecame into contact with, making itdifficult to clean his litter box or to haveany interaction with him. Mary developedtrust with the rabbit by working withhim slowly so that he would understandthat human hands would not hurt him.She touched him lightly and then movedher hand away numerous times. Herpatience and repetition of the exercise

resulted in the bunny allowing her topet him. He had learned through herslow, light touches that her hands werenot to be feared.

You can learn more about Dr. Brown’sprograms and ideas atwww.behaviorconnection.com.

‘ABCs’ (Continued from page 10)

Clockwise from lower left: Natalie Reeves with strawhat; rabbit-themed jewelry from Sequin; conversationabout rabbit enrichment; conference attendees with anadoptable rabbit; Nancy Schreiber adjusts projector;Will Leung shows his rabbit litter box.

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Why Does My Rabbit Eat Hay?By Lisa Carley

Hay is a key element of your rabbit’sdiet. In fact, fresh green hay should beavailable in unlimited quantities all thetime. Not only does it keep rabbits’digestive tracks in working order, but itkeeps their teeth in line as well.

Rabbits’ teeth continue to grow through -out their entire lives. If they don’t getenough hay, or if they have geneticallybad teeth, you may find yourself withbunny dental bills. These dental bills willfar exceed the cost of a lifetime’s worthof hay.

When I adopted Wabbit, my now 10-year-old Jersey Wooly, I knew nothingabout rabbit nutrition. On our first tripto a House Rabbit Society-approvedveterinarian, I brought along a little bag

of (shall we say) refuse. When the doctorlooked at them, she felt they were a bitsmall, even for a two-pound bunny.

This was perplexing, as I had done tonsof research, and thought I was feedinghim correctly. It turns out that I was, sortof. When asked if the hay I purchasedfor him was fresh and green, my answerwas that it more closely resembled apaper bag.

Since that was obviously not the rightanswer, I asked where I could find thisfresh green substance of which she spoke.Even as long as a decade ago, Manhattanwasn’t known for its working farms.

I was sent to Whiskers Holistic Pet Storeon East 9th Street to find Oxbow Timothyhay. I made my way there feeling a littlesilly looking for hay, and was surprised

to find a whole section of the storededicated to it. I chose 40-ounce bags ofdifferent types and brought them home.

My rabbit ran up to me and actuallystarted to tear into the sealed bags ofhay. I realized then that I had made agood choice. Wabbit so far has notneeded any dental work.

Eating hay at AC&C.

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Email Cindy Stutts in Manhattan at bygolyoly@yahoo.com, or Mary Ann Maier in Long Island at altitude8@yahoo.com.

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Forever Homes Found!Rabbits adopted since the lastnewsletter include: Tango, Chauncyand Crystine, Morgan, Mabel and May, Nina, Gelinda, Lillie,Commander, Dora, George, Justine,Java, Edith, Pebbles, Baxter. They allwill have a very happy holiday intheir new homes.

Justine.

Java.

(Continued on page 14)

Letters Delphi

Julia and her boyfriend adopted Delphi,formerly known as Pepper, in early October.Julia wrote to us a short time later.

Thanks for getting in touch with me.My boyfriend and I adopted Pepper lastweek and we’ve already begun to bondwith her. We renamed her “Delphi”(there’s sort of a meaning behind thename; my old rabbit was named Apollo).

My boyfriend made a little den for Delphiin our bathroom out of a cardboard box(she LOVES to chew anything cardboard),with hay and a warm pad since she likesto be cozy. She has mostly been usingher litter box well, too. She likes to playin her new home and in a blanket.

Cheers,Julia

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Flopsy, formally known as Reilly, wasadopted by Louise, who sent this letter toJane O’Wyatt and Marcie Frishberg in late October.

I just wanted to report that Flopsy bunnyis very happy. She LOVES her driedfood, and anything green. She practicallydoes a dance at meal times and is alsofull of fun. She likes to explore with herears forward like a dog almost crawlingforward on her stomach. She is prettygood at escaping but fortunately seemsuninterested in wires so far. She is very

hard to photograph as she moves so fastbut I got one of her eating breakfast thismorning (the only time she is still!).

Thanks again for the great match. Louise

Honey Bunny and Spartacus

Karis and Lillian adopted Amy Odum’sfoster head-tilt bun, Honey, as a buddy forSparkles, a three-legged rabbit who hadbeen fostered by Vivian Barna. Sparkles isnow nicknamed Spartacus because shevigilantly guards the bedroom and onlyallows Karis and Lillian to enter. Here isan update from Karis.

It started out as one of those genius ideasyou have halfway through a bottle ofwine, only this time it still seemed like agreat idea in the morning. After much

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We are grateful to all of our wonderfulhay donors. A special thanks to BestPet Rx and Robin Sternberg for donationsof large bales of hay to the shelter.Also, a heartfelt thank you to volunteersand others who purchase hay for our bunnies on a regular basis. Yourgenerosity is inspiring.

HAY

Letters (Continued from page 13)

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Lil.

Now, almost three months later, three-legged Sparkles is running our householdand chasing the cats out of her (our)room. She has some attitude on her!Even though Honey is not allowed inher (our) room either, she pretty muchrules the rest of our two-bedroomapartment. We were very determined tohelp Honey improve her quality of life.We decided to accept her for who she is,the same way we do with our students.We accept them for who they are andstrive to give them the freedom andindependence they need to flourishdespite their disabilities. This is what wedid for Honey. We allow her to be freeall of the time and blocked off anythingdangerous. We take Honey outside onour roof deck where she runs around

happily in the sun. We give her lots ofneck and back massages and sometimeshold her head straight for as long as shewill let us without hurting her. Shetook antibiotics for two weeks to treat acold but she was already improvingbefore starting her meds, so we aren’tsure if that played a role or not in herrecovery. Today, only about one monthlater, her head is mostly upright, and shehas absolutely no limitations. Honeycan stand up on her back feet, groom allparts of her body and is running over tous all the time for love. It’s often hardfor us to believe that she is the samebunny we saw in Petco three monthsago with tangled fur and a crooked head.

Karis

“Googling” and “Petfindering” we cameacross Sparkles, a spotted bunny withspecial needs. Duh! Of course we wantedher. She only has three legs and we areBOTH special-education teachers. It wasobvious that she was meant to be ours.

Finally, the day came to pick her up fromPetco. We got there early so there wasplenty of time to pet the other bunnies upfor adoption. I even asked to hold onenamed Honey who had head tilt. Bigmistake! I knew as I was holding her thatthere would be no turning back. Nomore than a month after adopting Sparkles,I found myself sitting on the R train toBay Ridge holding Honey in my arms.

Lil

Tiffanie Fisher has two bunnies, Lil and Jack. She sent us a letter at the end of October.

I really enjoyed the conference and willhope to get more info on bonding whenI get closer to bonding my two bunsJack and Lil. I will probably do this afterthe holidays when Lil is a little bigger.

I sent a few pictures of Lil, drinking with her paws in her dish. I have tonsbecause she does it 100% of the time!Dr. Quesenberry tells me there is noreason to worry.

Tiffanie

Roxy

Roxy, who had been known as Nina, wasadopted by Debbie as a partner for herrabbit Charcoal. We received this updatein October.

Nina is adorable! She is now renamedRoxy (short for Rorschach because ofher pattern and it seems to fit her activepersonality better), and we are stilltrying to take a good picture of herbecause she is extremely curious aboutthe camera and cannot sit still for amoment. She is going through bondingsessions with my other rabbit at home, Charcoal.

I love your shelter volunteers. The rabbitsare well taken care of, and Amy andCindy are lovely and helpful folks. I will definitely recommend your groupto my other friends.

Thanks,Deb

Roxy.

Sammy

Sammy was adopted in early October byRachel and her fiancé, Andrew, as a friendfor their previously adopted bunny Bullet(formerly known as Twinkle). Rachel sentthis letter to Cindy Stutts a month later.

Sammy’s doing great! He’s such a littlecuddlebug. He begs for pets from everyonehe meets. He’s a huge hit with friendswho stop by.

Bonding with our resident bun Bullet isgoing slowly. They get 15- to 20- minutedates every day and switch pens and playspaces daily so they can learn to share.

Sammy is such a sweetheart. Every dayduring their date he walks slowly over toBullet and puts his nose right by herface waiting patiently for grooming. Shehasn't give in yet, but I’m sure he’ll winher over any day now! :)

Rachel Nash

Bullet and Sammy.

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Letters (Continued from page 14) She was such an amazing addition toall of our lives! She greets each day witha race around the kitchen and a bouncearound the breakfast bowl withThumperino. She had a busy year. Shegot her therapy license, went on vacationto the Jersey Shore twice, learned tostand on her hind legs and to put upher paws for a carrot, mastered jumpingthree feet high to sit on the sofa, andvisited my office at Rockefeller Centerthree times.

She has a lot of fans and makes friendseverywhere she goes. She especially

Veronica

Amber and Adelmo adopted Veronica inlate November 2010 as a partner forThumperino. Amber sent us this email tocelebrate Veronica’s one-year “adoptaversary.”

Hi All,

Last year on the Saturday followingThanksgiving, Adelmo and I adoptedVeronica. She and our male rabbit,Thumperino, have been inseparablesince.

likes to play in the chair in our musicroom. Thanks for introducing her to usand making her part of our family.Hope this message finds RR&R and allthe bunnies doing well!

All the Best,Amber

P.S. I was home and spent the daywatching them play hide-and-go-seekwith an old cardboard box, binkyingand chasing each other around theliving room. Bunnies are the best curefor any illness!

Veronica.

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Warm Wishes From Our Warren to Yours!

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Licensed HRS Representatives

Long Island:

Jennifer Saver, DVMLaura George, DVMCatnip & Carrots Veterinary Hospital2221 Hillside Ave., New Hyde Park, NY 11040(516) 877-7080

Heidi Hoefer, DVMIsland Exotic Vet Care591 East Jericho Turnpike Huntington Station, NY 11746(631) 424-0300

Jeff Rose, DVMJefferson Animal Hospital606 Patchogue Rd.(Route 112)Port Jefferson Station, NY 11776(631) 473-0415

Manhattan:

Becky Campbell, DVMDeborah Levison, DVMSymphony Veterinary Center170 West 96th Street, New York, NY 10025(212) 866-8000

Rabbit-Savvy Veterinarians

There are lots of adoptable rabbits availablein Manhattan, Long Island and Westchester.

To adopt a rabbit in New York City, contactCindy Stutts at bygolyoly@yahoo.com or callher at 646-319-4766. On Long Island, contactNancy Schreiber at nschreibmd@aol.comor at 516-510-3637 (www.longislandrabbitrescue.org), and in Westchestercontact Mary Cotter at mec@cloud9.net or914-337-6146 (www.rabbitcare.org).

AC&C rabbit volunteers’ email address inNewYork City is nyc.metro.rabbits@gmail.com.

You can visit the New York Animal Care & Control Center at 326 East 110th St.,between First and Second avenues.Volunteersare there every weekday evening and onSaturday and Sunday afternoons, but it isbest to arrange an appointment first.

All donations go directly to caring for ourfoster rabbits and are tax-deductible. Pleasehelp us help them. Checks should be made outto Rabbit Rescue & Rehab and mailed to: Nancy Schreiber, 12 Grace Court North,Great Neck, NY 11021.

Mary Cotter, HRS Licensed Educator,Chapter Manager, Rabbit Rescue & Rehab,mec@cloud9.net, (914)337-6146, rabbitcare.orgNancy Schreiber, HRS Licensed Educator,Co-Chapter Manager-in-Training, RabbitRescue & Rehab, Long Island Rabbit RescueGroup Volunteer, nschreibmd@aol.com, (516)510-3637, LongIslandRabbitRescue.orgCindy Stutts, HRS Licensed Educator,Manager NYC/AC&C Rabbit Program,bygolyoly@yahoo.com, (646) 319-4766,nycacc.orgMary Ann Maier, HRS Licensed Educator,Long Island Rabbit Rescue Group Volunteer,altitude8@yahoo.com,LongIslandRabbitRescue.orgDonna Sheridan, HRS Licensed Educator,Long Island Rabbit Rescue Volunteer,hpocus217@yahoo.com,LongIslandRabbitRescue.orgKerstin Aumann, HRS Licensed Educator,NYC/AC&C Volunteer,nyc.metro.rabbits@gmail.com, nycacc.orgGabrielle LaManna, HRS Educator-in-training at large, New Fairfield, CT,gabbysbunnies@yahoo.com, (203) 746-7548Jennifer Saver, DVM, HRS Licensed EducatorLaura George, DVM, HRS Licensed Educator

Newsletter of RRR/NYC HRS56 West Pondfield Road #5CBronxville, NY 10708www.rabbitcare.orgEditor: Susan LilloCreative Director: Jane O’WyattMasthead Logo Designer: Mary Ann MaierRabbit Rescue & Rehab is a not-for-profit,tax-exempt corporation in New York State.Our purpose is to rescue, rehabilitate andfind permanent homes for abandoned,abused and neglected rabbits, and to educatethe general public on rabbit care throughpublications, telephone consultations, homevisits and public presentations. This newsletteris published by RRR/NYC HRS, which issolely responsible for its content. Letters,photographs and other submissions to thenewletter become the property of the NYCChapter and cannot be returned.We retainthe right to edit submissions for publication.

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Here’s our recommended vet list for the NewYork metropolitan area. Please note that manyclinics have multiple veterinarians, and our recommendations are for specific veterinarians inthose clinics. If you can’t get an appointment with a recommended vet at one clinic, don’tassume (no matter what you are told by the clinic) that other vets in the same clinic can helpyour rabbit. If you have any questions or would like to discuss any of the vets on this list,please contact Mary Cotter at (914) 337-6146. When you make an appointment with any of these vets, please tell them you were referred by us.

Manhattan (continued):

Katherine Quesenberry, DVMThe Animal Medical Center510 East 62nd St., New York, NY 10065(212) 838-7053, (212) 329-8622

Alexandra Wilson, DVMAnthony Pilny, DVM The Center for Avian and Exotic Medicine568 Columbus Ave., New York, NY 10024(212) 501-8750

Shachar Malka, DVMHumane Society of New York306 East 59th St., New York, NY 10022(212) 752-4842

Westchester County:

Gil Stanzione, DVM381Dobbs Ferry Road,White Plains, NY 10607(914) 421-0020

Laurie Hess, DVMVeterinary Center for Birds and Exotics709 Bedford Road, Bedford Hills, NY 10507(914) 864-1414

Adoptable AC&C rabbits are also at Petco’sLexington Avenue (86-87th) and UnionSquare locations; rabbit volunteers are presentat both stores on Saturday and Sundayafternoons to answer questions. There aretwo rabbits living at each of those stores.

Many of our rabbits are living in fosterhomes and you can meet them as well. Youalso can arrange to foster a rabbit until he or she finds a permanent home. ContactMary Cotter at mec@cloud9.net or AmyOdum at either amy@adoptabunny.info ornyc.metro.rabbits@gmail.com.

For basic information about rabbits as pets, go to www.rabbitcare.org,www.longislandrabbitrescue.org and theHouse Rabbit Society main site,www.rabbit.org.

ADOPTABLE RABBITS