Search Results for: Rabbits

I am well aware that many people associate the Ottawa Humane Society solely with dogs and cats.  Though our Mission embraces all animals, admittedly a very large portion of our day-to-day work is with and about cats and dogs. Perhaps this is why even long time OHS supporters are sometimes surprised when I mention the little critters that we have for adoption: the gerbils, hamsters, mice, guinea pigs and rabbits in our care needing a forever home.

In fact a year or so ago, a good friend bought a rabbit for her children and when I asked why she didn’t adopt from the OHS, she said, “You guys have rabbits??”  Yikes!  I’m not doing a very good job at spreading the news about the delightful critters in our adoption centre.  My friend would have been much happier to adopt, rather than buy, a rabbit.  She would have also been much happier to have adopted a sterilized rabbit at the OHS, than the unsterilized one she bought.

So this week, I’m going to try to make up for my poor marketing of the little ones by introducing you to some of them.  And please help my atonement by spreading the word.

Bruce Roney
President and CEO

Learn more about rabbits.

I confess, despite the many pets I have had in my life, I have never had a pet rabbit. My good friend in the U.K. did though. The bunny, simply known as “Rabbit,” was a house rabbit.  Rabbit had run of the house. In fact, he wasn’t happy that I would close the door of the guest bedroom, keeping him out. Invariably, at some time during the night, he would throw himself at the door to try to get in.

I will further confess, till I met him, I never thought of a rabbit as a viable pet, having seen only  undersocialized ones confined to cages at the edge of the garden growing up. To me, keeping rabbits seemed cruel and pointless. But a house rabbit is different thing. Rabbit was paper trained, and my friend told me he rarely had a accident, unless sick. He was moderately affectionate, though not with me. Perhaps because I locked him out of the guest bedroom.

Given this month is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month, here are a few things our adoption staff want you to know about pet rabbits:

Rabbits are intelligent, social animals. When given plenty of attention, they make affectionate and rewarding family pets. They can be trained to use a litter box and are more enjoyable, responsive pets when living indoors as house rabbits. Given appropriate care, rabbits can live 10 years or more. Before adopting a rabbit, consider the following:

• Rabbits need daily exercise and play

• Rabbits need nutritious food, fresh water and a clean habitat

• Everyone in your household should understand how to hold and play with a rabbit, and be eager to welcome a rabbit into the family

• Some rabbits can be destructive. They like to chew on books and wooden furniture and electrical cords, and will need to be monitored

For more information about rabbits and their care, visit www.ottawahumane.ca/?s=Rabbits.

For rabbits and other small pets available for adoption right now, visit https://ottawahumane.ca/adopt/small-animals-and-birds/.

Bruce Roney
Executive Director

With Easter approaching, some of our colleagues in the humane movement are reminding their communities that adopting a rabbit at Easter is a terrible idea. Some imply that thousands of bunnies die every year because children tire of the rabbit quickly and they end up in shelters, euthanized for lack of homes. This may happen in some communities, and reminding people to be responsible when it comes to bringing any pet into their homes is always a good thing. But as is so often the case in animal welfare, myth sometimes beats out fact, rigid thinking can be counterproductive, and reality is not the same from community to community.

So, what is the story in our community?

Last year, the OHS cared for 208 domestic rabbits. Of these, close to 40 per cent were surrendered by their families. Another 36 per cent were stray and 23 per cent were transferred to the OHS from other humane societies and groups. The busiest months for surrender of bunnies are August and September. In contrast, for dogs and cats, the months for highest owner surrenders are May and June.

So what does this tell us about the problem of rabbits given at Easter? The fact that the highest surrender months — at about double the average month — are about six months after Easter means there likely is an issue. But the number surrendered in those two months totals only 26. So it’s a problem, but likely not a big problem. These numbers of rabbits coming into our care are relatively manageable and we have discovered that there are good homes for bunnies if we sterilize them before adoption.

Like adopting cats and dogs at Christmas, we have changed our thinking about adopting rabbits at Easter. No, we don’t think giving children at pet rabbit just because it is Easter is a good idea. But, if someone has done their research, concluded that a rabbit would be a good pet for their family, and is willing to meet all of the rabbit’s needs, then why not adopt at Easter? All of the normal adoption procedures apply, no matter what time of year. Easter may be an impetus for a family to start their research on bunnies as pets. For a lot of lucky people, it is a three — or even four-day weekend. That’s free time for families to integrate a pet into their home. In fact, it may be the best time for many to adopt a rabbit — or a cat or dog for that matter.

So, bunnies at Easter in our community? It’s a good opportunity to remind ourselves to adopt only if we are prepared to make a commitment to any animal’s needs for its lifetime. But it’s also a time to find forever homes for pets, including the bunnies.

For more information about rabbits and their care, please visit our website.

Bruce Roney
Executive Director

If you find a sick or injured wild animal, here are the steps you can take. If you need more help, call the City of Ottawa at 311.

For large wildlife, such as deer, moose and bear, please call Ottawa Police Services at 613-236-1222.

Stumbling upon a baby animal that needs help usually brings out the maternal instincts in all of us. But spotting a baby animal by himself doesn’t necessarily mean he’s an orphan. Many wildlife parents leave their young alone during the day, sometimes for long periods. The mother is usually nearby and quite conscious of her young. Also, keep in mind that despite their small size, many young animals are actually independent enough to fend for themselves.

How can you tell if an animal needs your help or should be left alone? If an animal needs your help, you will see one or more of the following signs:

• A wild animal presented to you by a cat or dog
• Bleeding
• An apparent or obvious broken limb
• Shivering or coldness to the touch
• Evidence of a dead parent nearby
• Unusual or uneven loss of fur
• Difficult or raspy breathing or sneezing
• Body covered in fleas

Is the Juvenile or Baby Animal Really an Orphan?
Juvenile or Baby Deer or Moose
Juvenile or Baby Foxes
Juvenile or Baby Rabbits
Juvenile or Baby Raccoons
Juvenile or Baby Skunks
Juvenile or Baby Squirrels

Halle

Halle, the Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run spokesdog, interviews Shelley Leblanc, second-time team captain of the BGIS Barkers, about why she participates in the event. The BGIS Barkers are a team of nine from Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions, providing consulting, management and delivery services in real estate.

Halle: So Shelley, can you tell me why the BGIS Barkers choose to participate in the Walk/Run?

Shelley: We do it for the love of animals. They bring such joy to our lives that we want to share that with others. If the money we raise allows even one pet to join its forever home, we have been successful.

Halle: What are the BGIS Barkers doing to recruit people to join your Walk/Run team?

Shelley:  At Brookfield Global Integrated Solutions, we issue a monthly newsletter that talks about what events we are supporting, as well as our accomplishments in fundraising. For the Wiggle Waggle, we talk about how much fun we had last year showing off our pets and how the animals are treated like kings and queens for the day.

Halle: How have the BGIS Barkers been so successful in raising funds for the Walk/Run? Do you have any tips to share with other teams?

Shelley: To raise money for the Wiggle Waggle we hold 50/50 draws on Fridays. We also had a super successful bake sale and have plans for a hot dog sale in August. We are trying really hard to finish in second place again this year. Although we would love to come first in, it is a difficult task to compete against the amazing Mooselake Labs team that has won the past few years. They do an incredible job raising funds for the animals, so we would be very happy to come in second place.

BGIS Barkers at the 2016 Wiggle Waggle Walk and Run

Halle: What is your team’s favourite part of the event?

Shelley: Seeing how proud the owners are of their pets. They love to show them off and so they should.

Halle: What would you say to someone who is considering participating in the event?

Shelley: Do it, don’t hesitate! It’s for a great cause and as a bonus, you get to meet more so many different breeds of dogs, more than you can even imagine. There are even few cats and rabbits that make it out too!

To sign up for the Wiggle Waggle Walk & Run, please visit www.ottawahumane.ca/walkrun.

Easter is a great time of year. In theory, at least, winter is over and the weather is finally warming up. Sometimes we start to see some green on the ground. And with all of this, people start to get into a better mood, me included. It’s a great time of year for me, but is it for animals?

Wildlife

Wildlife are the most likely to suffer at Easter.  Hungry animals are more likely to have conflicts with humans, and as always with human/wildlife conflict, animals almost always lose. If it gets warm enough, early enough, birthing season will begin. Well-meaning people will needlessly remove newborns and juveniles from their nests when parents are actually quite near, and many of these young animals will not survive. 

Pets

Like for humans, Easter can be a great time for pets.  Time off and the advent of warmer weather means your dog is likely getting a longer walk and more outdoor fun than he was when it was 40 below in January. If you have built a safe outdoor structure for your cat, this may be the opening weekend. My always-safe-indoors cat certainly enjoys the wildlife from the window in spring.

But the holiday itself can present some additional dangers for pets. Chocolate, some artificial sweeteners, holiday decorations, and many flowers and plants are on the list of hazards that may be more likely to be a temptation to pets at Easter.

Rabbits

There is a pervasive view that thousands of people buy live bunnies for their children at Easter and abandon them several months later. This may have been the case, but thankfully it appears, at the OHS at least, this phenomenon has largely ended. When I look at the OHS intake statistics, yes, there is a small uptick in bunny admissions in the summer months, but there is an even bigger uptick in admissions of all animals, especially dogs and cats in the same period.

Please don’t revive the trend of bunnies as Easter gifts. Like at any time of the year, only adopt a pet once you have considered her needs for her lifetime. And always adopt from a reputable source — a humane society or a group such as Rabbit Rescue. Otherwise, stick to a chocolate bunny. 

We can all have a happy Easter, animals and humans. And that is what I wish for you and for them.

Bruce Roney

President and CEO