CARE Campaign

[rabbitsmba]

Hi Everybunny!  I have something very important I would like to discuss – it is mainly to the Canadian Bunny lovers here on BinkyBunny but it is open to any and all bunny lovers worldwide!

My hubby and I are volunteers for Rabbit Rescue Inc., Canada’s largest rabbit rescue.  We recently hosted BunFest 2008 where RR launched a very important initiative called the “Compassion And Respect for Rabbits Everywhere (CARE) Campaign”.  This campaign was created to help improve the lives of rabbits raised for human consumption.  Currently there are no laws in Canada to protect rabbits in slaughterhouses but it is our goal to not only create fair and humane laws but to also make sure they are adhered to.  For more information on the campaign, click here to read our brochure.  Please be warned there are graphic pictures and descriptions…

http://f1.grp.yahoofs.com/v1/cA39SCYgZnJCdAdvZU7G5iwOnuy0RpCzGewaHFZH2U0-P1nWRwEi-HuhYa3ifYrQt7pOs4JhNEPNaMu5DiDpCx3LCFnWwW_EDQ/C.A.R.E.%20%20Brochure%20FINAL.pdf

Our founder and Executive Director as well as our Chairman of the Board are planning a trip to Ottawa for a face-to-face meeting with our Minister of Agriculture (because of our recent election and pending cabinet shuffle, we don’t know who the new minister will be yet, but will soon) to discuss implimenting changes and laws to protect thousands of rabbits in this country.  But in order to do so, they first have to receive 300 letters from the general public before they will meet with us.  This is where all of our rabbit loving BinkyBunny members come in!

Once the new minister is announced, I will post here with his name and contact information.  I will also post the main points we need you to mention in your letter.  Please note, this must be a hand-written letter sent by snail mail ONLY!  No emails or form letters will be considered.  But I will give you everything you need to write and exactly who to address it to.  Your letters must also be polite – no hostility! 

Obviously, letters from Canadians will be very important but it is also important that we get letters from other people in other countries who can express their disgust with our current lack of laws and encourage change.  Rabbit Rescue is working very hard to make this happen and speak for the thousands of rabbits that are inhumanely slaughtered every day in Canada.  With your help, we can make it stop!

So please stay tuned – I will update this thread once all of the info is in place.  Just giving everyone a heads up.  Thank you all so much!

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

I’m going to pin this topic for you…

Everyone if you can write a little letter you can make a change!!

[rabbitsmba]

Thanks KK!

Just a note, if anyone would like to sign up for personal notifications about this issue and when and how to write a letter, send your email address to care@rabbitrescue.ca.  This way, you won’t miss your chance to help!

[Beka27]

this is great! good job trying to take on the system! i’d be pleased to help anyway i can!

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m very glad to hear about this. When you post the contact info, I will write a letter asap. This is a topic I take very much to heart. I don’t understand why people feel rabbits deserve less rights than cows and pigs (although there is much room for improvement there too). It’s unfortunate that we can’t abolish rabbit meat altogether, but we should all work for a perfect world.

Whenever I hear or read about this issue, all I can think of is my sweet little Henri, who lives at the stable and would be long dead had he not been brought to the barn. He is the sweetest bunny in the world and when I do work for rabbits and their rights, I do it for him and the others like him.

Feel free to e-mail me if there is anything I else I can do to help this campaign.

[rabbitsmba]

Okay Everyone, here is all of the info you need to help Canada’s livestock rabbits.  Please feel free to crosspost wherever you think it may help!

TAKE ACTION NOW!
To Ensure Compassion and Respect for Rabbits Everywhere
(C.A.R.E)

Now is the time for you to make a difference for rabbits raised for food in Canada! Just a few minutes of your time will ensure that enough awareness of this issue will be raised. Then, there will be enough proof of public support for Rabbit Rescue to request a meeting with the Minister of Agriculture. But first we need 300 letters!

Write to the Federal and Provincial Ministers of Agriculture and your local MP to ask them to change the Humane Slaughter Act and to revise the Codes of Practice to include rabbits. 

Here’s how:

Write a letter to Gerry Ritz, the Federal Minister of Agriculture and send a copy to Leona Dombrowsky, the Provincial Minister of Agriculture in Ontario and a copy to your local Member of Parliament.

The Honourable Minister Leona Dombrowsky (postage required)
Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
77 Grenville St.
Toronto, ON M5S 1B3

The Honourable Minister Gerry Ritz (no postage required, unless mailing from the U.S.)
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Sir John Carling Building
930 Carling Ave.
Ottawa, ON K1A OC5

Go to this link to find your local Member of Parliament (MP) and their address:

http://www2.parl.gc.ca/Parlinfo/Compilations/HouseOfCommons/MemberByPostalCode.aspx?Menu=HOC

When you input your postal code, two addresses will pop up for your MP: an Ottawa address and a Constituency Address. Please mail one letter to both offices. The Ottawa address requires no postage, unless mailing from the U.S..

Here are the critical points to make in your letter:

* I am concerned that there are no Codes of Practice for rabbits being
farmed for food
* I am concerned because rabbits are not rendered unconscious prior to being
suspended for slaughter
* I believe that rabbits should be included in the Codes of Practice
and ideally Recommended Best Practices during the farming process
* Please write back and let me know that you will support the
inclusion of rabbits into the Codes of Practice
* Please let me know that you will support changes to the Humane
Slaughter Act so that all animals, including rabbits, are rendered
unconscious prior to being suspended for slaughter

It is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL that your letter be written in your own words, that it be sent by regular letter mail (not email). You must include your address in the letter. A paragraph is all that is needed. Polite and articulate letters that people took the time to write make ALL THE DIFFERENCE. See the sample letter for an example of what looks good.

Mary Smith
22 Rabbit Lane
Bunnytown, ON
M2J 1E2

The Honourable Minister Gerry Ritz
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board
Sir John Carling Building
930 Carling Ave.
Ottawa, ON K1A OC5

Day, Month, Year

Dear Honourable Minister Ritz,

I am an owner of three wonderful rabbits, one of which was rescued by the OSPCA from an inhumane situation on a farm. I have recently become aware that food rabbits in Canada can be suspended for slaughter while still fully conscious. From my own experience I know that rabbits are highly sensitive animals and frighten easily. I cannot imagine the terror they must feel during this method of slaughter. I am writing to you to ask you to change the Humane Slaughter Act so that rabbits are protected from this unnecessary suffering, and are rendered unconscious prior to suspension.

I have also become aware that most food animals are protected by voluntary Codes of Practice that farmers are encouraged to follow, and that no codes exist for rabbits. I would like to see this go further and have laws for all of our farm animals that make best farming practices the standard.

I am looking forward to your response with regards to these two issues.

Sincerely,

Mary Smith

cc. Honourable Minister Leona Dombrowsky, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and   Rural Affairs
cc. Yasmin Ratansi, MP Don Valley East, Ontario

Also, remember to send a copy of your letter to care@rabbitrescue.ca so that we can track the number of letters being sent.  I know it’s a lot of writing (politicians certainly don’t make it easy!), but unfortunately this is what has to happen for the next critical steps to be taken.  Canadian livestock rabbits deserve better and thank you from the bottom of their hearts!

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m going to write out and send the letter within the next few days. Gotta find a few hours to do it and I’ll then I’ll take care of business.

[rabbitsmba]

Just bumping this topic up – it’s not too late to write letters if you haven’t done so yet. Please refer to my posts in this thread that will tell you exactly what to write and who to send your letters to.

And for those of you who have written, thank you so much for your support. We CAN make a difference for livestock bunnies everywhere!

[SassyGirl]

I’ll write a letter tomorrow. This is such a great idea.

[Lily]

Defently writing one tomorow!!!!

Though personly I dont think peaple should be aloud to eat bunny meat… But if i had my way everyone would be vegitarians

[Author]

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