My first ‘lone’ rescue (a little long)

[MarkBun]

I was on my way to see Batman on Sunday when I got a call from Marcy.  There was a bunny in need at San Francisco Animal Care and Control that needed to be transported back to Save A Bunny.  I figured I could always see Batman next week and I was already heading in the direction of the city so I said sure, I’d do it.  I got there, gave them the number of the rabbit and they sent me upstairs.

Well I didn’t know where to go so I went to the small animals area, assuming that that is where a rabbit would be.  And, indeed there were rabbits there.  Some were actually getting exercised and one was bonding with a couple of people whom later got adopted.  It was nice to see people caring for the buns at a governmental location like that.  But no rabbit there was labeled “A233717”.  I managed to find a volunteer there who knew where to look and had the keys so we went around a few different areas until we found the right cage.  And, sure enough, there was a bunny in there.

The first thing I noticed was that her fur didn’t fit right – that it looked too big for her.  I opened up the door and she turned to me, showing me that she had a cateract in one eye.  She then hopped over to me and lowered her head for pets.  How could I refuse?  I stroke her nose and then petted down her body.  You hear the saying ‘skin and bones’ but you don’t realize what it means until you pass over the backbone and can feel more than half of it exposed.  She was at least 3 pounds underweight (weighing only 3 pounds herself) and when I picked her up, it felt like I was carrying a paper doll.  She had no fur on her hind legs due to urine scalding.  But she was very unfraid in my arms, let me put her into the box and we were on our way.

I dropped her off at Save A Bunny and stayed a while to help with a couple looking to adopt a pair of buns and some new volunteers in training.  I looked at Marcy as she was hopping around, talking to people, smiling, helping everyone who needed it and all I could think to myself was “How can she handle this every day?!”  How can she find buns like A233717, currently named Edna from the shelter but will be changed shortly, and not break down weeping?  How can she look at her and say, “Yes, I’ll take her,” while knowing full well another bun would be euthanized?  I was so emotional from just a simple transport that I couldn’t even begin to imagine how she does this every day.

I am going to stick with simply grooming buns, changing litter boxes and educating people about rabbits.  Those that save the bunnies – they are made of much sterner stuff than me.  I know that my work helps immensely but I am just the company cook while Marcy, Joann, Heather, Osprey, K&K and others are on the front lines, in the trenches, saving the rabbits.  My hat’s off to you warren warriors.

[bunnytowne]

You kind of lost me.  Do y ou mean since Edna is now there that another bun will be euthanized in order to be able to take Edna in?  Or that Edna would have been euthanized at the place you picked her up from.

Either way It is hard.  I would be hard put to take them home with me and end up with a gazillion buns  jsut to keep them from beign put down. Ouch.

[jerseygirl]

Thank goodness there are people like Marcy who can do this side of it. We all have our strengths and a place where we can make a difference, all as vital as each other. I’m sure the voulunteers that help with all the smaller details provide an enormous support to Marcy enanbling her to do what she’s good at. It’s like a balanced eco system, we all have our role.

I understand your admiration though. I think I read on saveabunny Marcy’s testimonial (though I can’t find it now!) and it really showed the emotional toll the work can bring. Hats off to you ALL I say!

Let’s hope ‘Edna’ is on the improve.

[MimzMum]

Oh Markus, I am sorry to hear that poor Edna is in such dire straits. One of so many. I am glad you took her to SaveABunny, I hope they are able to help her.
I went through my local craigslist last night, just for a look see, and it was a mistake. There are so many, not just rabbits but cats, dogs, ferrets, etc. How do the folks who actually care for these surrendered creatures manage to get up in the morning and sleep through the night with all they see all day? I would be such a basket case. The anger, the sadness, the frustration and even the joy and relief after a successful adoption that comes with the job must be so intense that you’d either have to be purposely unfeeling or you keep going because just the thought that you are going to the shelter each day because they need you. That they need you keeps you on your feet I would guess.

A part of me wishes I could take on such a calling. My rational mind tells me I know better. I do what I can with the faculties I have, and hope I can make a difference, no matter how small.

Bless you. ^_^ All of you.

[Deleted User]

A great thread, markusdark. We forget to appreciate what everyone does for all the animals that need it out there.

I personally can barely read a sad animal story, let alone see the sad stories everyday.

[MarkBun]

Posted By bunnytowne on 09/23/2008 4:55 PM

You kind of lost me.  Do y ou mean since Edna is now there that another bun will be euthanized in order to be able to take Edna in?  Or that Edna would have been euthanized at the place you picked her up from.

 

What I mean is that there are just so many rabbits that the local rescues can take in.  And there are more rabbits than there are open slots at rescues.  So they take the ones that they can but there are always more left on the euthanasia list.  Look at it this way – there are five on the list, Save A Bunny can only take three.  Two will be euthanized.  I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night with the thought of those two buns.  And she does this on a weekly basis! 

[osprey]

It is very hard, I know from personal experience. I have pulled a few bunnies from shelters, and you feel great for the bunny you get to save, but there are always so many other bunnies, cat, dogs, etc. there and you just know that most of them will leave by “the back door”. I go to shelters as little as possible, I prefer to deal with the bunnies that are already safe. Transport is a big help, Markus, we all do what we can. Marcy and Heather exist on a different plane than the rest of us, I don’t know how they do it.

[Beka27]

excellent thread Markus. it really does take a special kind of person to be on the front lines like that. and once you’ve seen it firsthand, you can never imagine simply walking into a petstore or going to a breeder and buying a bun.

we all are important in the process tho. like with anything, it starts at home. you set the example. you care for the ones you are fortunate to have, you teach yourself and you teach your children and friends and family. it ripples out from there.

[MarkBun]

Here’s a picture of the bun, now named Aurora.  And you can see why I was so emotionally involved in it.  The link to the pic gives her story.  Reading it, I found out how Marcy chooses the buns.  She feels their energies.  Sometimes a bun has given up hope on people and life and it is just best for them to head over the rainbow bridge.  However, Aurora didn’t feel it was time yet.

[Beka27]

oh my word.

[jerseygirl]

I have a lump in my throat. It’s amazing they still display a sweet nature after some of the turmoils they’ve been through. I had a look at the adoptions page at the site and am now GOBBSMACKED at how many bunnies they are. Marcy must be super human!

Reading Aurora’s story I was reminded also that when you adopt a bun from a rescue you also save another. Important not to forget that!

[MimzMum]

Marcy is a sensitive?? I didn’t know that! Oh wow, that must make it more than doubly hard to leave those few behind, whether it is better or not. To just know they are ready to go, well that is hard to feel.

Oh that poor sweet little bun! That she feels she can recover from all that is huge! These are truly wonderful people!

My daughter and I went into PETCO again the other day for hay. Three bunnies are still at the store that have been there for months. One little grey/white half lionhead is obviously headed for either adoption or possibly the shelter. And they just keep getting more! (The manager is the same jerk who told me I couldn’t be holding Fiver the day we got him. So we know he’s heartless.) We are just so torn that we cannot take any more. If I had anywhere else to get the supplies for the bunnies, I wouldn’t even go in there anymore, it just makes me heartsick.

Please tell Marcy how much I admire her for her work, Markus. Is there still a place to donate to them online?

[MarkBun]

Posted By MimzMum on 09/26/2008 7:14 PM

Please tell Marcy how much I admire her for her work, Markus. Is there still a place to donate to them online?

Yes, there’s a donate tab on the main page http://www.saveabunny.com and you can also follow any link to a bunny to donate to a specific bun.  I give $85/month to Tippy to get an acupuncture session.

 

[MimzMum]

*grins* Bunny acupuncture. Now that’s something! ^_^ I’ve been hearing about how cancer is maintained now by acupuncture, but I’m not going anywhere near any pins and needles! 0_o
I have to wonder how a bun puts up with that?

*goes to search SaveABunny*

[Deleted User]

Mimz–it would cost more, but is there anyway you can order your hay and supplies on line, like maybe from oxbow?

i’m lucky and get my hay from the local vet here, they have a supply shop.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

WOW Markus!! What a great thread, i just saw this now!! That poor bunny! Do you know what happened to Aurora (besides severe neglect/cruelty…)? *HUGS* That was great of you to do that, she does look like she has some fight in her {{ VIBES }}

[MimzMum]

I made a donation the other day by Paypal. There were so many there I wanted to help, but I figured she needed it most.

I have thought of ordering hay online from Oxbow. I often get it from BB.com. The big problem now is the snow, our Fed Ex and UPS don’t exactly take good care of where they put the packages and they often wind up outside in the elements.

Apparently Oxbow won’t deliver to P.O. Boxes (even though our post office keeps all packages indoors until pickup)

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

If you email them personally they may, like they don’t ship to canada on their site but will if you just email!

[MimzMum]

Really? *goes to look up Oxbow* Thanks, K&K, I’ll try that.

[MarkBun]

Just an update. I went over to SaveABunny on Sunday to do a little work for them (and injured my back in the process). I was happy to find out that many of the buns I had a certain feeling towards had been adopted – including Sammy, Macaroon and Georgette. I also gave the usualy $85 for Tippy to have another chiropractor visit. Apparently Nadia is being a little “Maryann” with him at the moment and bossing him around everywhere.

When I walked in though, I saw a cute brown bun I hadn’t seen before and said hello to it. When she turned her head towards me, I noticed she had a cataract like Aurora does – and that’s when I realized it was her! She had put on so much weight and was so cleaned up that I had no idea it was her. She is completely adorable too. I don’t know if it was her loving attitude or that she remembered me, but whenever I put my finger through the bars to scratch her, she would ‘scent’ my finger with her chin.

I am ‘in charge’ of trying to get buns L-Z adopted via various advertising avenues but I’ve been sneaking Aurora in as well. They’re guessing her age to be around 6 years and she’d be a PERFECT bunny for anyone. She can apparently still see light through the cateract eye so she won’t be ‘surprised’ by people coming up on her.

[wendyzski]

THat’s great to hear that she’s doing so well!

[MimzMum]

Oh this is MARVELOUS news! *does a happy dance* Do they have any new pictures of Aurora? I’d love to see what she looks like now.

[BinkyBunny]

Somehow I missed this thread. I do check the other forums first, so that could be why. But I hear you markus, I volunteered there for several years before recently taking a long hiatus because I am swamped at the moment, but I too could not make those really tough decisions that Marcy and the front-line crew there have to make. I was happy to clean cages, groom bunnies and do whatever else I could do, but when it comes to the frontlines – my stuff just “aint tough enough”.  Before volunteering at saveabunny, I volunteered and worked at SPCAs in whatever city I lived in at the time, and I still am haunted by many things.

But like Beka said, there is such importance at many levels, like the time you give, and the $$ you donate, and teaching others. It’s all so very important in the big picture, so what you are doing is extremely important as well.

Feel free to continue use the Rescue section here to feature adoptable rabbits at saveabunny! That’s what this section is here for.

Mimzmum – regarding acupuncture: Bailey was getting it, and she didn’t mind it a bit. The needles really aren’t painful. And there is one they put in that actually helps relax – it’s of course one of the first ones. Now, me being rather skeptical, I was like, sure I’ll try this – it was free because at the time my vet was going through training  and so we helped each other out. I got free sessions, while she had patients to train on. Anyway, I figured I’d try it out, and if it didn’t help Bailey, then we’d be no worse off.

I thought for sure it would be challenging because they put the needles in and then I have to hold her for 10 – 15 minutes. But she was just sooo calm. Never struggled, just fell asleep or peacefully hung out once they were all in. And I have to tell you, I saw improvement in her mobility. She had hind leg weakness, but I started to see real strength and flexibility come back. Now, she can’t possibly have a placebo affect, and I really wasn’t expecting or not expecting anything. Just had the “what will be,will be” attitude. But now, I really look at acupuncture differently. Definitely more open to the possibilities.

[MarkBun]

On a side note, I’ve been to an accupuncturer before – actually two. The second one didn’t really do anything for me but the first one was a literal miracle worker. Besides relieving my back pain I had at the time, he did something that downright freaked me out. A day before seeing him, my best friend had slept with my girlfriend at the time. Needless to say, I was quite depressed and upset about it – and I am one who likes to stew in his misery. I know it’s bad and I try to work on it but I do it. When I went to my session he noticed that I was upset. I told him why and he said that he’d take care of it. I said, ‘ok’ but didn’t expect anything. I mean, this was emotional pain and acupuncture is about physical, right?

Well he put in the needles (and the only time I’ve felt any pain is when I moved my arm when one was in it after he told me not to move it) and in about 10 minutes, I was feeling good. That freaked me out. So, being the misery lover I am, I kept trying to bring up the image and feelings of my best friend with my girlfriend but I couldn’t hold onto it. It just kept slipping away. It stayed like this for three days after the session and by the time I could focus on it again, the ‘freshness’ of the pain had subsided so I could function normally.

Acupuncture is quite an amazing thing if you find the right person to do it.

[bunnytowne]

Oh that poor girl bun.  I wish I could save them all. Ok I am going to go eat  now b4 I cry. I appreciate Honey Bunny even more after seeing this. Being 3 years old he probably wouldn’t have been chosen to be adopted from the humane society. 

Those are tough decisions to make. Who to take who to leave.  I don’t think I could do it either.

[BinkyBunny]

Wow, markus, so sorry you had to deal with that nightmare betrayal! That’s rough stuff! I have also heard that acupuncture can be a mood booster. You are so right about finding the “right” person to do it.

[MimzMum]

Now this is weird, but kind of related to the acupuncture topic…today I am listening to my radio and there’s this local health program on regarding adrenal stress and thyroid issues, etc. They are describing to a tee some of the symptoms my son currently has and so I look up the docs who sponsor the show and they are an Naturopathic doctor’s office. They use acupuncture as one of their treatment regimens. So of course I thought about this post immediately.
I was about ready to give up finding a doctor who might be able to ease my son’s anxiety about college coming up. The last thing I want (and neither does he) is to put him on anti-depressants, a textbook answer in many doctor’s books here…”Oh it’s winter and it’s dark out, you must be depressed, here, take this little pill once a day and call me in three months…blah-blah…” He’s been highly stressed and has trouble sleeping and his anger management is going south. When I told him about this show and the info they had on and then told them if he wanted to make an appointment with these people he’d be seeing doctors who specialize in acupuncture, he said he’d be okay with it! Holy cow, the whole world is going pin happy, right down to my own family! ^_^ lolz….

Stuff coming together like this just seems too coincidental to me, yanno?

[BinkyBunny]

Mimzmum. WHHAOW! That is rather amazing. I’m not sure how you make sure to find the “right” acupuncturist, but I am sure some net searches would help with education. Let us know what you find out and what ends up working. And keep in mind what markus said, one of his experiences was nothin’ much while the other one seemed to blow him away. So if one experience doesn’t work, don’t give up. It’s seems like such a very finite type of skill – making sure to hit the right “nerves” just the right way and knowing what to hit for what is important.

Also, are you think that your son may have thyroid issues that may cause his anxiety. If so, there are some thyroid test he can take to determine that and getting it leveled out may help too. I know my father’s was all whacked out, and though it didn’t cause anxiety so much as feeling tired and low, the meds he took for thyroid imbalance gave him “energy” and a feeling of being more “upbeat” than before. His rosy cheeks came back.

Keep us update.

P.S. I also use to get back massages when I was had back problems, and everytime I would get this one guy, I don’t know what the heck he would do, but I would see colors and feel like I was floating.  It was really weird.   My husband said the same thing when he got him.   I asked the masseuse later,  what the heck?!! And he just said he could tell where the “stress”  was, talked about chi or something, and he could alleviate it. .  Okay, I don’t know what the heck he was talking about and again, as a “skeptic” I went in there to just relax a few muscles, but WOW.  I’d float out of there when he was the one on duty. (and it wasn’t like he was Brad Pitt or Russell Crowe or anything so that wasn’t it! )

[Cassi&Charlie]

Haha, a massage by Brad Pitt – I wonder how much $$ that would fetch at auction

[BinkyBunny]

LOL!!! I may pay it.

[MimzMum]

lmao! Jen, you slay me! ^_^ Yes, I have heard of that before, when adepts, people who can see auras and stuff like that, or folks who practice reiki can cause others to see colors during a session. My grandfather used to frequent a certain health food store where there was a lady who was legally blind, she always knew it was him when he came in and claimed it was that she didn’t need to “see” him, she could see his aura and it was unique enough that she always knew it was he who had come in. Freaky. ^_^

Chi, according to the Chinese, is the energy that each living being is born with. Supposedly we are given a certain amount of it and, if you use all yours up before it’s time-in stressful situations or illnesses and such-you will run out and that is supposed to be the end of your life. I don’t know why, but it’s always something that’s been at the back of my mind as being true, although I am not Asian, hence you cannot get me to become one of those long-distance runners or cyclists like some of the folks we know…I simply don’t see the point in “too much” exercise…lolz.

Also, if your chi is not flowing properly through your body, it can build up in places it is not supposed to and illness and disease can result. I have a book on chi and it’s relation to breast cancer and other prominent ills of our society that I found immensely interesting, it really helps explain it much better than I can with my meager communication skills. I’ll have to see where I put it and post the author sometime.

 

Sooo…*ahem* Markus, any further updates on Aurora?

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

WOW *starts looking for an acupuncture doc*!!!

The horse I rode for years actually had weekly acupuncture for her back-worked miracles!!

[BinkyBunny]

Mimzmum- I’ll say a quick note so that this discussion is not further hijacked by our side convo – I say WOW! I didn’t realize it was known knowledge that someone could “make” you see colors. I mean I know my husband & I experienced it, but it wasn’t like I KNEW about that before I went in. We were both just ignorantly wowed.

[MarkBun]

As an FYI, Aurora has been adopted and will be picked up by her new slaves later this week. I don’t have a current picture of her but you’d never recognize her now. Her coat is full and shiney, she must have put on two pounds of weight and is just a great rabbit. I did tear up a bit – not at the thought of her leaving the shelter but that she had come such a long way.

[Deleted User]

I’m glad to hear she found a forever home to live out the rest of her days. She certainly deserves it, she’s been through alot. Lets hope that her new home will make her forget all that she went through before

[tabalab]

At a local “exotic”pet store they had a baby ferret in a small hamster cage even though they HAVE a massive display cage for them. Also they had the same lion head who is bigger then my big bun and has been there since before i got my buns. I felt so sadden, he was the only bun left but still had the same room as he did when he was a baby. he seriously had only a few inches more room when he laid out. NO hay and NO veggies and one of those stupid plastic domes that they chew. I wanted to get him and let him run but he was so scared and shy and my boyfriends drug me out before i could even rescue him. Poor bun I took pictures on my camera phone because i was disgusted but I have no way to up load em

[Author]

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