Hoppy Holidays!
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Season’s Greetings All
The Holiday season is upon us and the New Year just around the corner! The greatest gifts are those that come from the heart: this holiday season please think of those who need a hand up, furry and non.
There are many ways you can help those who are in need; the gift of time can be the greatest gift of all. Perhaps you have a neighbour who is not able to walk their dog or get out to pick up food for themselves and their animal companion due to cold and snowy conditions. The local soup kitchen or animal shelter can always use a helping hand with a variety of tasks.
The events of the past year have left many people facing financial hardship, and some are having a hard time feeding their families, including our much beloved furry family members. This year stats are showing abandonment of large dogs has increased due to unexpected financial difficulties. If you are able to spare a few extra dollars, please think of giving a bag of dog, cat, or rabbit food this Holiday Season to someone you know who might not otherwise be able to provide the proper nutrition for their furry family member. Your act of kindness could make the difference in keeping a family together through the tough times and mean one less painful surrender to an animal shelter.
A big THANKS to all of you who make our work at the Sanctuary and the Outreach Program possible, through your donations and sponsorship, and multiple binkies of appreciation for our most dedicated volunteer of 2009, Justin R.
We would like to especially thank our Sponsors: Canadian Pet Connection, Until We Meet Again, and Chartrands YIG Alexandria.
A very special thank you to Dr. Joseph Martinez, "Little Paws Animal Clinic," who has put the hippity back in the hop for many of our rabbits!
The UrbanRabbit would like to wish everybun Peace, Good Health, and Joy this Holiday Season and throughout the New Year!
Hello Folks,
Spring has sprung and the rabbits are raring to run! Let’s make this spring a happy one for everyone, furry and non. Easter is just around the corner and so is the spike of baby bunny purchases. Most bunnies are bought for children who are not able to provide a long-term commitment and care due to their busy, ever-changing lives. Companion rabbits require a commitment of 8 to 12 years; the fact is that most people don’t do enough research before bringing a companion rabbit home. Spay/neuter, diet ,and proper housing are essential to ensure your rabbit lives a happy and healthy life.
Every year thousands of rabbits are abandoned in North America. The lucky ones are brought into shelters where they have a chance of being re-homed; others are left to fend for themselves outside, where most will become victims of prey, starvation, and/or some cruel act of abuse.
Together we can raise the bar for rabbit wellness. Help spread the word this Easter: Don’t give in to bunny impulse shopping - do what’s right and keep on hopping! Visit your local rabbit rescue to find out if a companion rabbit is right for you.
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The Urban Rabbit needs your help
Spring is well underway and plans at the Sanctuary are too! We are in desperate need of funding to help us buy the materials to build outdoor rabbit enclosures. We are in a rural area and have many considerations when building the rabbit runs.
After much deliberation we have decided that galvanized fenced dog kennels provide the best protection against predators and are the most versatile. The kennels are 10 x 10 x 6 (feet) and can be joined together to form different sizes of runs. Price per unit is approximately $330; the more we buy the lower the price per unit. Our local builders supply company has been able to offer us this lower pricing.
All the runs will be created to accommodate the different needs of our rabbits. As well, each enclosure will have a herb garden to satisfy the most discriminating of tastes.
Please help us create a safe and healthy environment for our Sanctuary residents. If you would like to donate a complete unit, please contact us and we will provide the details for direct purchases. Every donation counts - collectively, you can help to fund the medical, daily maintenance, and special projects we provide.
Thanks for your support,
Sue
Founder, The Urban Rabbit Refuge
Happy New Year!
Thank you to everyone for your support in 2008. A special thanks goes out to the kind folks at Canadian Pet Connection and Until We Meet Again for their continuing generosity.
We hope 2009 is an even better year for rabbits and their human companions everywhere. We will continue to update our Rabbit Sponsorship page with photos of some of the rabbits you can assist with your donations.
Good news!
Beginning next month, we'll be updating our web pages with new photos and information. Thank you for your patience and support.
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We made it!
Hello Folks,
Sorry for the delay in posting details about our move to the sanctuary and other updates. We are 100% volunteer-powered, so please bear with us as we work on updating the website!
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Views at the sanctuary |
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Rabbits Across Canada
Our cross-country journey to the new home of The Urban rabbit Refuge starts May 15. Sue Rodrigue, Founder of TURR, worked diligently to find the perfect place to call home for the 60-plus special-needs rabbits. "I was afraid I was going to never find a place in time, we have grown so quickly over the last year and foster homes with experience caring for sick rabbits are scarce."
Due to the rising cost of land in B.C., Sue started looking in other provinces with more affordable land. Finally, at the beginning of the new year, a great place caught Sue's eye. The future home of The Urban Rabbit Refuge is just over 5.5 acres located in the beautiful agricultural area of North Glengarry, Ontario.
Though the actual sanctuary will be in Ontario, a Chapter of TURR will continue to operate in Richmond, B.C., and a new Chapter will operate in the West Island of Montreal, Quebec.
The Journey
We have chosen to drive across Canada, as this will be the least stressful for the rabbits. There will be a minimum of 3 people on board to drive and care for the rabbits during what we are hoping will be a safe and short journey of 3-4 days. We will be documenting our trip so you can share in the adventure, once it's posted to the website in June.
As you can imagine, our expenses for travel and set-up at the other end will be quite costly. We are asking for your support. Please help us make this transition with as much ease as possible. Your donation will help pay for gas on the journey, as well as the new outdoor enclosures and indoor rabbit housing. These are just a few of the additional costs on top of the rabbits' daily maintenance and vet care.
Rabbits Shot in Richmond
There has been a new form of animal cruelty developing over the last few months, and it has been escalating quickly. Pellet guns are being used to shoot rabbits in a scenic community park in Richmond, BC. It appears they are aiming for their hearts but missing and shattering the bones of the front legs. These rabbits are left to suffer with severely broken limbs. To date we have brought in 3 rabbits over a period of 3 days, only one has survived. Her front right leg was amputated as this was her only chance for survival.
For more details, see story in the Richmond News.
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