The Carrot Tribune - January 2018

In this issue... Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class January Hoppy Hour Bunny of the Month Thomas Fire Bunny Evacuees   Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class 1:00 to 2:00 - Handling and Husbandry 2:00 to 2:30 - Training Bring your Rabbit or Guinea Pig. Learn easy handling and care-taking during the first hour, then for the last half hour play training games that are fun for you and your pet!  $5.00 for an individual $10.00 for a family Free to BUNS volunteers All classes are in the Humane Society Education Building, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Goleta, (to the east  of the Animal Shelter) Our next class is January 13. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  Read More       January Hoppy Hour Bring your fuzzy friend, January 27 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your bunny play with others.  Hoppy Hour will take place on the Humane Society Lawn, at 5399 Overpass Rd, Santa Barbara, CA 93111. Admission is $10 per rabbit. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance. We'll be providing light refreshments for both you and your bunny, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Bunny of the Month Dove is our Bunny of the Month for January, 2018!. She is a spirited girl with a curious nature. She wants you to earn her trust, and you will be bountifully rewarded with her love and devotion! Dove hopes to find a forever home to help her start the new year off right! Read More     The Thomas Fire 21 Bunnies Salute to Evacuation Safety Volunteer Gloria shares her experience with the Thomas Fire. The Thomas Fire brought destruction and the need for immediate and quick response.  I live in Ojai and had little notice that I would need to evacuate my 21 rescued rabbits from Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter to a dear friend's ranch several miles away. Many people with horses and dogs were also taking shelter there.  The only safe place for the bunnies was the large bathroom in the tack room by the stable. It had a door to keep out dogs and wasn't too cold at night. I had already purchased enough carriers in case of emergency, but had not planned on the small space which meant the rabbits rotated exercising in the bathtub throughout the day.  Here is a list of the essentials I remembered: A calm, loving demeanor to help keep the bunnies as calm as possible. I sang to them, groomed them, and told them what was happening and that we would be home soon; Plenty of hay; Medications (I forgot mine, but had theirs packed); Veggies, bottled water, and timothy hay pellets (I couldn't pack all their bowls so I rotated water & pellet bowls); Plenty of large carriers, fleece liners, and towels; Oxbow Critical Care (two of my bunnies didn't want to eat after a couple of days away from their safe routine and my veterinarian wasn't available). When we were able to return home I received a call from a friend in rabbit rescue who was helping to place rabbits abandoned by their owners in the Los Angeles fires. The county shelters intended to euthanize them if not adopted. I was so very grateful my home and bunnies were all safe, I adopted one of the LA bunnies.  We named her Scarlett after the infamous movie character who fled from the Atlanta fires during the Civil War. I can't imagine not evacuating my rabbits, but hundreds were abandoned. We can now all be better prepared to evacuate our bunnies and ourselves in an emergency situation by reflecting on the Thomas fire. Photo below: Thomas Fire Bunny Evacuees "Bathtub Exercise Time"