- The Carrot Tribune - January 2019

In this issue... Bunny of the Month Hoppy Hour Basic Bunny Class Does this Carrot Make Me Look Fat?   Guinea Pig of the Month G-Force is truly a force of nature! He is an active and engaging young piggy who enjoys a good cuddle, and won't say no to a treat or two. He is fast on his feet and is a busy boy, but when he does slow down, he appreciates attention from adoring humans. In addition to all these wonderful traits, G-Force has beautiful markings, and a very shiny coat - what more could any prospective adopter want! Want to know who the first Bunny of the Month of 2019 is? You'll have read more on bunssb.org! Read More       Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Note: Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes are now on Sundays. Our next class is Sunday January 13. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More     January Hoppy Hour Note: Hoppy Hour is on a Sunday! Bring your fuzzy friend on Sunday January 27 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance. Our registration/waiver form is available online, making it faster and easier to sign your critters up for the Hoppy Hour and Pignic! You can fill out out a Rabbit or Guinea Pig form before coming (we'll have forms available at the registration table if you forget): Download the Rabbit Form, or Download the Guinea Pig Form Please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Does this Carrot Make Me Look Fat? Is January your cue to notice how tight your jeans have become? Between holiday celebrations and cold weather keeping you indoors it is easy to put on a little extra weight. Do our bunnies and piggies pick up a few extra ounces too? It is easier than you think. Maybe your bunny doesn’t get exercise due to bad weather or your holiday commitments. Of course you feel bad, so why not an extra treat here and there? If your bunny picks up those pesky few ounces, how will you know? Most people think their bunny is at the ideal weight, but most people don’t know their bunny’s weight. In a survey of British rabbit owners, 26% of people chose a picture of an overweight bunny rabbit as the best illustration of their bunny (see PAW Report Animal Wellbeing Report. 2018 PDSA). Fur hides a lot of sins. To judge your bunny’s or piggie's weight, you have to be hands on. You can compare your bunny or piggie to a chart which shows five body shapes. The bodies range from very thin to obese. Make the comparison by going to this website: https://www.pfma.org.uk/pet-size-o-meter. The chart comes with instructions. Which picture would you choose? What do you do if your bunny or piggie is a little plumper than it should be? Well, of course you should talk to your vet about diet. But even with your vet’s advice you have to make some choices. If you are like me, you want your pet to eat food that looks good to you. And, like me, you may have chosen those extra treats and larger meals for your pet. There are so many choices at pet stores. Which foods are healthy choices? A recent study compared rabbit body condition Dutch rabbits on four different diets: hay only, pellets and hay, muesli and hay, and muesli only (see Prebble, JL, Shaw, DJ, and Meredith, AL, “Bodyweight and body condition score in rabbits on four different feeing Regimes”. Journal of Small Animal Practice. (2015) 56.). What is muesli? You have seen the bags or rabbit food with grains, dried veggies, dried fruit and nuts. That is muesli. After nine months the rabbits on the hay only diet were at optimal weight. Rabbits on the pellets and hay or the pellets and muesli were above the ideal body weight. Rabbits on the muesli only diet were obese. The study concluded that rabbits on a hay only diet were had the best body condition. However researchers were concerned that the hay only diet may not provide the required vitamins and minerals. They suggested that pellets be added to a rabbit’s diet. However, they suggested that the amount of pellets be 25 to 26 grams of pellets per kilogram of rabbit. That is less than half of the manufacturers recommended portion. They did not recommend feeding muesli. But, if you must feed muesli, be sure your rabbit or guinea pig also has hay. Really, though, how many of us will feed our pets hay only or even hay with just a few pellets? 57% British rabbit owners report that they give treats to provide variety to their bunnies. 39% give treats to make their rabbits feel happy. And 22% give treats because they make us feel happy. Happy is good. Right? Right! But happy can also be healthy! There are lots of different hays. Your bunny or piggie can look forward to variety in hay Here are some suggestions from Oxbow: http://oxbowanimalhealth.com/blog/fun-ways-to-feed-a-variety-of-hays-handout. Why serve Yogies when you can harvest some fresh grass from your yard add some dandelion greens. Treat your bunny to some fresh wheat grass or cat nip from the health food store or pet store. Sprinkle his hay with some herbs from your spice cabinet - basil, thyme, oregano, mint, sage, rosemary. Substitute fresh fruit for dried fruit. If you have a garden, strawberry or raspberry leaves are just as good as the fruit. You can do it. You’ve got this.

Help BUNS put presents for the bunnies and piggies under the tree! -- The Carrot Tribune - December 2018

In this issue... Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class, Dec 8 Hoppy Hour and Pignic, Dec 15 Bunny and Guinea Pig of the Month Help BUNS Put Presents Under Our Tree for the Bunnies and Guinea Pigs!   Guinea Pigs of the Month Manchas and Lumas are best buddies, and both are such calm and friendly boys. These wonderful piggies love nothing better than sharing treats, having a good cuddle, and they would most definitely be happy to share a loving forever home together.   Vist our website to learn who the Bunny of the Month for December is! Read More       Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes Our next class is December 8. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More     Hoppiest of Hours Bring your fuzzy friend, December 15 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance. New this month: Our registration/waiver form is available online, making it faster and easier to sign your critters up for the Hoppy Hour and Pignic! You can fill out out a Rabbit or Guinea Pig form before coming (we'll have forms available at the registration table if you forget): Download the Rabbit Form, or Download the Guinea Pig Form Please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     The Happiest Place in Town Who would think that an animal shelter is the happiest place in town? Well, we would!  Happy volunteers see zooommies and binkies when bunnies go into the play yards. We hear the guinea piggies wheeking to the crinkle of plastic veggie bags and we are happy.  Children laugh with delight as they feed cilantro to bunnies and piggies. That makes us all happy. We love to send a big bag of hay home or trim toe nails.  We are happy to tell a grieving family forced to give up a beloved pet that we will find a new home. Our eyes fill with tears of joy as a favorite bunny or guinea goes to a new home. When a bunny like Aja arrives who has been starved into skin and bone, we take her into our hearts and homes. As she recovers, and we weren’t sure that she would, our happiness grows with every ounce she gains.  She loves those greens and is happy that food and water comes every day. Go Aja! Then there was Peggy. She came to us with a floppy leg. Peggy would walk on three legged tip toe, just to keep her floppy leg from touching ground. The bone was crushed and it HURT! Happily we could have that painful leg removed. Peggy is happy too.  No more tip toe, she hops on three leg just fine. She puts the happy into hoppy. Rebecca noticed that her front teeth kept growing until it was hard to eat. Not to worry; BUNS had them removed. Now she gives us kisses which makes us so happy. Hoppy Hour and Pignic make everyone happy. One can be a lonely number for piggies and bunnies. Like us, they are social! And, while their human families are lovely, they are not the same. So Hoppy Hour and Pignic give them a chance to see their own kind.  And, we love to watch them. So this Holiday Season as we put up out Wishing Tree, we are happy to share our dreams for a joyous new year.  These are our dearest wishes. You can make them come true. Volunteers - Please join us to make the new year joyful for all the bunnies and piggies needing a new home. Make a joyful new year for the families that find their new pets at BUNS Monthly Donors: - whether it’s $5 or $500, knowing that your gift will be there month after month is special.  That knowledge gives us the courage to take in the injured and ill; to take them to the vet; to give them a pain free life.  A one time gift is also special. Just click here: http://www.bunssb.org/donations/ Amazon Smile and Ralphs each gives BUNS a portion of your purchase price every time. We get happy every month when the check arrives. Hoppy Hour and Pignic could use some new shade canopies and pens. Leafily Palm plates, wicker balls and yummy treats. They are all on our BUNS Santa Barbara wish list on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/15YGZ5VSH22TP/ref=cm_go_nav_hz  Hoppy Hour and Pignic Sponsors: Shelter bunnies and piggies love to go to Hoppy Hour and Pignic.  You can sponsor one or every bunny and piggie in the shelter. So even if you don’t have a personal pet, you can still make a special day for a bunny or piggie!  Visit our facebook page to learn more https://www.facebook.com/bunssb/ Our last wish is that you visit us at the shelter, feed some bunnies and piggies and share our joy. We would love to see you.

Playtime for your Bunny, and More ... The Carrot Tribune - November 2018

In this issue... Basic Bunny Class: Nov 10 Hoppy Hour: Nov 17 Augustus, May, and June, are our Bunnies of the Month! Playtime: Fun Games to Play with your Rabbit   Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Our next class is November 10. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       Hoppy Hour and Pignic Bring your fuzzy friend, November 17 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance. Please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More       Bunnies of the Month May, Augustus, and June are a wonderful trio of siblings - May and June are sisters, and Augustus is their doting brother. They are a shy but curious group, and Augustus in particular loves to be cuddled. Each bunny has their own unique and wonderful personality, and together they make a terrific trio who will make some lucky adopter very happy! Want to know who the Guinea Pig of the Month is? Learn more on our website, bunssb.org! Read More     Fun Games to Play with your Rabbit We know that rabbits need exercise and toys to enrich their lives.  But it is easy to do the same thing day after day. Yes, rabbits like routines.  But routines can get boring.  When your rabbit comes out for "playtime" and just sleeps for a few hours, your bunny may be bored.  Rabbits are smart and curious. Old or young, your bunny enjoys exploring new things and overcoming challenges. Here are some activities to entertain your bunny: The Chicken Game: Instead of using a bowl, sprinkle pellets across the floor like chicken food while calling your bunny. Let the rabbit clean them up.  Rabbits who love their pellets catch on fast.  They race up to you when you start calling and sprinkling pellets across the living room. Hidden Treasure:  Place their most favorite items out of their daily salad ration in different spots.  At first pick several of their favorite resting places.  I use a set of cheap plastic saucers to protect the carpet.  When your bunny starts play time by searching for treasures hide some of the food in less obvious places  Buried treasure: This game and is great for rabbits who like to destroy things.  To start, place a strong smelling food item out of their regular ration in a lunch sack.  Loosely close the sack and lay it on the floor.  Some rabbits need the bag left open first.  As the bunny becomes more skilled, use a paper grocery bag or a higher closure. Pick a Cup, any Cup:  This is a game for bunnies who like to toss things. Put a treat inside a paper Dixie cup. Lay the cup on it's side where the bunny will find it.  After the bunny has found and eaten the treat, we're ready for phase 2.  When the bunny cannot see, I put small amounts of their daily pellet ration under several upside down cups on the floor.  Your rabbit will learn to knock over the cup to get at the pellets.  Next add some empty cups along with the pellet cups.  Your bunny will learn that not every cup has a reward, but if you keep trying you WILL get all the available rewards.  That's using some IQ power. Increase the difficulty of any game AFTER your rabbit is good at the easier level.  This helps to encourage them.  Rotate these foraging games with regular non-game nights. This keeps the games fresh.  Use their regular food for the game so your bunny does not get fat. Thanks to Lyssa for inventing these games.     Stay Warm this Winter Winter is coming... so stay warm in a BUNS logo hoodie! BUNS logo hoodies, tshirts, and more are available over at our Cafe Press Store at https://www.cafepress.com/bunssb Read More

BUNS Annual Meeting, Safe Salads, and more...The Carrot Tribune - October 2018

In this issue... Annual Meeting: October 23 Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes October Pignic and Hoppy Hour Guinea Pig of the Month Safe Salads: How high calcium vegetables affect your rabbit Ralphs Community Rewards Program   Annual Meeting Our Annual Meeting to elect members to the BUNS Board of Directors will be October 23, starting 6pm at Rusty's Pizza Parlor (5934 Calle Real, Goleta CA, 93117) In order to vote for board members, you must be a volunteer in good standing over the age of 18 and completed more than 20 hours of volunteer service with BUNS in the six months prior to the meeting. The meeting is also open to the general public. Check our Facebook Events Page later this month for further details...     Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes Our next class is October 13. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       Pignic and Hoppy Hour Bring your fuzzy friend, October 27 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance. Please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Guinea Pig of the Month Frankie is a shy and sweet piggy boy who likes a good cuddle. He calms down nicely with pets and treats, and gives you a chance to really appreciate what a nice chap he is. Frankie's great hope is to find a calm and loving home where he can thrive! Read More       Safe Salads: How high calcium vegetables affect your rabbit By BUNS Volunteer Jean Silva We’ve all seen the yellowish white crust in the bottom of the litter box.  It is calcium. Rabbits need calcium. Calcium helps growing rabbits build strong bones and teeth.  Adult rabbits, because their teeth continue to grow, continue to need calcium.  A 5.5 pound adult rabbit needs around 510 milligrams (mg) per day.  A shortage of calcium in the diet is suspected as a cause of weak bones and dental disease.  Rabbits absorb calcium into their blood stream from their gut.  The process is passive. The more calcium in the gut, the more calcium is absorbed into the blood stream. It is up to the kidneys to filter excess calcium out of the blood stream. Calcium is passed from the kidneys, in urine, to the bladder and your litter box.  The calcium builds up in the litter box as a yellowish white crust.  This is normal. Sometimes, though, calcium begins to accumulate in the bladder or kidneys.  Ask your vet, but they will tell you that no one knows exactly why this happens.  But a build up of calcium in the kidneys and bladder IS a problem.  So, as you clean the litter box, keep an eye out for visible amounts of calcium floating in the urine. Calcium can show up as a white, sludgy grit or fine sandy gravel that your pet will pass in along with urine.  As you can imagine, passing sludge or fine gravel is painful. A trip to the vet is called for. Calcium can also form stones in the bladder and the kidneys.  Stones in the bladder scratch the bladder wall which opens the body to infection.  Stones can also block the urethra preventing your pet from peeing.  Large stones must be removed surgically: never a happy prospect. The illustration shows a rabbit that has stones in her kidney, urethra and a very large stone in her bladder  If you find that your pet is peeing sludge, dribbling pee, and/or straining to pee and tooth grinding while peeing, he may have a bladder stone. You will need to seek immediate veterinary care.  Although the causes of bladder stones are unknown, we can give our rabbits the healthiest diet we know how.  That diet must include enough calcium to meet your bunny’s needs.  Healthy levels of calcium can be found in grass hay. Grass hay should be 80% of your rabbit’s diet.  Grass hay is what they evolved to eat.  It keeps their teeth, gut, kidneys and bladder healthy. The same amount of alfalfa or clover hay, on the other hand has 2 to 5 times as much calcium. Make your salad using vegetables that have moderate levels of calcium.  I use a lot of cilantro, romaine or other lettuce, and chard.  To these vegetables I may add one vegetable that is higher in calcium. When I make a salad I use a ratio of three vegetables with moderate calcium to one high calcium vegetable.  Common vegetables with high levels of calcium are kale, parsley and dandelion greens. THe BUNS website has a list of calcium levels in vegetables for your use.  Pellets also provide needed calcium. The percentage of calcium is listed on each bag of pellets.  For an adult rabbit, look for a pellet that shows the recommended level of 0.6%.  Oxbow makes adult rabbit pellets with the recommended level of calcium.  Do not feed pellet mixes, with grains, dried fruit and vegetables.  When completely eaten, they will provide the calcium level shown on the bag. But rabbits will eat the items they prefer, causing their calcium intake to be different from that shown on the bag. While fruit is low in calcium, it is recommended in small amounts only due to their high sugar content.  Sugar, while not “dangerous” to rabbits, can make your bunny fat. It can also make your bunny turn up its nose at foods that are a healthier choice. Use fruit as a treat  For more information on calcium in rabbits and guinea pigs go to https://rabbit.org/lowering-blood-calcium/ and http://www.guinealynx.info/chart.html For more information on Salads read: http://www.bunssb.org/bunnies/salad-days/   Ralphs Community Rewards Program If you haven't done so already, it's itme to renew your Ralphs Communicty Rewards Program!  For Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter to benefit from your purchases at Ralphs, you must register your Ralphs Rewards Card or phone number on their website. Once you have registered, you must re-select Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter each September. For step-by-step instructions on how to register, see the Ralphs Community Rewards Program page on bunssb.org. Read More

The Carrot Tribune - September 2018

In this issue... Basic Bunny Class, September 8 Hoppy Hour and Pignic, September 22 Bunny of the Month Our Wishes for Fall     Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Our next class is September 8. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More     September Hoppy Hour and Pignic Bring your fuzzy friend, September 22nd from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. All animals must be healthy and rabbits must have been spayed or neutered at least 30 days in advance. Please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Guinea Pig of the Month Cuddling with this sweet piggy would make anyone's day brighter! Mr. Chestnut is a calm boy with a super cute face and great personality too. This wonderful piggy really likes treats, and his real hope is to find a forever home that will treat him right!  Read More       Our Wishes for Fall Want to help BUNS in two ways at once? Our Amazon Wish List has various items that we need to help keep our critters happy, healthy, and safe – and if you order through AmazonSmile, BUNS will receive a donation from Amazon at no additional cost to you! If you haven't signed up for AmazonSmile yet, you can get started by visiting smile.amazon.com and entering Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter as your charity of choice! Once you have an AmazonSmile account, head over to the BUNS Wishlist to see what you can do to help. Read More

The Carrot Tribune - August 2018

In this issue... We're Holding a Baby Bunny Naming Contest! Basic Bunny Class, August 11 Hoppy Hour and Pignic, August 25 Bunny of the Month   Baby Bunny Naming Contest In July BUNS got 29 baby bunnies! Some came in with their Mama and others were little surprises born at the shelter. We're so busy taking care of the little ones we don't have time to think of names. We need your help! Beatrix delivered 7 adorable harlequin babies on July 9th and BUNS would like to give you the opportunity to name the babies!  The only rule is that you must have names for boys and girls. Email the name ideas to kimmyswann@bunssb.org. Please follow our pictures of all the babies on our Instagram page and our Facebook page. BUNS has a lot of work ahead of us with so many babies, and any contributions to help with their care are gratefully accepted.  Read More     Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes Our next class is August 11. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       August Hoppy Hour Bring your fuzzy friend, August 25 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. 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 critter, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More       Bunnies of the Month Such a beautiful pair of bunnies! Dilly is a Florida White mix breed and Dally is a Tan mix breed rabbit. Both girls are a little shy, but are sweet and active, and really enjoy their time exercising. They appreciate treats and pets, once you've earned their trust, and a quiet, serene environment would be ideal for this bonded pair.  Dilly and Dally are hoping to find their forever home and loving humans someday very soon! Want to see who the Guinea Pig of the Month is? Visit our website to find out! Read More     You Shop, Amazon Gives Start your shopping at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will give 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter.  To select Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter as your charity click below:

Do you have a bunny disaster plan? The Carrot Tribune, July 2018

In this issue... Bunny and Guinea Pig of the Month Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Hoppy Hour and Pignic Animal Disaster Plans Bonding Two Stubborn Senior Buns   Guinea Pig of the Month Larry is an active piggy with lots of spirit and is a good natured boy. He is curious and engaging, and likes to be held and petted. With so much going for him, Larry  is wondering when he will find his perfect family and loving forever home. Read More       Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes Our next class is June 14. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       Hoppy Hour and Picnic - July 21 Bring your fuzzy friend, July 21 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. 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 critter, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Animal Disaster Plans Disasters can happen here. Fire season is upon us and it is time to prepare.   BEFORE Microchip your pets.  A microchip is their ticket home. After Hurricane Katrina, pets with microchips were the most likely to find their families.  Your vet can implant a microchip under your pet’s skin. The chip can be read by animal rescues and vets. It is linked to your name and contact information. Make a list of care instructions for your pets. Include their food, medicines, the name of their vet and your emergency contact information. Pack a “Go Bag” for your pet: Food and water bowls, a litter pan, hay, and rabbit or guinea pig pellets. Be sure to add medications that do not need refrigeration. Add your list of care instructions. Leave it in a convenient location. Have an animal carrier ready and easy to get. Even a cardboard box with a lid will do. Attach or write your contact info on the carrier; add special care instructions to the carrier. Recruit your neighbors to evacuate each others pets if you are not home when an evacuation order comes. Be sure to carry phone numbers with you for neighbors, animal care takers, BUNS, Animal Services, your vet and friends or hotels who might house you or your pets. If your pet does not have a microchip, carry a photo of him on your phone. Know your evacuation route and an alternative route. Sign up for emergency alerts from the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office: https://www.sbsheriff.org/home/emergency-notifications/  If you don’t have a plan for your entire family, here is a resource:  https://www.ready.gov/make-a-plan DURING Take a deep breath and remain calm. Before loading your car, secure free roaming pets in carriers, pens or cages. Load your car and take your pets with you. If you cannot get home or need help to evacuate your pets call Animal Services for evacuation assistance. 805 681-4332 If you need a place for your rabbit or guinea pig, call BUNS. If you are in a mandatory evacuation zone, we can care for your pets at the shelter.  If not, we will help you find a family or business that will take your pet.  We can help with equipment and supplies as well. TELEPHONE NUMBERS BUNS (805) 683-0521 Animal Evacuation Hotline 805 681-4332 Santa Barbara County Animal Services (805) 681-5285 Santa Barbara City Animal Control (805) 963-1513     Bonding Two Stubborn Senior Buns Story by Dana Morton. Experienced volunteer and long-time rabbit bonder, Jean, says that most “rabbits don’t speak rabbit”. But, once a bunny has been bonded, or if they’ve grown up with their siblings, they are somewhat better at communicating with each other. But, that doesn’t mean they will agree, and it doesn’t mean you will be able to predict how a bond will go! Enter the buns: Bertha is a large girl, about 9 lbs and at least 8 years old. She came to us from Craigslist, from some folks that found her wandering around in an abandoned house. She is a gentle and affectionate lady with people, and generally not aggressive towards other rabbits. She is however, used to being the QUEEN. She was bonded twice before, and twice a widow. She was dominant in both of her earlier relationships. BunJovi is bit smaller, 5lb male bun. About 9 years old, and also bonded twice, and twice made a widower. Also he’s not aggressive towards other bunnies, he is super affectionate and outgoing towards people. We don’t know whether he was dominant in his past bonds. Want to hear the rest of the story? Read more on bunssb.org... Read More

Keeping your Bunny's Brain Busy - The Carrot Tribune - May 2018 - BUNS

In this issue... Bunny and Guinea Pig of the Month Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class: June 9 Hoppy Hour and Pignic: June 16 Understanding Guinea Pig Sounds Bunny Bordem Busters   Guinea Pig of the Month Felipe is happy to be our Guinea Pig of the Month for June! He is lively and curious, and is really interested in humans - even more so when they have yummy treats! Felipe is a good sized boy who offers a lot to love! Want to know who the Bunny of the Month is? Visit our website to find out! Read More       Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes Our next class is June 9. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       Hoppy Hour and Pignic Bring your fuzzy friend, June 16 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. 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 critter, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Guinea Pigs Sound Off Guinea Pigs have a lot to say.  Anyone who has heard them “Week,week, weeek” at the sound of the refrigerator door or a plastic bag know exactly what the piggies want.  But did you know that they also purr, rumble, yip, hoot and chirp? Have you heard these sounds? Did you wonder what they mean?  Would you like to speak guinea pig? Click below to learn more! Read More     Bunny Boredom Busters You've had your bunny for a while and perhaps the novelty is starting to wear off.  If you're beginning to think your bunny is a boring pet, you couldn't be more wrong - bunny just needs something to do while you're away.   Rabbits need mental stimulation during those long daytime hours, in addition to getting several hours daily exercise outside their enclosures. Being crepuscular, bunnies are most active at dawn and dusk. The daytime and nighttime hours are where bunnies need additional mental stimulation, especially if yours is a solo bun.   Toys include things to shred, chew, gnaw, and eat. The trick is to rotate toys so they seem new again to your bunny. Recommended websites for a wonderful selection of safe rabbit toys include BinkyBunny.com, BunnyBytes.com, happybunnyclub.com, and smallpetselect.com (when shopping at Small Pet Select, please use discount code "BUNS" at checkout to help support Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter!).   Last, but not least is an easy & cheap boredom buster: play the radio/CD softly. My rabbits like the sound of yoga music so my suggestion is to play soft, easy listening music.   Wishing you and your rabbits lots of fun with edible, chewable, boredom-busting ideas.      Follow us on Instagram! From our Instagram feed: Our amazing street drawing at I Madonnari at the Santa Barbara mission! Thank you our great artist Ana Fagan!  Read More

Healthy Bunny Treats, Senior Guinea Pigs, and More! - The Carrot Tribune - May 2018 - BUNS

In this issue... Basic Bunny Class, May 12 Pignic and Hoppy Hour, May 19 Where to Find Healthy, “Guilt Free” Bunny Treats Caring for your Senior Guinea Pig   Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes Our next class is May 12. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       Pignic and Hoppy Hour Bring your fuzzy friend, May 19 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. 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 critter, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More   Where to Find Healthy, “Guilt Free” Bunny Treats If you have bunnies in your life long enough you will become trained, through the telepathic powers of your treat-seeking bunnies, to search out and bring home delicious treats and fun chewables. Pet stores are not much help in this mission, offering very limited and often unhealthy options. Here is a small sample of excellent, online, bun-centric stores which are the ones that I keep returning to over and over: store.bunspace.com Hay Cupcakes (gourmet hay cubes) Bunny Bites—various flavors Dried Fennel Hay Toppers like Fall Flower Mix, Chamomile Flowers and Bunny Potpourri Sometimes they carry Dried Veggie Mix bunnybytes.com The famous Bunny Biscotti—many flavors Chewables—many flavors Dried clover blossoms and other dried flowers Vast selection of fun, natural chew toys Many Oxbow products store.busybunny.com Natural toys and chews Grass and willow baskets, bowls and mats  store.binkybunny.com Willow wreaths Nibble Noms: Assorted dried organic edibles like dried dandy root, alfalfa, green oats, chamomile The highest priority in treat shopping is that they be healthy and not cause digestive issues such as soft poop. The “feedback” usually comes pretty quickly so you'll know what treat caused it—but try only one new treat at a time for awhile if your bun has a sensitive digestive system. Happy treat-hunting! Thanks to BUNS Volunteer Shelley for contributing this article! These healthy treats are also appropriate for Guinea Pigs, if served in smaller portions. -Ed.   Caring for your Senior Guinea Pig This execellent information was contributed by Natalie Riggs, and originally appeared at smallpetselect.com. When shopping at Small Pet Select, please use discount code "BUNS" at checkout to help support Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter! The average lifespan for a guinea pig is about five to seven years. Many vets consider four-year-old guinea pigs to be approaching their golden years, but there is no hard and fast rule. It's almost impossible to gauge the age of an adult guinea pig after they are full grown. We treasure every year we have with our rescue piggies, never knowing how much time we really have. Just like us, guinea pigs age differently and at different rates. Signs of aging appear earlier in some guinea pigs, and later in others. ​A senior guinea pig may lose muscle tone and weight. She may become less active (fewer popcorns and more naps) and stop using ramps. An X-ray can confirm arthritis, often obvious in the knees, and other medical concerns may start to pop up, like dental problems.  Keeping your senior comfortable   Senior guinea pigs spend more time sleeping and less time exploring, so it's important to make their environment a cozy one. Soft bedding and plush beds will be appreciated. Ramps may pose a new challenge. Consider converting a two-story cage to create more first-floor space. Hold off on frequent redecorating, though. Seniors may suffer from vision loss and will feel more secure knowing where to expect their furniture and accessories.  Senior guinea pigs tend to stay in one spot longer, so be sure to spot clean daily and change the bedding more frequently, if needed. Long haired pigs may benefit from a trim, especially around the back end. Seniors seem to become less concerned with their self-cleaning beauty routine as time goes on. Watching for health issues Guinea pigs, as prey animals, hide illness like it's their job. Instinctively, it IS their job in the wild. With seniors, it becomes extra important to catch health problems early on. One of the easiest ways to pick up on a health issue early is to weigh weekly, and more frequently in aging or ill guinea pigs.  Weight loss is commonly the first sign that something is awry. This could be simple, such as pain from arthritis that's easily managed with medication from your vet. Or, it could be a sign there is something more going on. Older guinea pigs can suffer from heart failure, kidney trouble, and overgrown molars, among other ailments - all that begin with vague symptoms.  Ladies and gentlepigs Female guinea pigs are prone to ovarian cysts as they age. She may seem extra moody, mount her cagemates, lose hair on either side of the belly, and develop crusty nipples. Normally, spaying a guinea pig is the recommended course of action. However, not all seniors are ideal surgical patients. Talk to your vet about alternative treatments and how to monitor your ladypig if surgery isn't a good option for her.  Male guinea pigs come with their own problems later in life. Loss of muscle tone is a normal part of aging. In boy pigs, this can lead to impaction. He may not be able to expel the soft caecal pellets that accumulate in the perineal sack. Your guinea pig may need help for the rest of his life cleaning this area out so poop doesn't get backed up. Offering the removed material can provide important nutrients. If they don't eat it, a vitamin B supplement may be necessary. Providing a high-fiber diet (unlimited grass hay) can help prevent the condition in all guinea pigs.  Guinea pigs may become skinny pigs   ​Not the hairless variety (although a former fluff losing hair should be seen by a vet ASAP)! Weight loss tends to plague senior animals and worry their human counterparts endlessly. Weight loss that's accompanied by drooling, a foul odor, an interest in food but inability to eat, dropping pellets instead of chewing them, neglecting to eat hay and tough foods like corn husks, and biting veggies into little pieces but spitting them out signifies tooth problem. Older cavies are more prone to tooth trouble because loss of muscle tone in the jaw can cause molars to wear unevenly.  If overgrown molars and other illnesses have been ruled out, weight loss isn't as scary. That being said, a skinny pig is at a disadvantage if the DO become ill or need to go under anesthesia down the line, so putting on a few ounces can offer insurance. Senior guinea pigs can be allowed some extra treat foods like raw oats and corn on the cob. Offering a variety of hays (psst ... try this) and sprinkling some fragrant herbal blends on their hay may entice them to keep eating as much as they should.  Senior guinea pigs can still enjoy satisfying lives and even stronger bonds with you. Floor time might just be replaced with extended cuddle sessions ... no complaints here.  References: https://lincolnanimalambassadors.wordpress.com/2016/03/03/caring-for-senior-guinea-pigs/ http://www.happycavy.com/how-to-care-for-your-old-guinea-pig/ http://www.guinealynx.info/aging.html http://guineapigsaustralia.com.au/senior%20guinea%20pig%20care.htm   Support BUNS When You Shop at Ralphs Each time you shop at Ralphs, the store a donation to BUNS. It’s that easy.  First you must register on line with Ralphs and choose Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter as your charity. Then each year you must renew.  Click on this link for instructions: http://www.bunssb.org/donations/ralphs-community-rewards/   Read More

The Carrot Tribune - April 2018 - BUNS

In this issue... Bunny of the Month Hoppy Hour and Pignic Basic Bunny Class A Guide to Bunny Poop   Hoppy Hour and Pignic Bring your fuzzy friend, April 7 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. 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 critter, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Our next class is April 14. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       Guniea Pig of the Month Francisco is such a nice little piggy, and is a very active boy. He really enjoys his exercise time, and loves to zip around exploring. He has such amazing markings, and a truly beautiful color. If you come to visit Francisco, prepare to fall in love! Click below to learn who the Bunny of the Month is! Read More     A Guide to Bunny Poop Bunny poops can communicate a lot of data via poop-o-gram if you're paying attention. This month we're sharing an article by Christie Taylor, an Educator with the House Rabbit Society who holds a PhD in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Click below to learn all about how your rabbit's "bunny bombs" can help you understand their health.  Read More     You Shop, Amazon Gives Start your shopping at smile.amazon.com and Amazon will give 0.5% of the price of eligible purchases to Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter.  To select Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter as your charity click below: Read More

The Carrot Tribune - March 2018 - BUNS

In this issue... New County Shelter Hours Basic Bunny Class March Hoppy Hour and Pignic Bunnies of the Month Feeding your Rabbit New County Shelter Hours Starting Monday, March 5th, the Santa Barbara Shelter will close for lunch from 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm.  The lunch closure will be effective Monday through Friday, our hours will remain the same on Saturdays. All employees will be taking their lunches during this time, so the shelter will not be staffed and will be closed to the public. Mon – Fri 9:00am – 12:30pm 1:30pm – 4:45pm Sat 10:00am – 12:30pm 1:30pm – 4:00pm   Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Our next class is March 10. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       Hoppy Hour and Pignic - March 17 Bring your fuzzy friend, March 17 from 1:30 PM to 3:30 PM and give them an opportunity to socialize with other rabbits and guinea pigs! Socialization is a very important part of overall rabbit and guinea pig welfare, and a Hoppy Hour is the perfect opportunity to let your fuzzy one 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 or guinea pig. 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 critter, so please join us for an afternoon of fun! Read More     Bunnies of the Month Wynnie and Rose are two wonderful, mature gals looking for a great forever home. Wynnie is an adorable Lionhead and Rose is a beautiful Lop, who puts the "C" in Classy. They are a loving, bonded pair who compliment each other wonderfully. This super pair have love to spare! Click below to learn who the Guinea Pig of the Month is! Read More     Feeding your Rabbit By Florence Hu When I was a kid we ate the same few foods every day. My dad didn't cook - he could barely boil water! So when my older brother could drive, we pooled our lunch money and headed to Safeway. Wow... 12 aisles of epicurean delights! After weeks of binging on Hydrox we settled in to a healthy and varied diet. My dad didn't know what hit him. Now consider food from the point of view of your pet rabbit. They can't shop, can’t pull greens out of the veggie bin in your refrigerator, and can't ask you for something different. At best, when mealtime becomes boring, they toss their food dish across the pen and stare at you with a look that says, "I disapprove".  Wild rabbits have a wide variety of plants at their disposal and are able to get all the nutrients they need from the environment. In our homes, it's up to us to build variety to keep our house rabbits healthy and prevent boredom. Who doesn't love a happy bunny that leaps with joy at the sight of a food dish!  Here are some guidelines for keeping your rabbit happy, well fed, and "funk" free: Daily nutrition should consist of: 80 to 90%: Fresh Hay  10-20%: Greens (see list)  Up to 5%: Optional Fruit Treats (see list) Fresh Hay Offer unlimited hay, available through most of the day, as bunnies are grazers. Acceptable hay varieties include timothy, brome, Bermuda, or mixed orchard grass. Avoid alfalfa which is too high in calories and protein.  Greens About 1 cup of greens per day for every three to four pounds of bunny. Some owners offer a handful or two twice a day, some only once. Try both and decide what works best for your bunny.  Healthy Greens for House Rabbits Alfalfa, radish & clover sprouts Basil § Beet greens (tops)  Bok choy Broccoli (mostly leaves/stems) § Brussels sprouts Carrot & carrot tops* Celery (tops mostly) Cilantro Clover Collard greens § Dandelion greens and flowers (no pesticides) § Endive Escarole Green peppers Lettuce: Romaine, Red or Green leaf (no iceberg or light colored leaf) § Mint Mustard greens § Pea pods (the flat edible kind) § Peppermint leaves Radicchio Radish tops Raspberry leaves Watercress § Wheat grass Use Sparingly Spinach* Parsley* Kale* * High in oxalates and may be toxic in large quantities over a period of time. § Contains vitamin A. Add gradually and eliminate if you spot soft stools or diarrhea.  Fruit Treats: Up to 2 Tablespoons per 5 lbs. of body weight. Apple Blueberries Melon Orange Papaya Kiwi Peaches Pears Pineapple Plums Raspberries Strawberries (including leaves) Watermelon  Never ever feed your bunny processed sugary foods, cakes, cookies or any "human treats" as research suggests these are poisonous to your rabbit’s digestive tract.  Preparation: Buy organic whenever possible. Wash greens thoroughly and remove any rotten sections. If the greens are not fresh enough for you to take a bite, don't feed them to your rabbit.  Optional Pellets:  Once considered a staple, pellets are now thought of as optional. If you wish to feed pellets, limit the quantity to 1 to 2 Tablespoons per day. Reduce or eliminate (gradually please) if your rabbit begins to look chunky. Look for a grass hay-based pellet consisting mostly of timothy hay. One manufacturer is Oxbow Inc.  If you are unsure about a food or have any questions, come see us at BUNS. If you are a first-time rabbit owner, we encourage you to attend one of our Basic Bunny classes, offered monthly.    Support BUNS When You Shop at Ralphs You can help support BUNS by shoping at Ralphs! First you must register on line with Ralphs and choose Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter as your charity. Each time you shop at Ralphs, they make a donation to BUNS. It’s that easy!  You must renew each year, so even if you've signed up before, make sure you sign up again. Click on this link for instructions: http://www.bunssb.org/donations/ralphs-community-rewards/

The Carrot Tribune - February 2018 - BUNS

In this issue... Basic Bunny & Guinea Pig Class February Hoppy Hour Guinea Pig of the Month We’ve Seen Fire and We’ve Seen Rain and Mud   Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Our next class is February 10. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  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) Read More       Hoppy Hour Bring your fuzzy friend, February 24 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     Guinea Pig of the Month Margo is a large and lovely girl who is super cuddly (and if you are lucky, she may even reward you with kisses). She has a beautiful cinnamon coat color and is not afraid to show it off! This piggy really sparkles and shines! Want to learn who the Bunny of the Month is? You'll have to visit our website at bunssb.org/bunny-of-the-month! Read More     We’ve Seen Fire and We’ve Seen Rain and Mud BUNS has been busy caring for evacuees from the Thomas Fire and Montecito mud slides. Emergency care during evacuations is part of the work that BUNS. We are grateful that we were able to help our bunny and guinea pig families during this emergency.  FIRE As the Thomas Fire began to burn toward Carpinteria, we began to prepare for evacuees. Phil pulled and cleaned emergency cages, litter pans and crocks. He set them up and we waited for mandatory evacuation notices. In the meantime, a blanket of smoke covered the south coast. Holiday travel plans or just a need to get children out of the smoke added to the crisis. We began to get calls for help. But, the shelter will only take animals from mandatory evacuation zones. So a number BUNS volunteers took rabbits into their own homes.  One family was in San Francisco when their rabbit sitter was evacuated and unable to care for the rabbits. Another had travel reservations, but their sitter cancelled due to the fire. Another family was in a voluntary evacuation zone, but could not take their bunnies with them. BUNS volunteers took over 10 rabbits into their homes. With mandatory evacuations we took 5 evacuated rabbits into the shelter. Then Animal Services announced that other evacuated rabbits should go the the Santa Barbara Humane Society. We were shocked. But the middle of an emergency is no time to argue. BUNS President Kimmy Swann went to the Humane Society with an offer of help. They had no rabbit cages or supplies. BUNS volunteers moved our emergency cages and with supplies to the Humane Society. Each day a BUNS volunteer would go to the Humane Society, clean cages, bring litter boxes back to BUNS, rinse and refill, pick up fresh salad and take it all back to the Humane Society. We cared for 5 rabbits and 2 guinea pigs at the Humane Society and five rabbits at the shelter. BUNS volunteers also helped at the Red Cross Shelter at UCSB. We helped set up crates to keep the 2 bunnies, 16 dogs, 5 cats and 2 birds safe. One 84 year old woman was crying because her cat would not eat or drink. After it was in a large crate, with a litter box and bowls it started eating and drinking. She was so happy. Our volunteers worked long hours wearing face masks. The holidays, the fire, and UCSB winter break left only a small group of BUNS volunteers. Many worked extra days and extra hours at the shelter, Humane Society and the Red Cross shelter. Two of our volunteers, both named Jackie, were off work due to the fire and a school break. They were especially generous with their time. We were so happy when families were able to collect their rabbits and go home. We thought we would get a well deserved rest. RAIN and MUD Then, Monday Jan. 7, mandatory evacuation was declared due to threat of mudslides. Our first call came Monday night. Effie, a fire evacuee, who had just gone home, needed a place to stay again. Of course, we said yes, bring her to the shelter. We will find a place for her. This time, Animal Services agreed that BUNS could accept evacuated rabbits and guinea pigs. Once again we set up emergency cages. Over the next few days BUNS took in over 30 rabbits and guinea pigs. Many of them had just gone home after the last evacuation. Our population more than doubled. County staff and volunteers from the ASPCA and Marin County went into the mudslide to rescue animals that had been left behind. One guinea pig came in on Sunday wet and muddy. The Zaida’s took her home to clean up and dry off.  Four evacuated guinea pigs came to BUNS.  Their owner came in to visit and give her piggies treats.  While the owner was holding and loving her piggies she started crying. She said how grateful she was her babies were being so well cared for. Her house was destroyed in the mud slide, she was traumatized, but her piggies were well cared for. Many evacuees came to visit their bunny and guinea pig friends. We welcomed them. They had many stressful situations to deal with, but at least their animals were safe and cared for. Again our volunteers stepped up and worked extra hours and days. Russ, our Thursday lead, could not to get to the shelter from Carpinteria. Ana, near the edge of the evacuation zone had to talk her way in and out more than once. But everyone pitched in. We were tired, but willing. Jordano's donated many boxes of lettuce. The lettuce helped with the bunny salads, but also fed over 100 chickens at the Humane Society.  Montecito continues to dig out of the mud. As people are allowed to go to their homes, we are again happy to see the rabbits and guinea pigs go with them. But, until their homes are ready, BUNS will continue to care for their pets. We are amazed each day at the courage and resilience of these families.  Whenever there are evacuations BUNS is prepared to offer emergency shelter. We do what we can to help families and their pets. We are glad to help.  You can help too, by making a donation to BUNS to help us replenish our supplies and continue to care for rabbits and guinea pigs in need in Santa Barbara.       Follow us on Instagram

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"

The Carrot Tribune - December 2017

In this issue... December Hoppy Hour Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Party Photo Booth Gallery Bunny of the Month 25 Years of BUNS     Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Classes 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 December 9. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  Read More       December Hoppy Hour Bring your fuzzy friend, December 16 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     Photo Booth Gallery All the bunnies and guinea pigs had a blast at the 25th Anniversary Party a few weeks ago, but some have been anxious to see the gallery from the photo booth!  The wait is over! Hop on over to our image gallery to see the results of our photo booth fundraiser! Read More       Bunny of the Month Miss Denim is a beautiful Chinchilla breed rabbit with a great personality... and our Bunny of the Month for December! She is a curious girl who loves her time as the "run-around bunny" at the shelter. She is a good hostess, and may even stop to receive treats (and pets, too!).  Most of all, Miss Denim is looking for the perfect human to make her life complete! Head to our Bunny of the Month page to learn who our Guinea Pig of the Month is... Read More     Twenty-Five Years of BUNS We had our 25th Anniversary Party on November, 18, 2017.  Our intrepid volunteers helped to organize and host the party at Earl Warren show grounds, in a lovely grassy area with tasty bbq with the amazing BUNS supporters and critters.  BUNS alumni joined new friends while bunnies and guinea pigs enjoyed an outdoor adventure on the grass with tunnels, hideways, treats, and each other to  play with. Even some BUNS animals got sponsored to join the fun, which always makes their wait for a forever home so much more pleasent! Hoppy Hour was well attended by 75 bunnies that delighted all the humans watching! Pignic piggy’s had fun playing and munching on grass and treats!  A professional photo booth with fun props was always very busy photographing attendees critters.  The sale and raffle money raised will help with so much for bunnies and piggys that need medical care.  Andrea Bratt came to help us with her sister Heidi Bratt selling many fun items and hosting bunny bowling and kissing booth! We were delighted that our founder Dorothy Deil came to enjoy the party and dedicated an exercise pen, complete with bunny plaque, in her name at BUNS!  We've had a great 25 years, and now look to the furutre to provide another 25 years of service for the animals and people in our community. We thank our community, adopters, and donors for the attendance and support you have given BUNS! We could not do it without you!

The Carrot Tribune - November 2017

In this issue... BUNS 25th Anniversary Party! Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class Bunny of the Month Clicker Training   BUNS 25th Anniversary Party On November 18th, we're hosting a party, and you're invited! This year is our 25th year in operation, and we want you to help us celebrate this November. It's a Hoppy Hour, Pignic, and Party all rolled into one great time! We'll have a raffle, bunny kissing booth, bunny photo booth, bunny bowling, bunny-wares sale, and more! Lunch will be available, along with wine, beer, and dessert! Lunch: $15 Hoppy Hour: $10 Pignic: $10 Read More       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 November 11. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  Read More     Bunny of the Month Jack Sparrow is adorable! This little Dutch breed bunny is a lovely boy with a curious nature. He is engaging and active, and is hoping to find his perfect match and his forever home! Read More       Clicker Training Bunnies I was in the middle of a Bunny Festival, when a tourist from England asked me what was happening. We had a lovely chat. She told me that rabbits in England jumped hurdles in competition. The idea was enchanting and I shared it with Andrea Bratt. Andrea began to train her rabbits to jump hurdles. One day her phone rang. Pet Star asked Andrea to put her bunnies on TV. At first Andrea thought it was a joke, but no, Pet Star really wanted hurdling bunnies for their show.  So Andrea began training her bunnies, Mattie, Philbert and Muffy, to hurdle in different locations: her hula studio, parks, the court house, and finally KEYT. One day, while training bunnies, the man who made the Oscar Meyer Weiner Mobile (yes, it was made in Santa Barbara), came by. He was also a dog trainer and advised us to learn more about clicker training. Andrea’s bunnies were filmed twice for Pet Star, but did not win the competition. After that, though, those bunnies would run their hurdle course under any conditions. See Mattie, Phibert and Muffy here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LE9OXATfF0o Andrea and I went to Karen Pryor’s Clicker Expo, a three day conference packed with information about animal training. Through Clicker Expo we met Teresa Lewin and Joan Orr who were writing a book, “Clicking with Your Bunny.” We were hooked. BUNS volunteers learned to clicker train. BUNS bunnies were jumping through hoops, following targets and generally having a good time. We sent photos of BUNS bunnies being trained for inclusion in the book. See more bunny tricks here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hgDHWLyztCI&NR=1  We joined Teresa in presenting a class at the House Rabbit Society Headquarters. Later we wrote an article on clicker training for the House Rabbit Journal. Then it was off to Reno, for the Best Friends 1,000 Bunny Rescue where we taught another class in clicker training. We taught at Best Friends in Utah and even went to Michigan to teach a class.  Andrea continued to pursue clicker training and began training dogs. Her knowledge and skills were assessed and certified as a trainer by the Association of Professional Dog Trainers (APDT). She opened her training business: K-9’s Behave. In addition to K-9’s behave, Andrea is under contract to train dogs for Animal Services. Andrea also teaches our Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class, which includes clicker training. In 2016 the APDT asked Andrea to present a class at their national conference on clicker training bunnies. Andrea, Paul, and Kristina Knight, a BUNS clicker trainer, packed up a group of BUNS bunnies for the conference. While she was there, Andrea was approached by an English lady, who said she had come from England for the Clicker Training Bunnies class. She brought Andrea tea as a thank you. So we came full circle, from the first English lady who got BUNS started on clicker training, to another English lady who came to the US to learn about it. Good Show!

The Carrot Tribune - October 2017

In this issue... 25th Anniversary Party! Basic Bunny Class Hoppy Hour Bunny of the Month Filling your Bunnies Stocking Why BUNS Spays and Neuters     Party Time! We're hosting a party, and you're invited! This year is our 25th year in operation, and we want you to help us celebrate this November. It's a Hoppy Hour, Pignic, and Party all rolled into one great time! We'll have a raffle, bunny kissing booth, bunny photo booth, bunny bowling, bunny-wares sale, and more! Lunch will be available, along with wine, beer, and desert! When: Saturday November 18, 2017, 12:30 pm to 3:30pm Where: Earl Warren Show grounds, 3400 Calle Real in Santa Barbara Tune in next month for more info!     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 October 14. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  Read More       October Hoppy Hour Bring your fuzzy friend, October 28 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   Filling your Bunnies Stocking Have you ever wondered why your bunny can be sooo naughty? Because every bunny knows that Santa leaves naughty bunnies a bundle of sticks. So as that special night approaches, every bunny tries their very best to deserve the biggest bundle of sticks in Santa’s sleigh. Don’t disappoint your bunny or next year he will be really naughty. Willow branches are high on every bunny’s Santa list. And, with a little vigilance you can find willow trees growing right here in Santa Barbara. Snip a long flexible branch from the tree. Fold it back and forth, leaves and all, until it makes a nice bundle. Tie it with raphia. If you are lucky enough to get willow branches, cut them into 6” to 10” lengths and tie them in a bundle for your bunny’s stocking. Store them in a well ventilated and dry area until Santa arrives. Here are some other things you can do to make your bunny or guinea pig’s holiday extra special. Give them an edible bouquet: http://www.bunssb.org/bunnies/edible-bouquets-and-basket-bowers/ Make a editble  toy: http://www.bunssb.org/bunnies/do-it-yourself-toss-toy/ Let them rest on or tear up a paper mat: http://www.bunssb.org/buns-newsletter/september-2013/make-mat/ Or go to the Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter wish list on smile.amazon.com for things to buy. And remember, if your bunny wants you to leave carrots for Santa, he may be planning to sneak in after you go to bed and eat them all.   Why BUNS Spays and Neuters This year is the 25th anniversary of BUNS! We're celebrating by sharing stories about our history. In 1992, when BUNS began, there were only a few bunnies at the shelter. But with BUNS the quality of care increased and rabbits were not routinely euthanized. People became more comfortable bringing rabbits to the shelter. By 1994, it was clear that rabbits were entering the shelter faster than they were leaving. Some of the rabbits delivered litters at the shelter. So we were very aware of how quickly rabbits could breed. At first we handled the increased population by adding more housing. Outdoor hutches at first and then we built the rabbit building. The building housed 18 cages, which we thought would be sufficient. But no. The rabbits kept coming in and not enough were going out. One of our volunteers, Vickie Ward, had worked with other non profit animal rescue groups. She advocated for spaying and neutering rabbits from the begining. At that time, the County, on adoption of an un-neutered dog, collected a refundable spay neuter fee. The money would be refunded to the adopter upon presentation of proof that the dog had been neutered. Not everyone reclaimed their money, so the money in the fund grew. The County used the unclaimed money to spay or neuter dogs and cats. BUNS asked for some of the money for rabbit spay and neuters. We did get one grant, but it did not last long. Vickie made arrangements with Dr. Westheimer to spay and neuter rabbits for a reduced price. She, very generously, agreed to donate the cost of spay and neuter from her own pocket. Vickie continued to pay for spays and neuters until she stopped volunteering at BUNS. By that time we were committed to spay neuter. To this day, BUNS spays and neuters all the rabbits although the cost is often over $200 per animal. BUNS also tried neutering male guinea pigs, but sadly the guinea pigs we neutered died shortly afterwards. After four deaths, we had to give up.  It took a long time and a lot of hard work to develop our current spay neuter program, but there were two excellent outcomes.  First, Animal Services decided to spay and neuter the rabbits at the Santa Maria and Lompoc shelters prior to adoption. They did not want residents of those towns to have less service than BUNS was providing. Second, over the years intake at BUNS has reduced and our rabbit population, while it varies, has stopped growing. Still, every year BUNS gets calls from families whose rabbits gave birth unexpectedly. Today, we are better able to help them and we are glad to be of assistance.     Recently on Instagram...

The Carrot Tribune - September 2017

In this issue... Basic Bunny Class Sept. 9 Hoppy Hour Sept. 23 Bunny of the Month Figueroa Mountain Bunnies Update Remembering Bunny Festival   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 September 9. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  Read More       September Hoppy Hour Note: after a late start last month, we're back to our usual starting time! Bring your fuzzy friend, September 23 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     Figueroa Mountain Bunnies Update BUNS took eleven of the bunnies that had been abandoned on Figueroa Mountain.  Sadly, two of the rabbits died of myxomatosis within a week of rescue.  To avoid exposing all the shelter rabbits to myxomatosis, we placed the survivors in quarantine. Quarantine is over. Four of the rabbits have been spayed. They will be available for adoption by September 9. The rest will be adoptable shortly after that.  Ed. note: The following thoughts on the Figueroa Mountain bunnies comes from longtime volunteer Jean Silva: Two weeks after the rabbits were rescued I got a call from a woman who left the rabbits at Figueroa Mountain.  She had been out of town and returned to find news paper stories. She called to explain what she had done.  She said that they were meat rabbits that had been abandoned on her property. They had been left sitting in the sun in a stack of “old raccoon traps” and covered by a tarp and a quilt.  The rabbits were in poor condition. She kept the rabbits for a couple of months. They slaughtered the males for meat as “that was what they were for.”  The does lived un-caged. With better food and living conditions the does’ health improved.  Some of them, she said, though developed diarrhea. She said that she did not keep them in cages and wanted them to have as much time as possible as free rabbits. Eventually she was no longer able to care for them. She released them on Figueroa Mountain so that they would have some time to run free.  When I asked why they did not bring the rabbits to the shelter, she replied they were meat rabbits.   The conversation left me with lots to think about. What makes a meat rabbit vs a pet rabbit? Why does releasing a domestic rabbit seem kind? For me, all rabbits, like all dogs are pets. The fact that some people eat them, does not, for me, change them into meat. The Figueroa Mountain bunnies may not have been young or small, but they are gentle, sweet, like to be petted and use their litter box.  They are perfectly nice rabbits and will make good pets.  They are much more than meat.   As for releasing a domestic rabbit into nature, I find it difficult to see that as a kind act.  Rabbits who are dumped in nature must be like the survivors whose small planes go down in the wilderness.  They struggle mightily to find shelter, food and water.  They endure extremes of temperature and are attacked by predators.  That was what happened to the Figueroa Mountain bunnies. The rabbit bodies littering the mountain gave testimony to their struggle.These are not stories of an idyllic life, they are stories of suffering, hardship and, in the end, luck. The unlucky do not tell their stories. In the end, Benjamin Franklin says it best: “So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do.”     Remembering Bunny Festival This year is the 25th anniversary of BUNS! We're celebrating by sharing stories from our volunteers about their experiences with BUNS. This month's story comes from Jean Silva: Bunny Festival seemed like the answer to the big challenge in the early days of BUNS. More rabbits came to the shelter than were adopted.  We had to reduce intake and increase adoptions. Spaying and neutering the rabbits became a priority. Just a quickly we needed to raise the money to pay the vet.  And, we needed to adopt more rabbits.  by 1997 the answer seemed to be Bunny Festival. The first Bunny Festival was supposed to be like most Santa Barbara Festivals.  We planned on lots of artists selling their wares.  Like the 4th of July at the Mission.  The plan was to raise about $35,000 from vendor fees.  But, it didn’t work out.  All the artists were at the beach on Sunday so none of them signed up.  Other rescues, who sold bunny supplies, signed up as vendors, but as a big source of revenue it never worked out. Not to worry, we would have rabbits available for adoption. That would lower the shelter’s population.  That did not work out either.  Lots of people wanted to see and pet bunnies. Some even filled out adoption applications, but most of them changed their minds. But BUNS is nothing if not persistent.  So for the next 15 years we held Bunny Festival.  People loved the event. To this day we get questions about Bunny Festival.  I won’t deny that there were lots of great moments. But they all came with very hard work. Spa Bunne was my favorite. We groomed lots of bunnies and guinea pigs. But most important people saw a vet. Every year we would find at least one bunny that really needed that vet visit.  Then there was Laura Stinchfield the Pet Psychic.  Each year people would tell me things their bunny said.  Nancy’s bunny said that she did not like the neighbor’s cat staring at her. Rosemary’s bunnies said their favorite game was tug - but Rosemary never played tug with them.  Days after Bunny Fest, Rosemary open some fruit leather and as usual called her bunnies. They ran up, took hold of the fruit leather and tugged with all their might: Tug. Other people loved the bunny games.  Andrea Bratt did a super job. There were obstacle courses, bunny bowling, banana eating contests. There was always a crowd and everyone was smiling.  I could go on forever- the photos booth took very cute pictures.  Some are on our website to this day. The bake sale and silent auction had great buys. Kids loved the crafts face, painting and jump houses in their area.   In 1997 many organizations contributed to Bunny Festival.  The Sunken Garden was free. The County elections division loaned us their tables and chairs. Los Prietos Boys camp helped with set up and take down. But as time passed the festival got more expensive.  Parks wanted $500 for the Garden. Elections stopped loaning tables so we paid to rent. The Health Department did not want home made goods. We had to buy food. Fewer vendors made the trip.  We made less and less money. Worse yet, we were getting older and older and Bunny Festival was just plain hard physical labor.  So in the end we decided to end Bunny Festival, but we will always have the memories.

The Carrot Tribune - August 2017

In this issue... Figueroa Mountain Rescue August Hoppy Hour The Minions Escape! BUNS and GUNS       Figueroa Mountain Rescue Last week someone dumped bunnies up Figueroa Mountain, and our volunteers have been hard at work trying to rescue them this past weekend. There is plenty for the bunnies to eat, but no water until our BUNS crew gave some! They managed to save 15, but one holdout remains on the mountain. The last rabbit spotted holed up in another giant hollow fallen oak log, and couldn’t be persuaded to come out with sticks or carrots! If you want to see the size of the log, along with the heroic rescue crew, check out the attached photograph. Plans for a return (and hopefully final) capture attempt are under consideration.  Read More     August Hoppy Hour Please note the time change... our August Hoppy Hour starts half an hour later than usual! Bring your fuzzy friend, August 26 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 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       The Minions Escape Story by volunteer Barb Pies It was a normal Tuesday morning but then when I walked into the Christmas Bunnies pen, I realized there were only 4 visible Christmas Bunnies of the herd of 12. I checked all hiding places in their special area; tubes, hampers, boxes indoors and out, even behind their large condo structure. Three days prior they had started digging a tunnel below the front entrance (see photo below) to their large, two story hutch but it had been filled in. The same tunnel had been dug again and we suspected ‘somebody’ was in there. “I hear thumping in there”, Volunteer Cole insisted. Many of the bunnies had made it into the large basement below the 1st story wood floor. We had secured two buns on the top floor so now that meant there were 10 down below! Volunteer Amy set up a folding Xpen to corral any that came out, but the rabbits were not cooperating. We gently persuaded a few with a broom and Amy quickly closed the double cage doors behind them. The three of us continued our efforts until we were down to just a few holdouts. Cole had to leave for the day but Ron was enlisted to help. Using the white Coroplast boards from the aviary cages, Ron was stretched out half in/half out of one hay pan opening, blocking escape from his end and encouraging them to exit near Amy. When the basement was empty as last, the tunnel was barricaded with bricks and the two upstairs individuals were allowed to hop down the carpeted ramps to join the escapees,12 bunnies in all! Ron, Amy, and I staggered over to the sink to clean up (Ron had scraped both shins) and to congratulate each other — Mission Accomplished!     BUNS and GUNS  This year is the 25th anniversary of BUNS! We're celebrating by sharing stories from our volunteers about their experiences with BUNS. This month's story comes from Jean Silva: In the early 1990’s, the single kennel attendant at the shelter could barely care for the dogs. So if a new animal wasn’t a dog or a cat, staff sent it to BUNS. The results could be startling. One morning a 3 foot iguana leapt onto and ran up the wall of the aviary. I jumped almost as high. Then there was the turkey; a big bird with a round tail like you used to color in kindergarten during Thanksgiving. Ducks needed a pool, so we formed a daily bucket brigade to empty and refill the children’s wading pool. An so it went: tortoises, turtles, doves, chickens and guinea pigs. Guinea pigs had their own fan club among the BUNS volunteers. Several of our most faithful volunteers loved guinea pigs. And caring for guinea pigs, (hay, salad, pellets plus exercise time) fit nicely into our normal day. But guinea pigs were occasional guests. When they came, they went into small rabbit hutches.  One day I was met by a very upset volunteer. One of the guinea pigs had his foot stuck in the wire floor. His foot had slipped between the wires and become swollen. There was no way to free him. One of the officers had wire cutters. We cut out a small square of flooring around the leg. And, took the pig, floor and all, out of the cage. Then we could cut the remaining wires off the leg. The guinea pig squealed loudly, but  was otherwise un harmed.  Shortly after that incident we bought six real guinea pig cages. Kevin Freegard built a wooden frame to hold the cages. You can see the frame today in Room A. The Zaida family wrote a guinea pig care pamphlet for adopters with a hand drawn guinea pig on the cover. With that BUNS committed to caring for guinea pigs. But, we were Bunnies Urgently Needing Shelter - BUNS. Should we also be Guineas Urgently Needing Shelter - GUNS?  For a while we talked about a name change, but the concept of BUNS and GUNS did not catch on. So we just stayed BUNS but we added Guinea Pigs to our daily operations.

The Carrot Tribune - July 2017

In this issue... Basic Bunny Class July Hoppy Hour Calling all Guinea Pig Experts! If Your Bunny Has Myxomatosis How the Bunnies Gained Independence     Basic Bunny Class, July 15 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 July 15. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  Read More       July Hoppy Hour Bring your fuzzy friend, July 29 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   Calling All Guinea Pig Experts! If you have experience with piggie-wrangling and cavy care-taking, BUNS is looking for you!  WHAT: BUNS needs volunteers (age 16 or older) with experience socializing and bonding guinea pigs, doing nail trims, health checks, grooming fur, cleaning ears, bathing, and possibly, in future, chaperoning or “bouncing” at our Pignic events. WHO: BUNS currently has a nice assortment of super-cute guinea pig males and females in pairs and singles. WHEN: Your talents are needed for a regular weekly shift of  2 or more hours at the shelter and / or helping at our quarterly Pignic events. If you have some, but not all, of the above skills, we’d still love your assistance! Please email info@bunssb.org or call us at 805-683-0521.     Miss Caress Miss Caress is our Bunny of the Month! She's a shy but curious girl, who has a lovely spirit and  a regal manner. She appreciates pets and scratches around her beautiful ears, and speaking of beautiful - her coat is incredibly soft and shiny! Miss Caress is ready to find her forever family. Want to know who our Guinea Pig of the Month is? You'll have to visit our website! Read More     If Your Bunny Has Myxomatosis Since the beginning of the year BUNS has heard of six cases of Myxomatosis at four different veterinary clinics. The seventh case was at the shelter, Jewel came into us with Myxomatosis.  Myxomatosis is a fatal viral disease affecting only rabbits. It is transmitted by biting insects, mosquitoes, fleas, biting flies, and ticks.  We have an article on our website about the disease and how to prevent it: http://www.bunssb.org/bunnies/myxomatosis This week, BUNS has spoken to two people who were afraid that their bunny had myxomatosis.  In both cases the rabbit had one or more of the symptoms: lethargy, swelling of the eyes, ears, lips, genitalia and anus.  We just experienced a case of myxomatosis at the shelter. This is what we learned. First, make an appointment with your vet. Your vet can diagnose the illness and advise you on what to do next.   Second, even before seeing your vet, move the sick bunny into a room with no open windows or doors, no other bunnies and little traffic. If your bunny has myxomatosis, s/he is now a source of the virus. If s/he is bitten by an insect, that insect can give the disease to another bunny.  Even if you do not have another bunny, your sick bunny could be the source of infection and death for another bunny in the neighborhood.  Third if you have other bunnies, move them into a separate room from the bunny you think is sick.  Keep the doors and windows closed.  Plan to monitor your other rabbits for signs of the disease for 14 days.  Fourth, make sure flea control for all your pets is up to date.  Your dog or cat will not catch myxomatosis. But they could provide a ride to a flea that fed on your bunny. That flea could transmit the disease to other bunnies in your home or even in the neighborhood.   If you are not using flea control, start now.  BUNS is using Vectra 3D which, in addition to killing fleas, repels 80% of three of the four types of mosquitoes common in our county. However, like most flea products, its use is off-label for rabbits.  Additionally, if your rabbit weighs less than 5 lbs, you will need to use less than the pre-packaged dose.  Discuss flea control with your vet before selecting any product. Fifth, prepare yourself, your family and your bunny for the possibility of euthanasia. There is no treatment for Myxomatosis. The disease rapidly progresses to death. However in the days before your rabbit dies, they appear to be quite miserable. Euthanasia may be the kindest thing. Spend some time with your rabbit.  If s/he is still eating, serve its favorite foods. Give lots of pets. Give your children a chance to say goodbye. Tell your bunny how glad you are that s/he was in your life.  If you choose to euthanize, you may take your bunny to the vet. If you would like it done at home, ask your vet. If they are not able to come to your home, BUNS has contact information for several mobile vets. Decide on your pet’s final resting place. Your vet can take care of the body or arrange for cremation. You may decide on home burial.   The loss of a pet can be as painful as the loss of a family member. If your bunny had a buddy plan of spending extra time with them. Consider how best to help children in the family. Be sure to include yourself for a little extra TLC.  You can always come to the shelter for some bunny time or someone to talk to. The House Rabbit Society has a list of resources: http://rabbit.org/faq-pet-loss-support-and-grief/  The Tufts University Pet Loss Support Hotline is available 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm EST Monday through Friday.  They have a downloadable brochure with advice helping your children and companion animals: vet.tufts.edu/petloss Read More     How the Bunnies Gained Independence By Jean Silva. In the spirit of the fourth of July. In the early ‘90s the County Animal Shelter, where BUNS operates, barely had enough staff to care for the dogs. The director of Animal Services was a former health educator with a passion for children but not for animals.. He was happy to have volunteers caring for animals. When bunny lovers began to care for the rabbits no staff paid much attention. Gradually, we took on more responsibility and more rabbits. The House Rabbit Society had information about diet, housing and exercise. Dr. Haskell helped us with sanitation, disease control and veterinary care. Our friends in the Dog Adoption and Welfare Group (DAWG) let us use their non profit status and we raised money for the rabbit building. We were feeling pretty confident. The dogs were another story. County staff and DAWG volunteers continually disagreed. The most passionate disagreements dealt with euthanasia and who would decide which dogs would die. But, the volunteers had a role in euthanasia decisions. The disagreements reached the boiling point and a new director was hired. He was an emergency medical technician with no experience in shelter management. At first the new director spent a lot of time talking with staff and volunteers. We were hopeful that he would bring us all together to work on behalf of the the animals. One day I arrived at the shelter to find a dog volunteer standing by a kennel sobbing. The staff had taken a dog to be euthanized with no warning. That was how DAWG volunteers learned that they no longer had a say in euthanasia. After that all volunteers were afraid. If a rabbit was left the shelter, volunteers would fear the worst. We learned to put notes on the cages and sign in sheets for rabbits that had gone to foster, the vet or had been adopted. Some days we would see a group of staff, with little smiles, carrying the red box full of euthanasia drugs and know that another dog was about to die. And, weekly, we found dog volunteers mourning over lost friends. The County did not attempt to euthanize rabbits. Instead the new director informed us that he was moving all rabbit hutches to the Lompoc and Santa Maria Shelters. We had just finished the rabbit building. Our volunteers were talking among ourselves about giving our hutches to the other shelters. But, when the new director announced he was seizing the hutches, we said no. The hutches belonged to BUNS not to the County. Dr. Haskell had recommended that new rabbits be held in hutches until we were sure they were healthy. The new director responded that rabbits had no value and did not merit this consideration. He did agree that we could have 2 hutches. We continued to use the hutches. One day, I arrived at the shelter to find that staff had taken an axe and demolished a hutch. The pieces were left on the ground in the rabbit area. Shortly after that the new director had staff move all the rabbit hutches to the rear of the shelter and forbade us from using them as long as they were on county property. Enough was enough. The rabbits decided to fight. We allied with the DAWG volunteers. They had a base of public support. We had people who knew county politics. We drew up Memorandums of Understanding for both groups and presented them to the Public Health Director. We had meetings with members of the Board of Supervisors. We made contributions to political campaigns and held fund raising parties. We reached out to volunteers in Lompoc and Santa Maria and lobbied our supervisors on their behalf.The dogs and the bunnies dug deep, bit hard and would not let go. It was a painful time. Full of stress. Each time you approached the shelter, you did not know what you would find. Or what would happen when you left. Often at night my husband and I would watch Zulu, a movie about a small band of British soldiers fighting thousands of Zulu warriors. Like them we too hoped to survive, but the outcome looked grim. Good things did come from our efforts. BUNS and DAWG had their MOU’s approved by the Board of Supervisors. DAWG used part of a bequest and a grant to improve the kennels in Lompoc. The Director of Animal Services was removed. Supervisor Wallace, a vet, visited the Santa Maria Shelter - a derelict house that was too small for health or safety. He left in tears with a dog. A new director Jan Glick, who was an animal shelter professional, was hired as the new director. The County built a beautiful new shelter in Santa Maria. Since that time, BUNS has had control over what happens within the fence that surrounds the rabbit area. We have been able to provide a no kill shelter in an open admission stray animal shelter. We have been very fortunate and owe a great deal to all the people who supported us, DAWG, the Board of Supervisors and to our director Jan Glick.

The Carrot Tribune - June 2017

In this issue... Basic Bunny and Guinea Pig Class - June 10 Hoppy Hour - June 17 Bunny of the Month Twenty-Five Years of BUNS: A No Kill Shelter I Maddonari         Basic Bunny Class, June 10 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 April 8. Join us on our Facebook event page to learn more!  Read More     Hoppy Hour - June 17 Bring your fuzzy friend, June 17 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 Our Bunny of the Month is Darla, a stunning girl with a curious and friendly personality. She loves to know what everyone is doing, and loves getting treats, as well! She has the most stunning blue eyes, and her lovely gaze will melt your heart. Darla is hoping to find her forever home with you. Want to know who our Guinea Pig of the Month is? Visit our website to find out! Read More     Twenty-Five Years of BUNS: A No Kill Shelter This year is the 25th anniversary of BUNS! We're celebrating by sharing stories from our volunteers about their experiences with BUNS. This month's story comes from long-time volunteer Jean Silva: In 1992, when BUNS was founded, public shelters faced a population problem. Public shelters are open admission: they accept any stray animal from their service area. These shelters had only so many cages or kennels and only so many staff. So when the cages and kennels were full, the arrival of a new animal meant that another animal had to go. Of course adoptions were the best outcome, but when no other option was available, euthanasia was the answer. No kill shelters, in contrast, managed their populations by admitting a new animal only when space was available. BUNS was different. We were an open admission no kill shelter. Our volunteers did not plan on euthanizing any healthy rabbit. Indeed many of our early volunteers began work at the shelter to save lives. So we did all the work, provided all the cages and hutches, and paid all the bills. When we ran out of space for rabbits, we found or bought another hutch; we moved rabbits into foster homes. As the number of rabbits at the shelter grew, we found new volunteers or worked harder. But, no matter what, we did not euthanize healthy rabbits. Most weeks only one or two rabbits would come into the shelter. So all we had to do was keep a couple of cages open at all times. The challenge was to find space for groups of bunnies. Family groups could be housed in one hutch, but as the babies grew more space was needed. Fortunately the Long Run was donated. It was bout 10 feet long, with an enclosed cage at one end and the remaining 7’ as a fully enclosed wire run. In 2001 our newsletter reported: “On Wednesday December 28th, BUNS received 19 Agouti rabbits. Many of these poor little souls had sore paws, and two of them required extensive medical attention for jaw abscesses and GI blockage. Another one, named Gino, just decided he did not like this whole thing and stopped eating. Thanks to the quick response of all our volunteers we have been able to shelter them all. All of them are making full recoveries. Now we are on the lookout for good homes for all of them.” After this, we began to collect cages. A local research facility that went out of business donated 19 small rabbit cages. Mostly the cages were stored. But in an emergency they could be used as temporary housing. Rabbits could stay there until a foster home or a larger cage opened. During the Jesusita Fire in 2009, BUNS filled to the rafters. A BUNS foster home and a rabbit border had to be evacuated. One of our volunteers, Andrea, turned her backyard into a bunny refuge for our BUNS fosters. Meanwhile, evacuees were bringing their rabbits to the shelter. Jean, whose own fosters were evacuated to Andrea’s, spent the night at the shelter. Each time a new rabbit arrived, she would pull an emergency cage from storage. She set it on top of a hutch added a litter box, food and water. The shelter stayed open all night receiving dogs, cats and rabbits. The next morning BUNS volunteers appeared without being asked. Everyone worked extra shifts: checking new rabbits, trimming nails, cleaning and feeding. Our wonderful volunteers kept this up until people were able to return to their homes and claim their bunnies. And so it goes, once every one or two years we get a large group of rabbits. Overnight the shelter population can double. Our last big group was the Christmas rabbits. Twenty eight rabbits arrived in December 2013. We still have 12 of this group at the shelter. When the next fire happens. When the next family whose breeding got out of control arrives, BUNS will be there for you and for the rabbits.     I Maddonari on Facebook Read More