Haley
Well-Known Member
IVINS - Robin Kirker and Aggie Smith do not know how 17 lop-eared Angora rabbits ended up on Utah Highway 91 on Sunday. But Kirker and Smith, who work for the Ivins Animal Shelter, made sure the abandoned rabbits would meet a better fate than the roadway.
Deputy Jesse Williams from the Washington County Sheriff's Office collected the rabbits from the road along with an officer from the Ivins Public Safety Department.
"It's pretty horrible that someone just dropped them off," Williams said. "We have a lot of animal sanctuaries in the area."
The law enforcement officers brought the rabbits to the Ivins Animal Shelter on Sunday night. The rabbits' fur was severely matted in clumps of dirt and feces and many males had injuries to their ears. "They're just a mess," Kirker said. "They have been neglected."
Angora rabbits are not indigenous to the area, and their ease in human arms made Kirker conclude the rabbits had been domesticated, she said.
The ear injuries probably came from battling each other for dominance, she said.
Smith said coyotes and hawks could prey on the rabbits.
The no-kill shelter did not have the space or resources to house 17 rabbits, Kirker said. So she made a call to another shelter that did.
"We already had one bunny," Smith said. "And we have everything in here that wants to eat bunnies."
By Tuesday, three rabbits had been adopted and four were in foster care.
But even 10 rabbits were too many for the small shelter.
Best Friends Animal Society, the largest no-kill animal shelter in the United States, agreed to take the rabbits.
"These bunnies are going to animal heaven now," Kirker said.
Kirker and Smith loaded the 10 rabbits into animal crates at about 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
The animal control officers cradled one rabbit at a time as they transported the animals to the crates in the back of the Animal Control truck. Kirker then placed blankets on top of each crate before beginning the drive to Best Friends, located in Kanab.
Best Friends Animal Society has a Bunny House that 125 rabbits and five guinea pigs call home, said Debbie Widolf, manager of the Bunny House.
"Rabbits make wonderful companions, they just need extra understanding," Widolf said. "People just have to know what rabbits are like."
Widolf said a veterinarian will examine the rabbits today, and then they will be groomed. Once the rabbits have been deemed healthy they will be spayed or neutered, she said.
"Nobody looks ill so far," Widolf said.
Most rabbits at the shelter are adoptable, she said. The rabbits from Ivins will spend time at Best Friends before they are ready for adoption, Widolf said.
Widolf said anyone thinking about adopting from Best Friends must fill out an application and give references. The references are checked and usually someone is sent for a home inspection before the adoption is finalized, she said.
"Rabbits are not easy keepers like people think," Widolf said. "They need protection."
Most rabbits at the Bunny House are adopted in pairs, Widolf said, because they build a strong bond with other rabbits.
Kirker said she has never seen so many rabbits abandoned in Ivins before, but she is optimistic that new owners will adopt the rabbits at Best Friends Animal Shelter.
http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801160340
Deputy Jesse Williams from the Washington County Sheriff's Office collected the rabbits from the road along with an officer from the Ivins Public Safety Department.
"It's pretty horrible that someone just dropped them off," Williams said. "We have a lot of animal sanctuaries in the area."
The law enforcement officers brought the rabbits to the Ivins Animal Shelter on Sunday night. The rabbits' fur was severely matted in clumps of dirt and feces and many males had injuries to their ears. "They're just a mess," Kirker said. "They have been neglected."
Angora rabbits are not indigenous to the area, and their ease in human arms made Kirker conclude the rabbits had been domesticated, she said.
The ear injuries probably came from battling each other for dominance, she said.
Smith said coyotes and hawks could prey on the rabbits.
The no-kill shelter did not have the space or resources to house 17 rabbits, Kirker said. So she made a call to another shelter that did.
"We already had one bunny," Smith said. "And we have everything in here that wants to eat bunnies."
By Tuesday, three rabbits had been adopted and four were in foster care.
But even 10 rabbits were too many for the small shelter.
Best Friends Animal Society, the largest no-kill animal shelter in the United States, agreed to take the rabbits.
"These bunnies are going to animal heaven now," Kirker said.
Kirker and Smith loaded the 10 rabbits into animal crates at about 11:15 a.m. on Tuesday.
The animal control officers cradled one rabbit at a time as they transported the animals to the crates in the back of the Animal Control truck. Kirker then placed blankets on top of each crate before beginning the drive to Best Friends, located in Kanab.
Best Friends Animal Society has a Bunny House that 125 rabbits and five guinea pigs call home, said Debbie Widolf, manager of the Bunny House.
"Rabbits make wonderful companions, they just need extra understanding," Widolf said. "People just have to know what rabbits are like."
Widolf said a veterinarian will examine the rabbits today, and then they will be groomed. Once the rabbits have been deemed healthy they will be spayed or neutered, she said.
"Nobody looks ill so far," Widolf said.
Most rabbits at the shelter are adoptable, she said. The rabbits from Ivins will spend time at Best Friends before they are ready for adoption, Widolf said.
Widolf said anyone thinking about adopting from Best Friends must fill out an application and give references. The references are checked and usually someone is sent for a home inspection before the adoption is finalized, she said.
"Rabbits are not easy keepers like people think," Widolf said. "They need protection."
Most rabbits at the Bunny House are adopted in pairs, Widolf said, because they build a strong bond with other rabbits.
Kirker said she has never seen so many rabbits abandoned in Ivins before, but she is optimistic that new owners will adopt the rabbits at Best Friends Animal Shelter.
http://www.thespectrum.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008801160340
