Tots' Bunny Nabbed in Circus Protest

[Elf Mommy]

Tuesday, September 25, 2007

SPOKANE, Wash.— A pet rabbit named Sugar Bunny was stolen from a preschool and fliers protesting circus animal acts were left in its empty cage.
The preschool's children gathered in a circle Monday to remember Sugar Bunny.
"We talked about how some people have different ideas about animals," said teacher Lori Peters. "Some people don't think they should be in cages."
Sugar Bunny vanished from the Community Building Children's Center on Saturday, teachers said.
"Somebody stoled him," 5-year-old Zion told The Spokesman-Review, which gave only the first names of him and other children in a report on the heist. "I'm sad."
The fliers expressed protests against the Ringling Brothers Circus, which was in town during the weekend, and had a picture of a bear trying to escape from a cage. The fliers bore the names of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Northwest Animal Rights Network.
Daphna Nachminovitch, director of PETA's domestic animal department, said the group would not endorse stealing a pet bunny.
"Just like dogs and cats, (rabbits) have been domesticated, so we encourage people who have the knowledge and ability to adopt rabbits from their local shelters," Nachminovitch said.
It's unclear whether the preschool will find a new pet, Peters said.

 

[Bo B Bunny]

I'm speechless.

 

[beccashell]

stole a school pet??? how else are kids going to learn to care about animals.

 

[BlueGiants]

Twisted people! To do that to children? (And the poor bunny! God only knows what happened to him!)

 

[Thumpers_Mom]

That is truly sad! :X

I hope the bunny is ok. ray:

 

[Bo B Bunny]

These are the people who think it's great to FREE the animals - and then they end up in shelters or rescues IN A CAGE..... and they could have been in their loving home all along.

My daughter's school had a teacher with a class bunny. He was loved by everyone..... except one parent who thought it was "nasty" having a "rodent" running around the building. Yeah - he kinda had freedom in the halls and everyone kept an eye on him. Mostly he hung out in the classes getting love -

He is a Chocolate Mini-rex :biggrin2:

So, now he lives at his teacher mommy's house. I miss him myself. I took him treats.

 

[BlueGiants]

All animals have been banned from our local school properties. Everybody is so worried about litigation (getting sued) if someone get scratched or nipped. They are not even allowed to do the chick hatching anymore! What are we teaching our kids today?

My daughter did a 4-H presentation a couple of years ago, infront of 4-H kids from all over. After her "talk", a boy (about 10 years old) came up and asked to hold a bunny. She was very good about showing him how to hold it properly and you should have seen the kids face light up! When she took the bunny back, the bunny kicked a little and scratched the boys stomach through his shirt (just light red marks.... nothing to be concerned about).The father called me up that night screaming at me, that if his kid had to have rabies shots because of MY rabbit, he'd sue me.... and if his kid got sick because of exposure to dirty, filthy animals... well, you get the idea. I was SO upset... (I do NOT have dirty, filthy rabbits!). Definately not in the spirit of 4-H! But again, what are our kids learning from this... ? They are the ones that lose out....

 

[Bo B Bunny]

That's exactly what's wrong with this country. Everyone wants to sue someone because they have some burr up their butts! :X

In my opinion, I think there should be some sort of educational course involving pets. I think it should be a program in every school to teach kids early on that we should respect, treat them fairly and understand animals.

Lord, if I sued people over their animals hurting my kids, I'd be a millionaire! LOL!

Luke was drug over a sheep pen by a ewe 2 years ago and has a huge scar down his side from it. We've been stepped on, bitten, peed on, pooped on, butted, rammed, and pecked!

 

[~BunBuns~]

Poor bunny and kids!
Twisted people out there!:X

-April and Bunbuns

 

[okiron]

Rabbits...the next pit bulls.

 

[Haley]

How awful.

Just another reason pets shouldnt be in the classroom, its just not safe. As a future teacher I always try to encourage my peersnot tohave pets in the classroom.I got on my platform the other day in class.

Even if teachers have the best of intentions the animal usually ends up being neglected. Theres always that one kid thats going to try and feed it an M&M or worse, a quarter, when the teacher turns her back. But I digress

These people who take these bunnies and set them "free" make me sick.

 

[HoneyPot]

Rabbits aren't even circus animals... I don't get what stealing or freeing the bunny really accomplished or how it had any bearing on the rights of Circus animals... whoever that person was that stole that bunny was an idiot. They should have stolen an elephant instead.

 

[seniorcats]

What's even more worrisome is how did someone (presumably a stranger?) get into a preschool to have access to this rabbit? If I were a parent, I would be very concerned about over all safety and building access.

I agree with Haley about animals in the class room. Sounds like this little one was left alone (what about food, water, care over the weekend?) and very vulnerable to any type person, ill-intentioned or otherwise.

 

[Pipp]

Haley wrote:

Just another reason pets shouldnt be in the classroom, its just not safe. As a future teacher I always try to encourage my peersnot tohave pets in the classroom.

Popular rescue opinion, butI disagree, at least as worded. I don't think they should have classroom pets. But pets in the classroom are great. They're educational, kids can develop a love and respect for bunnies early in life and there can be a future generation tohelp rescue them.

But. The classroom can't be the 'owner' or guardian. The teacher or a parent has to be responsible for the bunny and at least take him/her home on weekends, summers, etc,and be prepared to house the rabbit at home for the rest of its life.

The 'sticking things in the cage' problem with the younger set is solvable with small wire mesh or screens. (Bunny George hates people messing with his bunnies and has a setup where nobody can give them anything or steal them even though they were living on a shopping cart in the street).

Meanwhile the kids learn responsiblity ('guardians' are appointed to properly feed and/or clean cages),health and anatomy (examinethe reasons for poos and cecals, what ailments to watch for and how the body willreact to them), geography (I didn'tknow domestics were from Europe, you have Netherland Dwarfs, Flemish Giants, etc, to pinpoint on the map). Heck, you can have an hour a day devoted to rabbits and youwon't run out of material. ) (I know this from personal experience! Still learning after three years!)

Pipp has a great future as a therapy bunny, her last trip to the 'developmentally disabled daycare' was a great success, watching the awareness lights going on was priceless.

sas

 

[Bo B Bunny]

REALLY GOOD POINT!

seniorcats wrote:

What's even more worrisome is how did someone (presumably a stranger?) get into a preschool to have access to this rabbit? If I were a parent, I would be very concerned about over all safety and building access.

I agree with Haley about animals in the class room. Sounds like this little one was left alone (what about food, water, care over the weekend?) and very vulnerable to any type person, ill-intentioned or otherwise.

 

[TK Bunnies]

seniorcats wrote:

What's even more worrisome is how did someone (presumably a stranger?) get into a preschool to have access to this rabbit? If I were a parent, I would be very concerned about over all safety and building access.

eeekkk... That's scary!

I feel bad for the bunny. I hope it's okay.

 

[~Bracon~]

:grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy::grumpy:

Ok, what these people don't understand is that some captive animals have lost some of their natural behaviours and wouldnt be able to survive in the wild.

The people they need to be targeting is the government, I agree that circus animals are treated badly and more needs to be done about it, but stealing peoples pets will not get the suport of the public



no matter how hard they try they'll never stop people owning pets, so they might as well stop wasting their time and try and work with people and not against them!

 

[swanlake]

it seems like everyone these days just wants an excuse to sue someone...



well there is a student teacher at my school who brought two rabbits, a boy and a girl. supposidly she is rabbit knowledgeable, BUT she didn't spay or nueter the rabbits! so when i asked people in this class what she was going to do once they had kits, they were like, oh she's just going to give them away.

AHHHH i was like omg, poor buns!!!

people are stupid