Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society

Easter and Bunnies Don't Mix!

Contrary to Eastertime hype, rabbits and small children are not a good match. The natural exuberance, rambunctiousness and decibel-level of even the gentlest toddler are stressful for the sensitive rabbit. It is the rare child who will enjoy and appreciate the rabbit's subtle and sensitive nature. MCRS urges all of its members and animal-loving friends to help make a difference for rabbits this Easter. All of us can help share important info with our friends, families, neighbors, colleagues, children's school, and other members of our community.

Ways you can help:

• Share the message that baby rabbits aren't children's Easter gifts and that rabbits are now the third most common pet found in shelters, after cats and dogs.
• If someone is thinking about a cute little something just for Easter, with no mess or upkeep, that a child can snuggle and carry whenever they want, then please encourage them to get a stuffed toy bunny instead!
• Promote pet responsibility with the "Make Mine Chocolate" lapel pin. Comes with a card with rabbit facts! Also available as a magnet. For more information, refer to this press release sent out by MCRS.
• Print any of the following flyers to post on bulletin boards at your local market, church, school, day care, health club, library, coffee shop, or workplace.
  • The Perfect Easter Bunny - a MCRS flyer encouraging stuffed bunny toys for Easter instead of live rabbits
  • He's Not a Toy - a very nice flyer enouraging people not to buy rabbits as Easter gifts
  • Rabbits at Easter: A Sad Story - another educational flyer explaining why rabbits don't make good pets for small children
  • The Easter Bunny Poem - an extremely touching poem about one Easter bunny
• Send letters, like this sample letter, to the editor of your local newspapers. Please email us at info@mn.companionrabbit.org or call us with the newspaper you sent it to, or even better email or send the clipping when your letter is published!
• Don't support photo studios which use baby rabbits as props for Easter photographs. To help understand why, read a letter on the Ohio HRS website. Encourage studios to use toys, springtime hats or flowers. If you hear of photography studios, like Glamour Shots, using baby rabbits as props for Easter photos, please download this letter and send it to them. Please forward to us at info@mn.companionrabbit.org or call us at 651-768-9755 with the studio's name and address so we can keep track of the studios out there still doing this. We will also send this list of studios to ASPCA and HSUS. And with the list of studio names provided by you, we will have the studio names to contact way ahead of time for Easter 2006. If your local photo studio doesn't use baby rabbits – we have been told Target and JC Penny no longer do – please thank them for making a responsible choice. Give them your support and tell them why!
• If you know of someone who is genuinely interested in adding a rabbit to their family, encourage them to learn more on this website and at www.rabbit.org and urge them to visit Petfinder to see the many homeless rabbits available at local shelters.

For additional information regarding rabbits and Easter please refer to this press release sent out by MCRS and to the House Rabbit Society website's Easter section.

The MN chapter is growing strong, and we each can make a difference in the lives of hundreds of bunnies this season. If each one of us, at this time of year, can urge just one family to reconsider, imagine the difference that will make!

On behalf of rabbits everywhere and all of the members and friends of the Minnesota Companion Rabbit Society, thank you!