December 2009

The •
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•
World News
Your bunny & the holidays
Alice in Wonderland movie

Bunologist •
•
•
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Clarence the SUPER SPY story
The 12 days of Christmas with a house rabbit
Rabbits: their part in my downfall (farm buns)
Life at the Do Hop Inn
• Happy news story for adopted bun
Your FREE monthly rabbit newsletter • Rabbits are not Christmas presents
brought to you by BOING • Rabbit Run-away orphanage
Gifts that keep on giving
To join, visit www.scribd.com/bunologist •

or www.boingonline.com
Robbie Williams is a closet rabbit furry
What’s News? 14 November 2009 – www.theskinny.co.uk

Robbie Williams and his girlfriend dress up in rabbit

costumes at home.
I’d rather go naked than wear fur
The singer has confessed American actress Ayda Field
convinces him to don the matching animal outfits when they
are alone. “I have a rabbit costume, she has a rabbit
costume, she makes me get dressed up,” Robbie revealed.

Ayda is so proud of their costumes she is planning to

surprise friends and family this Christmas.

Robbie laughed: “She wants us to pose in our outfits for

Christmas cards this year.

Animal-lover Robbie dressed as the White Rabbit from

classic children’s tale Alice in Wonderland for the promo for
his new single You Know Me.

He told BBC Radio One: “I had a dream I was a rabbit, so I

decided to dress as one in my new video.”

CHRISTIAN SERRATOS - The New Moon star shows her
support for animals by baring it all in her sexy ad to say "I'd
rather go naked than wear fur”.
Each year, millions of animals are killed for their fur.
Rabbits, foxes, minks, dogs, cats, chinchillas, and other
animals are viciously & inhumanely killed for their fur all in
the name of fashion.
"I’ve always been opposed to slaughtering, eating, wearing
carcass. It's just always seemed gross to me”, says
Christian
Cheeky Chops
The Age (Melbourne) Magazine - Letter of the Month
December 2009
I had to laugh at James Langley referring to his pet sheep
as “chops”. It brought to mind my children asking their
grandmother to mind their pet grey rabbit as it was eating
newly planted seedlings in the vegetable garden. She
presented it to them cooked Sicilian style with onions,
carrots and raisins. The children were distraught, with one
muttering, “Lucky we didn’t ask her to mind the dog.”
Mary Mandanici, by email
Does this woman seriously think this is funny? I feel sick
just thinking about it. (BOING)
Tattooed model stages fur protest
24 November 2009 – Inform
http://www.inform.com/photo/1964294
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - Tattooed model and PETA
supporter Dani Lugosi protests against the wearing of fur
with a sign saying 'Ink Not Mink' at Pitt Street Mall.
Exterminate bunnies? Kill whales? Big
questions for ethical children
7 December 2009 – Sydney Morning Herald (Aus)
http://www.smh.com.au/national/exterminate-bunnies-kill-whales-
big-questions-for-ethical-children-20091206-kcyl.html
Just how ethical is it, in the mind of the average primary
school student, to hunt elephants for their tusks?
What about exterminating rabbits, racing horses or testing
cosmetics on animals, for that matter?
Students will wrestle with these and similar dilemmas as
part of ethics classes to be offered as an alternative to
special religious education studies in NSW.
Would you rather go naked than wear fur?
Not any longer!
22 November 2009 – Guardian (UK)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/nov/22/fur-
rather-go-naked
How did fur, once taboo,
become so acceptable –
desirable even – again?
Elizabeth Day investigates
an ethical dilemma that goes
to the heart of the fashion
industry – and meets the
animal rights campaigner
who refuses to be defeated
Keira Knightley (left) wears a
fur jacket to an awards
ceremony
On an otherwise
unremarkable grey autumn
day in London, a few
hundred protesters took to the streets around
Knightsbridge armed with home-made banners and
loudspeakers. Some of them had their faces half-obscured
by scarves. Others came with their children, holding their
hands tightly against the scrum.
Escorted by police, the crowd marched to several high-end
clothing stores, stopping outside Giorgio Armani, Fendi,
Joseph and Gucci. If it had not been for the banners and
the chants and the drum beats, one might have thought
they were on a guided tourist walk of the capital's best retail
locations. But these were no ordinary shoppers. These
were members of the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade,
who were out to target the specific shops that continue to
sell clothes made from fur.
To read the full article (very interesting), click the link above
Controversial Characters
The Age (Melbourne) Magazine – December 2009
Allanah Hill
Who: Fashion designer
Pervious form: Targetted for using fur in 2005 (even
though it was faux) so they say?!
When Allanah Hill used real rabbit fur in her dainty designs
in June, activists donned Grim Reaper-style cloaks and
waved placards outside her South Yarra boutique, while
Mick Molloy jokingly called her a “fur whore” at a David
Jones fashion parade. When PETA (People for the Ethical
Treatment of Animals) claimed she had sourced the fur
from China, where animal cruelty is common, Hill returned
fire, claiming she had received a death threat and 4,500
“abusive” emails. She also called on Attorney-General Rob
Hulls and Police Chief Commissioner Simon Overland to
address cyber-bullying. Hill eventually backed down,
announcing she had decided to stop using rabbit fur as a
trim – but not without a parting shot suggesting she was
“intimidated” into it.
 Your bunny & the holidays MOVIE
By Karen
Alice in Wonderland
When going on holidays, one thing you really need to
organise way in advance is…… What could be better….. a white rabbit, Johnny Depp, Tim
Burton fantasy. It’s all there!!! Out in 2010.
Who is going to look after your bunnies when
you go away????
Whoever you choose needs to be reliable, responsible and
able to think ahead (weather conditions, dangers, etc).
They need to understand rabbits - their needs, their diet &
when medical attention may be required.

If you can’t find a friend or relative who you consider to be

responsible enough to look after your bunny, it’s time to
organise a professional pet carer.

At BOING we board indoor, desexed & vaccinated buns but

we are already booked out for Christmas. We can only
take in two or three buns over holidays as we only have
very limited space in our house & need months of
advanced notice.

Rabbit Run (www.rabbitrun.com.au) also board rabbits in

Melbourne but they are also booked out for Christmas.

Other options will be pet minding services or your local vet

clinic.

Be aware that not all people will be as caring as you are

when it comes to looking after your bun so you need to be
very cautious (e.g. read The Age’s letter of the month on pg
1 – that was a supposedly trusted relative!)

Christmas & your bunny

Christmas is a time of celebration and festive cheer.
However, it’s not a time to become complacent when you
have a rabbit.
Clarence the SUPER SPY &
Inappropriate foods sitting about on plates or falling on the
floor could be enough for your house bunny to end up quite the Chaotic Christmas-Enemy
ill. Make sure that all human food is safely & securely kept
up high & away from inquisitive teeth.
of 1941!
Indoor buns love unwrapping presents too but never leave
a bunny unattended near presents or Christmas trees.
There are some very dangerous items that rabbits can
accidentally eat or chew that can cause serious harm.

Outdoor bunnies should not be ignored or forgotten on hot

summer days. Even if you’re having a wonderful time
playing in the pool or escaping a hot Christmas day indoors
with the air conditioner on, don’t forget that your bunny is
still outside in the heat.

If you have guests & family over for the holidays, make
sure that your bunnies are safe & away from too much http://clarencethesuperspy.blog.com/
festive cheer.
Another great bunny adventure by James Robertson
It’s better to be safe than sorry when it comes
to your bunnies!!
 On the ninth day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me,
Nine gnawed on packages,
Eight big arm scratches,
Seven sweet kisses,
Six bunny binkies,
Five big THUMPS,
Four vet bills,
Three chin rubs,
Two chewed cords,
& a pile of bunny poop under the tree.

On the first day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me, On the tenth day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me,
A pile of bunny poop under the tree. Ten nose nudges
Nine gnawed on packages,
On the second day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me, Eight big arm scratches,
Two chewed cords, Seven sweet kisses,
& a pile of bunny poop under the tree. Six bunny binkies,
Five big THUMPS,
On the third day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me, Four vet bills,
Three chin rubs, Three chin rubs,
Two chewed cords, Two chewed cords,
& a pile of bunny poop under the tree. & a pile of bunny poop under the tree.

On the fourth day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me, On the eleventh day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me,
Four vet bills, Eleven cordless lights,
Three chin rubs, Ten nose nudges
Two chewed cords, Nine gnawed on packages,
& a pile of bunny poop under the tree. Eight big arm scratches,
Seven sweet kisses,
On the fifth day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me, Six bunny binkies,
Five big THUMPS, Five big THUMPS,
Four vet bills, Four vet bills,
Three chin rubs, Three chin rubs,
Two chewed cords, Two chewed cords,
& a pile of bunny poop under the tree. & a pile of bunny poop under the tree.

On the sixth day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me, On the twelfth day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me,
Six bunny binkies, Twelve minutes of snuggling,
Five big THUMPS, Eleven cordless lights,
Four vet bills, Ten nose nudges
Three chin rubs, Nine gnawed on packages,
Two chewed cords, Eight big arm scratches,
& a pile of bunny poop under the tree. Seven sweet kisses,
Six bunny binkies,
On the seventh day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me, Five big THUMPS,
Seven sweet kisses, Four vet bills,
Six bunny binkies, Three chin rubs,
Five big THUMPS, Two chewed cords,
Four vet bills, & a pile of bunny poop under the tree.
Three chin rubs,
Two chewed cords,
& a pile of bunny poop under the tree.

On the eighth day of Christmas my bunnies gave to me,

Eight big arm scratches,
Seven sweet kisses,
Six bunny binkies,
Five big THUMPS,
Four vet bills,
Three chin rubs,
Two chewed cords,
& a pile of bunny poop under the tree.

Rabbits: their part in my
downfall
By Nimal
Isabelle, Lulu, Poppy and Zoe (the farm
bunnies) (part 1)
Adopted May 2009
They arrived under the cover of darkness on a Friday night
in May, transported in a carry cage that was very large but
barely big enough to contain the four big bunnies crammed
inside it. The rabbits had been freed from a factory farm
and now their rescuers were delivering them to us! Karen
and I both felt the excitement of taking part in a clandestine
liberation, even though we had been nowhere near the
hateful place where heinous crimes against bunnies were
being perpetrated. However, for the moment our most
pressing concerns involved getting these escaped
prisoners settled in and rehabilitated.
Firstly, where to put them? We were keen to quarantine the
newcomers from our other rabbits, but a recent fox attack
had put us off keeping bunnies outdoors. There was
nothing else for it but to reinforce one of our outdoor
enclosures with boards and steel bars and install a metal
hutch inside the enclosure to provide a safe haven in case
of any trouble.
It was with some effort that Karen hauled the four
enormous rabbits out of the carry cage one by one and
unceremoniously dumped them into the enclosure. We
were hoping that the stress of their breakout and
subsequent transport might have scared these bunnies
sufficiently to quell any aggressive instincts and allow them
to coexist peacefully. This was wishful thinking. The four
bunnies immediately melded into a giant ball of struggling,
nipping and humping!
You can imagine the chaotic scene occurring in the
darkness as I held a torch and Karen tried to prise apart the
heaving mass of fur. After quite a struggle two of the
bunnies were put into separate cages within the enclosure,
a third bunny was left to roam the enclosure and the fourth
was moved to a separate outdoor enclosure.
Poppy
We paused to catch our
breath. What had we
got ourselves into? We
didn’t even know what
sex any of these
bunnies were. The
people who had
rescued them thought
that they were probably breeding stock, in which case they
were most likely all females. But what if they were
pregnant? Four bunnies each with a litter of, say, eight
babies, would leave us with an extra 36 rabbits! It didn’t
bear thinking about and we went to bed, sleeping rather
fitfully.
In the morning we had a chance to better inspect our new
charges, finding all of them safe and seemingly none the
worse for an eventful evening. The four big New Zealand
White bunnies differed markedly in appearance. Zoe was a
grey-brown agouti, whereas the others were predominantly
white. Poppy had Himalayan markings – a black nose and
ears. Lulu was all white and Isabelle was somewhere in
between, with a greyish tint to her ears and nose. All of
them had large tags with identity numbers that had been
bolted through their ears – one can only imagine the pain
that this procedure would have caused.
In the factory farm the bunnies had been kept in tiny cages
with metal bars and had quite possibly never stood on a
solid surface. It was moving to see them experimenting in
how to use their feet to run and play, galloping awkwardly
and running into things. Poppy seemed to think that she
could perch on the edge of her litter tray like a bird and
looked surprised when she fell off!
Zoe sits on her box
above & Isabelle
relaxes below
The personalities of
the four rabbits also
seemed to vary
considerably. Lulu
was very skittish;
Isabelle and Zoe were
comparatively
relaxed, while Poppy
was downright friendly
and appeared to be
enjoying her
adventure immensely!
Poppy had been
placed in a separate
enclosure on her own and during the night she had
thumped frequently on the floor of the safe area, her
enormous feet producing a thundering noise that resonated
far and wide, keeping us awake and presumably causing
our neighbours to wonder what was going on! When she
saw us in the morning Poppy pranced about in excitement,
tripping over her own feet and hopping up and down on the
spot.
Poppy’s enthusiasm for human friendship surprised us,
given the appalling place she had come from. But we could
not have foreseen the way in which these bunnies – Poppy
and Lulu in particular – would eventually take over our
house so completely…
Lulu
To be continued……
 Grooming the fluffies (Missy & Charlie the angoras) has
Life at the Do Hop Inn been going very well with our new cordless clipper. I can
By Karen only clip off little bits at a time but the difference from
manual to electric has been dramatic. It’s amazing how
With Christmas fast approaching and holiday buns due to beautiful their fur feels and how wonderful it is to get those
land on our doorstep in the next few days, the BOING horrid knots & tangles out with a quick clip. I have to be
household is expecting its usual Christmas chaos. Loads very careful about pulling the fur though as the skin is very
of barriers, leaping over doorways to find the bathroom or delicate & can tear if pulled.
toilet, trolley loads of fresh veggies & emergency trips to
the stockfeed store for more hay. Ah, yes Christmas! Ho Poppy has now been given the new title of “Destructo Bun”.
Ho Ho! She’s a disaster area!!! Given the entire lounge room to
roam at all times, she’s normally a very happy bun.
As for the buns, However, when we’re out of the room she gets super
everyone is doing bored! So far she’s chewed through a light cord (after
okay so far (touch she’d pulled it so hard that it unplugged on its own
wood). Pumpkin fortunately!!). The cord was already covered in irrigation
unfortunately had pipe but not long enough for a bun who squeezed herself
the misfortune of down a miniscule gap to grab the cord with her teeth.
meeting Isabelle
face to face one day
when she pushed
through a flimsy
barrier I had set up
between them. I had the silly idea that they might like each
other. I think they were both interested but Isabelle is quite
pushy and days after erecting my see-through barrier, she
barreled through to Pumpkin & fur was flying. Pumpkin
never had a chance against the “tank” (above). He now
has bites all over him, the chances of bonding them is over
and a very nasty abscess formed on his neck.

The abscess became very large & I was worried about him.
He’s been on chloramphenicol antibiotics for the last few
weeks & the abscess has dropped dramatically in size.
Hopefully it will go away on its own but knowing bunny
Destructo bun!!!
abscesses, it can probably only be removed surgically.
Pumpkin’s now happily on the other side of the house away
Then there was the chocolate! I was out of the room for
from Izzy with his beloved friend “Butternut” (below).
two seconds & had left some soy chocolate sitting on a
table. Before I could run to stop her, Destructo Bun had
grabbed the wrapper & chewed half a piece! We panicked
that she’d eaten chocolate, but fortunately she was okay.
Then only another half a day later she climbed high up on
furniture and gained access to the top of our mantelpiece.
Destructo Bun then grabbed a tiny bottle of visine eye
drops & cracked the container!

Fortunately, Destructo Bun is still with us & hasn’t killed

herself yet! All vaguely dangerous items have now been
removed from the lounge room but she still manages to
discover something else naughty to do!

So, from everyone at BOING at the Do Hop Inn, we wish

Pancake is still plodding along with her kidney failure. Her you all a very happy festive season.
back left leg is very weak so she sometimes falls to the left
but she’s doing as well as can be expected. She gets her Keep your buns safe, don’t forget summer is upon us so
special bowls of critical care a few times a day which she flies, mozzies & fleas are at their peak numbers. Summer
eats without help and every second day she is given fluids heat is deadly to buns so bring them inside on hot days.
under the skin to help her kidneys. Ally, her devoted
partner, is doing everything he can to make her feel happy
& loved. He grooms her constantly, lets her lean up
against him and doesn’t eat her special food. He’s a lovely
boy!! May your buns stay safe &
All our buns need to be vaccinated against calici now. Still your holidays be cruelty free!!
have to work out how that’s going to happen!!
 Whatever happened to?
BOING adoption blog - http://adoptabun.blogspot.com/
Heidi
Heidi was a rabbit who came into a Sydney pound a few
months ago. She was skin & bone, passing a mucus
sludge, had bad mite infestation in one ear, depressed and
was putrid underneath with sodden urine soaked fur. Her
hair was rotting and falling off due to the urine and her skin
was red raw with urine scalding. She was on her last legs
and near death.
Fortunately for Heidi, she was brought back to health due
to the dedication & care from Theresa at the Sydney
pound.
Now, Heidi’s future is even better! She has recently been
adopted & moved to her new home in Melbourne!
Heidi meets Greg
We wish Heidi a loving future in her new home with her
new human & bunny friends. We sincerely thank Theresa
in Sydney & Jo in Melbourne for orchestrating such a
wonderful & happy outcome for Heidi.
Miffy
Miffy was also adopted out recently. We wish her all the
best at her new home!!
Rabbits are not
Christmas presents
No need to tell bunny lovers who read this newsletter about
this, but….
RABBITS ARE NOT PRESENTS!
As bunny lovers, we all come across people asking silly
questions about rabbits. This is also the time of the year
when you may come across a friend, relative or colleague
thinking of buying a baby bun as a present for a child.
Why people shouldn’t give a rabbit as a present:
• Children lose interest after a few weeks
• Is the family going on holidays over Christmas?
• Who’s going to look after the new bunny?
• Does the expected family want a bunny?
• Is the family prepared for a rabbit?
• Do they know how to look after a rabbit?
If anyone knows of a person thinking of giving a rabbit as a
present this Christmas, please ask them to think long &
hard about such a decision. Ask them to please visit our
website for further information – www.boingonline.com
Did you know???
The Australian Animal Protection Society (AAPS) shelter
has the best rabbit adoption program in Melbourne but it
still cannot cope with the number of unwanted rabbits
landing on their doorstep at this time of the year.
74 rabbits were euthanased in November this year and in
early December the total was already 34 rabbits put to
sleep.
So many rabbits losing their lives is horrific but it’s a sad
fact that many rabbits are abandoned at shelters over the
holiday season. Shelters get lots of bad press about
euthanasing animals but remember it’s not the shelter’s
fault that so many are dumped around Christmas time or
that there are not enough good homes for them to go to.
Sadly, many buns dumped at the shelters are excess
breeding stock. Many are sick & injured and left by
irresponsible people who see rabbits as a cheap way to
earn money by selling baby bunnies as Christmas
presents. Then there are the ones who are going on
holidays or back overseas & think that finding a new home
for a rabbit before they leave doesn’t fit into their schedule
or budget.
Fortunately, the Australian Animal Protection Society try
their hardest at adopting out as many buns as they can.
The bunnies are all wonderful, friendly & affectionate and
many are now looking for their forever home.
http://www.aaps.org.au/otheranimal/rabbitgin_page_one.html
If anyone can adopt a rabbit from the shelter, please
contact Leigh at veganbunnygirl@yahoo.com
 Gifts that keep on giving
Sponsorship & animal protection
Humane Society (US)
Gift giving that celebrates and protects
animals

http://www.humanegifts.org

Sponsor a bunny – Rabbit Runaway (Aus)

Rabbit Run-Away Orphanage Inc is a not-for-profit http://www.rabbitrunaway.org.au/adoptabunny.htm
organisation, staffed and run by volunteers. Our goals Sponsors receive a Sponsorship
include the rescue, rehabilitation and adoption of orphaned Certificate of Appreciation, a
rabbits. Orphaned bunnies come to Rabbit Run-Away photograph of your orphan bunny,
Orphanage as overflows from animal shelters or as history of the orphan bunny and
dumped and neglected rabbits. updates, Sponsors are also able
to visit their bunny at any time
We provide orphan bunnies appropriate short-term care, throughout the year.
medical treatment and the opportunity to find a new home.
All our bunnies are desexed and vaccinated. We also 2010 Rescue Rabbit calendars
undertake formal public education programs regarding
proper rabbit care for pre-schools, after school care and
Vancouver Rabbit Rescue (Canada)
hospitals.
http://www.vrra.org/calendar2010.htm
NAME: Freya and
Brambly Hedge Rabbit Rescue (US)
Teddy
http://www.lulu.com/product/calendar/brambley-hedge-
AGE: Approx 6-7
rabbit-rescue-2010-calendar/5548345
months
SEX: Freya: Female,
House Rabbit Society (US)
Teddy: Male
Available through various House Rabbit Society’s
BREED: Freya: New
throughout the United States -
Zealand White Teddy:
http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/index.html
Giant
DESCRIPTION: Freya
and Teddy are gorgeous bunny companions. Teddy is truly
a lovable teddy bear who loves to be held and petted.
Cuddles are Teddy's favorite and he would happily be
loved all day. Freya is also very affectionate and loves her
Teddy. They are a gorgeous pair.

If you would like to adopt a bunny orphan, sponsor a

bunny, foster a bunny and find out further ways to assist
our bunny orphans please view the pages and links on our
site or download our Rabbit Run-Away Orphanage
Brochure.

We provide all our bunny owners and foster parents free

training and advice in the keeping healthy and happy
bunnies. If you currently have a rabbit, rabbit adoption
provides a great opportunity to provide your existing bunny
a bunny friend. At Rabbit Run-Away Orphanage we also Cruelty Free Gifts
provide a bunny dating service ‘Rabbit Run-devous’. Since
August 2008 we have rehomed over 50 bunny orphans Vegan Perfection (Aus)
through Rabbit Run-devous bunny dating service. http://www.veganperfection.com/productpage.php?id=43
Rabbit Run-Away Orphanage Inc Cruelty Free Shop (Aus)
E-mail: info@rabbitrunaway.org.au http://crueltyfreeshop.com.au/
19 Stanley Street, Olinda VIC 3788, AUSTRALIA
Phone: 1300 959 370 or Phone/Fax: (03) 9751 1229
Mobile: 0402 111 055