April 2011
TH E • Bilby chocolate kills bunnies
B U N OL OGIST
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HOP – the aftermath
Rabbit shelters around
the world are getting
nervous about the new
movie Hop.
The movie Hop,
screening in time for
Easter, features an
adorable bunny called
EB (Easter Bunny)
who talks, walks on
his hind legs and
poops jelly beans.
This talking, walking bunny character is adorable on screen
but shelters are anticipating the movie will result in families
rushing out to buy a bunny on impulse after the movie is
over. When the novelty wears off and the family realise
that their bunny does not indeed poop jelly beans, the
shelters are expecting numbers to rise dramatically.
Sponsor a bun this Easter
Looking for a
compassionate Easter
present ?
Why not become a Best
Buddy to a very cute
little bunny named
Moppsy :) Moppsy loves
hanging out with her
bunny friends in "Bunny
Lodge" where they jump
on logs, eat yummy
grass and love their
daily carrot - picked
fresh of cause! Moppsy
thinks that a Cruelty-Free Easter is a super cool thing to
do - why not try make this years Easter a
compassionate one for all animals :)
Come & meet Moppsy & his other bunny
friends at Edgar’s Mission’s Compassion
Art Day on Sunday 17 April.
365 McHarg’s Road, Willowmavin
www.edgarsmission.org.au
•
•
Myxo campaign
Giant rabbit fossil found
Dog adopts bunnies
•
• Jack needs a home
• Moulting
• Life at the Do Hop Inn
Bilby chocolate funds
viruses to kill pet bunnies
http://www.ozrabbits.com/myxomatosis.html
There has been a big push in Australia to replace the
Easter Bunny with the Easter Bilby.
The Bilby is an endangered small Australian native
marsupial. A portion of the sales of chocolate Bilbys was
thought to have been used to help conserve the Bilby
population, something the majority of people would
support.
What hasn’t been so well publicised is that the Anti Rabbit
Research Foundation (formerly ARRF, now known as the
Foundation for Rabbit Free Australia), has full licensing
ownership of the trademark 'Easter Bilby'. This Foundation
is behind the drive to use "solutions" such as myxomatosis
and RHD (calici virus).
This means that the Easter Bilby is a marketing campaign
to fund research that results in inhumane and ineffective
ways of controlling the rabbit population. Thousands of
rabbits are doomed to suffer cruel deaths from their
research.
Haigh’s chocolate supports
killing pet bunnies
http://haighschocolates.com.au/our_company/environment.html
“HAIGH'S SUPPORT RABBIT FREE AUSTRALIA
Rabbit Free Australia is a non-profit organisation
established to raise community awareness of the damage
to the environment done by the wild rabbit, and find ways to
get rid of all the wild rabbits in this country.
The Foundation developed and registered the Easter Bilby
campaign in 1991 – partly to raise awareness of the
damage done by rabbits to native wildlife, and partly to
raise money from royalties of Easter Bilby to fund their
work.
Two years later, Haigh’s joined forces with the Foundation,
and created Australia’s very first Easter Bilby.”
THESE COMPANIES ARE NOT SAVING
THE BILBY, THEY ARE KILLING OUR
PET BUNNIES
 Give us rabbit vaccine
26 March 2011 – Waverley Leader (Aust)
Activist Karen Vondruska wants the Federal Government
to allow the importation of the myxomatosis vaccine for pet
rabbits, because she believed it unfair that domestic pets
die from the disease.
She has been encouraging people through her website –
www.radicalrabbit.org to post a toy rabbit to Minister Joe
Ludwig.
“Rabbits are the third most popular pet in Australia, so
myxomatosis is devastating.”
Senator Ludwig, through spokeswoman Roxanna Auld,
said it was necessary to use biological agents such as
myxomatosis to keep wild rabbits under control, and that
research into a vaccine for pet rabbits was “encouraging”.
“I understand that many families enjoy keeping rabbits and
I would encourage pet owners to discuss ways they can
protect their pet with their family vet,” Senator Ludwig said.
**Roxanna Auld is an HR recruitment officer! She has no
clout when it comes to helping us gain the vaccine.
Senator Ludwig obviously doesn’t take this subject
seriously, gets his plebs to respond for him and is
notorious for not responding to letters or calls. Please
continue to write to him!! We want our vaccine!
Myxo Campaign
To join in the campaign to demand the
myxo vaccination, you can sign our online
petition and join our major campaign to mail
a toy bunny/photo/rabbit picture to:
The Hon Joe Ludwig
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry
PO Box 6022
House of Representatives
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
www.radicalrabbit.org
Giant rabbit fossil found
22 March 2011 – National Geographic
A Spanish team in Minorca has just announced the
discovery of Earth's biggest known rabbit species, an oddly
unbunny-like giant dubbed Nuralagus rex—"the Minorcan
king of the hares."
The 26-pound (12-kilogram) prehistoric species was about
six times bigger than the common European rabbit, found
on most continents, according to an analysis of several
bones.
The animal, which lived about three to five million years
ago, had several "odd" features that have never before
been seen in rabbits, living or extinct, according to the
study.
For one, the giant rabbit's "short and stiff" vertebral column
meant it couldn't bunny hop. And the relatively small sizes
of sense-related areas of its skull suggested that the animal
had small eyes and stubby ears—a far cry from modern
rabbit ears.
Despite its oddities, N. rex has many skull and teeth
features found in rabbits—meaning there’s “no question” it’s
a rabbit, according to Brian Kraatz, an expert in rabbit
evolution at the Western University of Health Sciences in
Pomona, California.
The newfound rabbit's "roly-poly, tanklike" appearance and
weird anatomy may have arisen because of its stress-free
lifestyle, Kraatz added.
That's because the megarabbit had no predators on
Minorca—a luxury that allowed the species to evolve to be
bigger and more sedentary he said. Modern rabbits are
small, spry, and have sharp vision to escape predators.
"He was probably on an evolutionary vacation," said Kraatz,
like an "islander beach bum."
Yet, even though the giant rabbit "didn't have too many
cares or worries," Kraatz said, "he got too comfortable, and
eventually went extinct."
 Chihuahua adopts baby Adopt me!
bunnies Name: Jack
2 April 2011 – Mail Online (UK)
Location: Melbourne
Contact: Adele delmad@iprimus.com.au

At just three days old and barely big enough to stand on

their own, this adorable baby rabbit needs all the help it can
get. Jack is a three year old, desexed netherland boy who
recently lost his beloved partner. He is now very lonely
And after being found abandoned on a compost heap, the and looking to find a new girlfriend.
outlook didn't look good for the litter of five wild baby
bunnies. Jack is a healthy, happy but lonely boy who is litter
trained, loves living indoors and spending time with his
But things are looking up for the tiny creatures after they
human friends.
found an unlikely father figure in the shape of Mitch the
male chihuahua
If you have a friendly, laid back, desexed girl bunny that
The baby rabbits are now being hand-reared at Capricorn is looking for a boyfriend, Jack maybe the bunny for
Animal Rescue in Padeswood, North Wales with the help of her.
their new surrogate father.
For more information about Jack, please contact Adele
Mitch himself, a two-year-old white chihuahua, had been at on delmad@iprimus.com.au
the centre since he was six months old because he chews
everything around him - except baby rabbits.

Staff at the rescue centre are looking after the babies

To find more bunnies
Sheila Stewart, owner of the rescue centre, said: 'A man
brought the litter in along with their nest after he found looking for a loving home,
them when he moved a compost heap. 'They are tiny and I
am feeding them every few hours with special formula please visit your local
through a syringe. 'After I’ve finished feeding them, Mitch
comes along and washes and grooms each one. shelter.
'He seems to have adopted them.'

Changes of seasons means

moulting bunnies. Make sure
that you remove any loose fur
from your bunny & provide
good quality hay & fresh
water at all times.

If your bunny stops eating,

drinking or going to the toilet,
please visit an experienced
rabbit vet immediately.
. Life at the Do Hop Inn
By Karen
With the weather changing and becoming cooler, there is
some relief that we are almost out of the myxomatosis
danger zone. At the Do Hop Inn, we are continuing our
indoor “mozzie checks”, as those mozzies still sneak in.
Once the weather is colder and the mosquitoes stop
breeding, we can start to relax.
At the Do Hop Inn, we decided to have a bit of a room
change. We decided the front bedroom was too large for 2
people and 2 buns, so we all moved into a smaller room.
This means that the larger bedroom can now provide a
larger space for Ally & Peter and Tinkerbelle’s enclosure,
as well as much needed office space for us!
Ally & Peter are now thoroughly enjoying their space and
new places to play & hide. Tinkerbelle is also now enjoying
more light that floods this bigger room.
Tinkerbelle having a snooze
Ally (left) & Peter enjoy their new bed
For Nimal, myself, Molly & Ginger, our new smaller room
was really nice and cosy. Unfortunately, Molly redeveloped
her love of weeing on the bed. She would be on the bed
every 2 seconds demanding food and weeing at every
opportunity.
Molly (left) & Ginger
This meant another room change…. for Molly & Ginger!
They moved into the middle bedroom where they are now
surrounded by three litter trays so Molly can have her
choice of toilets. Of course, she prefers to continue weeing
on the floor and Ginger has decided to poo everywhere!
So, moving into the smaller room meant that we had space
for two more buns and we had the opportunity to move our
favourite angoras, Missy & Charlie, back inside with us.
They had been living in our brick studio out the back for too
long.
Charlie had been suffering from a weepy eye and Missy
was losing weight so it was best for them to get more
attention. Missy & Charlie were checked out at the
Melbourne Rabbit Clinic and both were in good health.
They are now the ideal bedroom bunnies….except for the
mess! They don’t jump on the bed but they do carry hay
everywhere on their long coats.
Charlie
began
sneezing as
soon as he
moved
indoors with
us. He would
sometimes
sneeze 20
times in a
row and
throughout
the night.
Thinking about all the rain and flooding that has happened
in Melbourne, it occurred to me to check under the house
to see if there had been any damage from the heavy rain. I
discovered that under our house was very damp and wet
and unusual fungus & mould had been growing!
After a big cleanup and removal of anything that was wet,
damp or mouldy as well as improving ventilation, Charlie’s
sneezing stopped and his eye is now dry too!