Easter Bunnies.

Easter Bunny  by Mary Brandolino. 
In memory of all the bunnies we couldn't save.

I remember Easter Sunday
It was colorful and fun
The new life that I'd begun
In my new cage.

I was just a little thing
When they brought me from the store
And they put me on the floor

In my cage.

They would take me out to play

Love and pet me all the time
Then at day's end I would climb
In my cage.

 But as days and weeks went by
 I saw less of them it seemed

 Of their loving touch I dreamed

 In my cage.

In the night outside their house
I felt sad and so neglected

Often scared and unprotected

In my cage.

In the dry or rainy weather
Sometimes hotter sometimes colder

I just sat there growing older

In my cage.

The cat and dog raced by me

Playing with each other only

While I sat there feeling lonely

In my cage.

Upon the fresh green grass

Children skipped and laughed all day
I could only watch them play
From my cage.

They used to take me out

And let me scamper in the sun

I no longer get to run

In my cage.

 Once a cute and cuddly bunny
 Like a little ball of cotton
 Now I'm grown up and forgotten
 In my cage.

 I don't know what went wrong

 At the home I did inhabit

 I just grew to be a rabbit

 In my cage.

 But they've brought me to the pound

 I was once loved and enjoyed
 Now I wait to be destroyed
 In my cage.

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Will the innocent little bunny be taken to the pound when the kids tire of it?   Or just turned loose to fend for itself, which it cannot do.    Then it could be handed over to a research laboratory?



Abused in laboratories
“The use of rabbits in biomedical and product testing is a longstanding and well-known practice. Their small size and docility, as well as the relatively inexpensive cost to obtain and breed them, make them desirable as test subjects. The American Anti-Vivisection Society (AAVS) reports that in 2004, the number of laboratory rabbits in use was over 260,000, and some 43 percent of those individuals were subjected to tests that caused pain, distress, or both, sometimes without any drug relief.”
_________________

“It’s Easter time again. Pet store windows are filled with adorable baby bunnies. Your kids are begging you to buy one. It’s so hard to resist. After all, you think, wouldn’t this be the perfect, low-maintenance “starter pet” for a young child?
Think again! Every year, many thousands of rabbits are abandoned to shelters or released outdoors (a sure death sentence for a domestic rabbit) often because of misunderstandings on the part of the parents who bought them for their kids.”  From: http://www.rabbit.org/easter/flyer/childstory.pdf

Do you know someone purchasing a rabbit at Easter? Please let them know it's a bad idea.  Read: http://www.rabbit.org/easter/

 If they are treated right, that is OK
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If You Are SURE a Rabbit is Right for You:

”Of course, some potential owners will have done their research and are ready to make the commitment to a pet rabbit. If this is true for you, please consider adopting from a shelter or rescue. There are many pet rabbits out there who need a second chance at finding a forever home, Easter or not. Many animal shelters regularly receive rabbits so you can often find them at your local shelter or humane society. Alternatively, check for a local chapter of the House Rabbit Society, or visit Petfinder.com and do a search for adoptable bunnies in your area.

Make Mine Chocolate

If you are not absolutely certain a rabbit is the right pet for you, it's best follow the advice of the "Make Mine Chocolate!" campaign, and stick to chocolate bunnies this Easter.  “
From:http://exoticpets.about.com/od/rabbits/qt/rabbitseastermix.htm
___________________
The cost between a real bunny and a stuffed one:
http://www.sandiegorabbits.org/adoption/easter/easter_bunny_cost_comparison.pdf
_____________________


The Easter Bunny
"Here comes Peter Cottontail hoppin' down the bunny trail, Hippity hoppity Easter’s on its way!"
“The bunny as an Easter symbol seems to have its origins in Germany, where it was first mentioned in German writings in the 1500s. The first edible Easter bunnies were made in Germany during the early 1800s. And were made of pastry and sugar.
The Easter bunny was introduced to American folklore by the German settlers who arrived in the Pennsylvania Dutch country during the 1700s.”
From: http://www.holidays.net/easter/bunny1.htm
_________________________

“The character of the "Easter bunny" first appeared in 16th-century German writings, which said that if well-behaved children built a nest out of their caps or bonnets, they would be rewarded with colored eggs. This legend became part of American folklore in the 18th century, when German immigrants settled in the eastern U.S.
Today, the Easter business is a huge commercial venture - Americans spend nearly $1.2 billion a year on Easter candy, and another $500 million on Easter decorations each year.” From:
http://paganwiccan.about.com/od/ostarathespringequinox/p/EasterEggs.htm

Yes, it is just another holiday that is steeped in commercialism!
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Jay and I went to Conroe as he had to pick up a few things.  Also, I had to get the van’s back seat, and back floor, clear of all the clothing donations to the Assistance League.  Even one great big box of stuffed rabbits.

The yard sale I had was way too big, way too much stuff, and way too much work!   But I still have the winter clothes, as no one wants them right now.  So they are stored on hangers on a clothes rack in the store room’s attic, until later this year.

Whew, I think I finally got all the summer yard sale stuff donated today.