PEOPLE WHO DUMP ANIMALS..............by BJ

I borrowed this story (Dumping Domestic Rabbits) from Jan Geren: of Pet Place.com

Yesterday was beautiful here in Shasta Lake. It was a white winter wonderland. As I drove and relished this beauty, I was smitten by the sight of a small domestic rabbit who, during the night met his fate by an oncoming car. The little rabbit looked like our pet house bunny who is so dear to us. He was covered with the white frost that graced the beautiful pines all around. My first thought was another fatality and commodity of easter, discarded and tossed out like the shells of an egg after we crack it. He was no longer a cuddly easter bunny, now he made the mistake of growing up and kicking because he no longer wanted to be cuddled by the children or the family that brought him home to amuse themselves and their children.

This is becoming an all too common occurrence in our throw away society and it is wrong. Domestic rabbits are not wild rabbits and cannot live in freezing temperatures as their descendants, yet so many believe that they can.

Imagine being loved for many days and suddenly cast off by the very people who seemed to love you. I imagine he was so cold and perhaps even missed the aggressive and obnoxious pampering that he received while in the humans care. Perhaps a dog or a cat or a fox or a bobcat chased him into his final moment.

Please do not buy easter bunnies for your children at Easter, remember, it is a commitment. To teach our children otherwise is wrong. If you don't want your rabbit (or cat or dog or bird) please do not drop he/she into the wild. They are not wild animals. I can't imagine the thoughts that go through their minds when there is no one there to feed them or pet them anymore.

We need to change the way we do things, we, as humans must evolve. We are the caretakers, not the life takers. Let's strive for more compassion and understanding for our companion animals. If they are not wanted, please contact the county Humane Society or the House Rabbit Society in your area (http://www.rabbit.org/).
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All too often, animals are abandoned or dropped off places, and people thinking they can take care of themselves or others will. People like this are very close to the bottom of my humanity list, because I am one of those who cares. I am one of the people who loves animals & have pets of my own. I worry myself sick over these poor abandoned animals that I cannot always help, because I am not a shelter and I cannot afford to take them all in and save them.

Animals in the wild, learn to cope in the wild. Animals that are sheltered have not learned this. If you are one of the people who thinks you can drop all of your problems off on a country road, parking lot or other, you are more likely sentencing these poor unknowing creatures to death. And did you know "IT'S AGAINST THE LAW?".

I wish more people would think things out for the long term before taking these babies to a certain, eventual, death sentence.

In my next column, I will be writing about the two precious abandoned kittens that I took in this past winter & just found a place for last month.
It's been an emotional ride for me and them. Just when you finally get them to relax some & not be so scared & trusting you a little, they're uprooted and traumatized again. It's heartbreaking for the people involved, as well as the animals and they fear they're being abandoned all over again.

PLEASE DO NOT ABANDON YOUR PETS.
PLEASE SPAY OR NEUTER.

This story was submitted by BJ of EXPRESSIONSbyBJ on Artfire.
BJ is a member of the Crafting for Animals Guild and a columnist for the CFA blog. She supports her local humane society and animal care facitity and is involved in helping abused & abandonded cats.
Expressions sells handmade jewelry, jewelry supplies, craft items and a few animal related items.