Rabbit Hoarder, Dorota Trec Gets 45 Days in Jail for Animal Cruelty

Dorota Trec was sentenced Friday in Brooklyn Criminal Court after she was convicted in November of abusing some 100 rabbits she kept in a squalid yard in the Gowanus section.

She had faced up to two years incarceration.

Judge Curtis Farber told Trec that she can’t keep any pets for five years and must undergo psychiatric treatment.

If she violates those terms, she faces a year behind bars.

She also has to pay the ASPCA more than $20,000 for veterinary treatment for the bunnies.




FOLLOW US!

Authorities Discovered a Giant Pet Rabbit Living Illegally in a Caravan: Owners Told Police it Was a Long Eared Guinea Pig

Australia - Authorities are hopping mad after they discovered a giant rabbit living illegally in a caravan as the owners tried to convince officers the furry animal was just a long-eared guinea pig.

The rabbit was seized after the pet was found living in a cage inside a caravan in Queensland when Springwood police were called to the address in relation to an incident involving the owners.

When questioned about the floppy-eared animal - which are deemed as 'pests' in the state - the owners tried unsuccessfully to palm their pet rabbit off as a guinea pig.

Under the state government legislation, it is an offence to possess a rabbit in Queensland unless the owner has the proper authorization.

Queensland has been known as the no-go zone for rabbits as they pose a significant threat to the environment and agricultural industries.

The state has the toughest anti-rabbit regime in the world - and anyone found illegally keeping the furry animals could face hefty fines of up to $44,000 and six months in prison.

On Monday, Queensland Police shared a photograph of an officer cradling a giant rabbit in his arms.

“With Easter just around the corner, this bunny got some special hugs from the officers at Springwood Police Station,” the post said.

“Not wanting to upset the Easter Bunny and lose out on his yearly chocolate binge, Senior Constable Ben Sier made sure after he finished cuddling his fat furry friend that he found a good home for it.”

The rabbit is currently on its way to a rabbit rescue sanctuary in Grafton, NSW.

The name of the rabbit is unknown.

The Queensland owners tried unsuccessfully to palm their pet rabbit off as a long-eared guinea pig (left).

Queensland has been known as the no-go zone for rabbits as they pose a significant threat to the state.

FOLLOW US!

Adorable Baby Bunny Gets a Second Chance at Life After He Was Attacked by Another Bigger Rabbit

An adorable baby bunny is as happy as can be as he gets a second chance at life when his owners decided not to put him down after he was hurt by another rabbit.

A farmer at Overlook Acres discovered the bunny, who has since been named Wheels, in a barn 'stiff and half frozen', according to a Facebook post.  

The bunny is unable to use its rear legs and instead of being put down, his owners decided to give him some wheels.

They bought him a $1 miniature skateboard and attached it to his legs in order to help him move around. 

Luckily the rabbit really took to its new attachment and loves zipping around with its friends.

The video begins with one of the owners laying on the floor as the bunny wheels over to him and starts to lick his face.

As the owner slides his hand across the floor, the tiny, white puffball chases after it, moving pretty quick for an injured bunny.

One of the owners said '”With dragging his legs, he's faster than all the other rabbits.”

As the baby bunny continues to explore his surroundings, he wanders over to another person in the video, who reaches down to give him a tickle behind the ears.

Overlook Acres has lost several bunnies out of the six litters that were born to the frigid temperatures of upstate New York.

One night Wheels wandered out of his nest and was attacked by a bigger bunny, who injured him so bad he was unable to move his back legs.

A farmer discovered wheels and within a few days nursed him back to health.

His owners figured out that he was paralyzed from his belly down, and normally they would put animals down in these situations, but Wheels 'managed to still pull himself around the floor and was moving faster than the other babies'. 

They then bought the little skateboard toy at the dollar store and manufactured a mini wheelchair body for the little guy.

Wheels has since been dubbed 'the little bunny that wouldn't give up'. 

And after getting more than 22 million views on his video, the farm decided to turn Wheels' story into an illustrated children's book.

The farm has created a Kickstarter page.

Wheels was given a second chance at life when his owners bought him a $1 miniature skateboard and attached it to his legs so that he could still move around.

Kisses for you: Wheels, the little bunny that could, gives his owner a kiss as he gets used to his new skateboard wheelchair.

Wheels has been moving around and exploring his new environment. And he is also pretty fast as he zips around with his friends.

Wheels has since been dubbed 'the little bunny that wouldn't give up' and the farm is trying to turn his story into a children's book.

Overlook Acres has decided to turn Wheels' story into an illustrated children's book. The farm recently posted different illustrations of Wheels by illustrators on their Facebook page, such as the one pictured.

The farm has also created a Kickstarter page that has raised more than $1,700 that will go toward publishing Wheels' story. Pictured is another illustration for the book by Holly Skalski. 

As Wheels' video has touched millions of hearts, the farm is hoping that the children's book will to. As seen from the video, an illustration (pictured) of Wheels and his owner by Greg Panneitz.

FOLLOW US!

General Mills Has Welcomed a New Member to its Family:Trix Bunny Replaced with Real Rabbit

There is a new silly rabbit hopping on the box of Trix Cereal.

Meet Cinnabun,  a Holland lop rabbit, was named the new honorary Trix Rabbit on Wednesday, Jan. 27, 2016, in Houston.  And now, Cinnabon will be featured on commemorative boxes of Trix cereal to celebrate that the cereal no longer contains artificial flavors or colors from artificial sources.

So the original rabbit hasn't disappeared, but the truly nostalgic will likely remain sad that the real Trix of their childhood, with clunky attempts to replicate fruit shapes, was replaced by boring old spheres in 2006. Cinnabun's owner, Natalie Tran, is excited to have such a suddenly illustrious pet, saying, "It's kind of unbelievable that they picked him out of thousands of bunnies".

"I'm obviously biased, but I always knew Cinnabun was an especially playful, cute and lovable bunny", said Tran.

He'll be featured on limited-edition Trix cereal boxes.

The move coincides with the company's plan to eliminate artificial flavors and colors from its cereals, a goal which 75 percent of its cereals have already met. Having a real rabbit mascot reinforces the idea of an authentically made cereal.

This little furball is hopping for joy!

FOLLOW US!

Cute Bunny Love: Wild Rabbit Falls in Love with a Pet Rabbit

Bunny loves to spend her days in front the sliding door, especially when the sun is nice and hot. That day, the wild rabbits were running around outside, “chasing each other because it’s mating time,” When one particular wild rabbit saw Bunny, and decided that she was the love of his life. whenever Bunny leaves the room, he waits anxiously for her return.

It’s adorable to see these two make contact and give each other bunny kisses… but it’s probably best that they are separated by the screen door. It wouldn’t be a wise idea to let the rabbit in.”

FOLLOW US!

Dorota Trec, A Bunny Hoarder, Says She Was Keeping the Creatures as Part of a Breeding Program: She Wanted to Make Candy-Colored Easter Bunnies

Bonkers Brooklyn bunny hoarder Dorota Trec says she was keeping the creatures as part of a 16-year “genetic” breeding program — and would have made “millions of dollars” by creating “blue and pastel rabbits.”

Trec has been charged with animal cruelty for letting 176 now-confiscated rabbits live behind a Gowanus tire shop in a squalid, droppings-strewn “garden.”

But in an interview one day before Easter, she claimed there was a scientific method to her hopping madness.

“I do research a lot of Darwin,” Trec, 35, said Saturday.

“These rabbits are developed by me. They’ve all originated from the Netherland dwarf and the Belgium hare. After many years, you can start to see the results.”

She said she would get six more rabbits — which she plans to rescue “from the slaughterhouse” to restock her “garden.”

“Hopefully, I won’t get arrested, because I was already arrested,” she joked.

Trec announced her Frankenbunny claim in a bizarre $2 billion lawsuit she filed last week to get her “free-range” bunnies back from the ASPCA.

“Petitioner works with genetic material developing new breeds of rabbits, for example, rabbits that are small, fit, having somewhat big ears,” she wrote in the self-filed suit, which seeks cash damages from the animal-rights activists who ratted her out.

 “Petitioner also develops [a] number of different colors for rabbits, having special interest in blue and pastel rabbits.”

“This project is advanced now and it is worth millions of dollars.”

Trec says she would spend at least four hours a day working with her “herds,” including playing her flute for them.

Authorities counter that many of the rabbits were sick and injured, some with syphilis and bite wounds.

Meanwhile, there was bad news for bunny lovers. The rabbits remain wards of the state and will not be available for Easter adoptions.

“They are still considered evidence in a pending criminal case . . . Until the court resolves ownership issues, the rabbits cannot be made available for adoption,” said a spokeswoman for the ASPCA, which is caring for the creatures at partner veterinary facilities.

She wanted to make candy-colored Easter Bunnies.

FOLLOW US!

How To Properly Pet Animals

Learn how to interact with animals and you’ll have more furry friends than you know what to do with.




FOLLOW US!

Benefits of Spaying or Neutering Your Pet Rabbit

As a pet owner, it is important that you know the facts about spaying or neutering your house rabbit. This article covers some of the benefits to having the procedure done (if performed at the right time by a rabbit-savvy veterinarian), and it also includes a few notes on what to expect during and after the surgery.

Benefits of Spaying or Neutering Your Pet Rabbit
There are many benefits to spaying or neutering a rabbit. First and foremost, a fixed rabbit can live a longer, healthier life as the risk of cancer and urinary tract infections are greatly reduced.

Second, a rabbit that is spayed/neutered becomes calmer and easier to manage. Their destructive habits subside a bit,yet they don’t lose their charmingly mischievous nature. Altered rabbits are also easier to litter train and have less of an urge to spray.

Spayed and neutered house rabbits are easier to bond because of their calmer demeanor. And of course, an altered couple will not end up with a litter of baby buns. While baby bunnies are adorable, there is an issue with overpopulation. Most rabbit shelters are consistently full.

When Should You Spay or Neuter Your Pet Rabbit?
When male rabbits are between 3 and 5 months old, they are old enough to be neutered. Female rabbits are generally old enough to be spayed between 4 and 6 months; this is when they first reach sexual maturity. When rabbits have reached middle age (5-6 years old) they can be considered too old to be altered. Rabbits that are too young or too old are at higher risk for complications from surgery.

What to Expect from the Spay/Neuter Surgery
Spaying is the procedure performed on female rabbits to remove the reproductive organs. The procedure takes place through the abdomen. Blood vessels that lead to the reproductive tract are tied and the reproductive tract is removed. The rabbit then receives several sets of sutures to close her back up.

Neutering is performed on male rabbits to remove the testes. The veterinarian will make an incision in the scrotum and remove the testicles through it. Up to three weeks after the surgery a male rabbit can still have semen stored in his body. For this reason a recently altered male should be kept away from unaltered female rabbits during this time period.

In order to provide a safe spay/neuter experience for your rabbit you need to find an experienced veterinarian. When looking for a veterinarian, be sure to ask if he/she has had experience working with rabbits. If there is a local rabbit shelter in your area, they may be able to recommend a vet to you.

If you have adopted your rabbit from shelter or rescue, the rabbit may already be altered. Be sure to ask. Talk to your qualified vet about what to do to prepare your rabbit for surgery and how to provide care post-surgery. Also ask your veterinarian to explain the procedure thoroughly as it may ease your own anxieties to know what will happen.

Be sure to monitor your rabbit after the procedure for changes in behavior, failure to eat, pulling at stitches or signs of infection.

FOLLOW US!

Living with a House Rabbit

Perhaps you've just adopted your first rabbit, or maybe you already have a rabbit and would like more information to help you understand her better. The House Rabbit Society, a national nonprofit organization, recommends that you keep your rabbit in the house rather than outdoors. Rabbits are intelligent, social animals who need affection, and they can become wonderful companion animals if given a chance to interact with their human families.

To read more on this story, click here: Living with a House Rabbit FOLLOW US!