Meet Darius, The Biggest Rabbit in the World

At 4' 4" tall and weighing in at 50 pounds, Darius is currently the biggest rabbit in the world! The craziest part? He may not hold that title for much longer because his son is on track to be even bigger.

Jeff is 3' 8" and still has about 6 months of growing left. His owner, Annette Edwards, expects him to be much bigger than his dad.

The two are members of the Continental Giant breed, which was bred for their meat, but are now loving house pets.

They are so large that they must sleep in large dog crates instead of rabbit cages.

The rabbits eat their way through 2,000 carrots and 700 apples a year.

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One of the Pence Family's Beloved Pets, Oreo, Passed Away This Past Weekend

Indianapolis, IN - Second lady Karen Pence paid tribute to the cat Saturday on Twitter, saying Oreo "touched a lot of hearts in your little life."

Oreo along with the family's other cat, Pickle, and rabbit, Marlon Bundo became famous in January, when the family moved to Washington, D.C.

Oreo made his national debut in a photo of the U.S. Air Force flight, which Vice President Mike Pence tweeted.

Since then, Marlon Bundo, better known as BOTUS (Bunny of the United States), has remained in the spotlight with an Instagram page.

The black-and-white rabbit even has made White House appearances, recently stealing the show at an event for Military Appreciation Month. At the time, Karen Pence said he was "kind of famous," as the first bunny to ride on Air Force Two.

CNN reported Oreo was 13 years old, according to an aide to the vice president. 

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Vice President Mike Pence Owns an Adorable Rabbit Named Marlon Bundo

Vice President, Mike Pence owns an adorable black-and-white rabbit named Marlon Bundo.

Bundo, along with his cat half-siblings, Oreo and Pickle, now are residents of Washington, D.C.

Oreo and Pickle were carried off the U.S. Air Force passenger jet in the arms of  then Vice President-Elect Mike Pence's wife, Karen, and daughter, Charlotte, but it took two men to transport Marlon Bundo's cage down the plane stairs to a waiting SUV.

Pence tweeted a photo of the family with the pets mid-air, thanking the U.S. Air Force for the ride. Bundo's eyes seemed wide with excitement about his future home.

The bunny isn't the first elected pet with a unique name: Jimmy Carter's daughter Amy had a Siamese cat named Misty Malarky Ying Yang. Herbert Hoover had a dog named Weejie. Benjamin Harrison had two opposums: Mr. Reciprocity and Mr. Protection.

No word on whether Bundo has a plot to get fancier carrots in his food dish once he's in D.C., but it seems likely he made the Pence family an offer they couldn't refuse.

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Washington, DC – Humane Rescue Alliance Celebrating National Adopt-A-Shelter-Pet Day This Weekend: 50% Adoption Fees!

All adoptable animals at shelters and in foster available at discounted fee this weekend (Saturday and Sunday).  Standard adoption procedures apply.

WHAT:  Discounted (50%) adoption fees to celebrate                     National Adopt-a-Shelter-Pet Day. Standard                       adoption procedures apply.

WHO:   All available animals for adoption, including dogs,               cats, puppies, kittens and small animals.

WHEN:  Saturday, April 29th and Sunday, April 30th
                                           Noon – 7 p.m.

WHERE:  Humane Rescue Alliance Pet Adoption Centers
                                                              
1201 New York Ave., NE                                77 Oglethorpe Street, NW
 Washington, DC 20002                                    Washington, DC 20011                    202-576-6664                                                 202-726-2556
                                                                                             

WEBSITE:   To view adoptable animals, including animals in foster care, visit www.humanerescuealliance.org. 

About the Humane Rescue Alliance: 
The Humane Rescue Alliance (formerly the Washington Humane Society-Washington Animal Rescue League) has protected and served the animals of the community for more than 145 years and serves more than 60,000 animals annually. The broad range of programs offered include: rescue and adoption, humane law enforcement, low-cost veterinary services, animal care and control, behavior and training, spay-neuter services, humane education, and many others. The organization is dedicated to ensuring the safety and welfare of all animals, bringing people and animals together, and working with all communities to support these relationships. HRA is based in Washington, DC, the only major urban area in the country that has all of its animal protection programs and services unified in one organization, making the Humane Rescue Alliance a model for the nation.

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Prince George's County, Maryland: Prince George's County Animal Shelter Needs Veggies, Apples, Carrots, Lettuce for and Influx of Rabbits Received – Please Share

Its hopping at the shelter! 51 that's the magic number of the day. 51 rabbits came our way. We are on the hunt for some veggies, apples, carrots, lettuce, strawberries, any green leafys. If you have some you can send our way drop them by or let us know.

Location:
Prince George's County Animal Shelter
3750 Brown Station Rd
Upper Marlboro, Maryland, MD 20772
(301) 780-7200
Hours 12:00PM - 6:00PM

Website



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Photographer Amol Jadhav’s Clever Lighting and Framing Techniques Create Optical Illusion Portraits to Help Animals Get Adopted

There are a lot of potential pet owners but some of them need a little bit of inspiration to adopt. Photographer Amol Jadhav and art director Pranav Bhide have created a powerful campaign for World For All Animal Care And Adoptions in Mumbai to spread awareness about their adoption event, and – most importantly – it was effective!

Using clever lighting and framing techniques, the creative duo made a series of optical illusion portraits that contain two images in one. The artists arranged their portrait subjects to create an animal shape in the negative space between them. Everything came together when they turned on a super bright backlight and placed gentle fill light in the front, perfect for the tagline “There’s always room for more. Adopt.”

People heard Amol’s and Pranav’s message – compared to last year, the attendance of the event boosted by 150%, and this lead to 42 adoptions.

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Scientists Are Now Digging Up Evidence that Animals Can Also Help Improve Mental Health, Even for People with Challenging Disorders

Being a pet in America is a plum gig. Pets are incredibly well loved: according to a 2015 Harris poll, 95% of owners think of their animal as a member of the family. About half buy them birthday presents. And it's a two-way street. People who have pets tend to have lower blood pressure, heart rate and heart-disease risk than those who don't. Those health boons may come from the extra exercise that playing and walking require, and the stress relief of having a steady best friend on hand.

Scientists are now digging up evidence that animals can also help improve mental health, even for people with challenging disorders. Though the studies are small, the benefits are impressive enough that clinical settings are opening their doors to animal-assisted interventions--pet therapy, in other words--used alongside conventional medicine. "It used to be one of the great no-no's to think of an animal in a hospital," says Alan Beck, director of the Center for the Human-Animal Bond at Purdue University, citing the fear of causing infection. "Now, I don't know of any major children's hospital that doesn't have at least some kind of animal program."

The rise of animal therapy is backed by increasingly serious science showing that social support--a proven antidote to anxiety and loneliness--can come on four legs, not just two. Animals of many types can help calm stress, fear and anxiety in young children, the elderly and everyone in between.

More research is needed before scientists know exactly why it works and how much animal interaction is needed for the best results. But published studies show that paws have a place in medicine and in mental well-being. "The data is strong," Beck says. "If you look at what animals do for people and how we interact with them, it's not surprising at all." Here's a look some of the cutting-edge science in the field.

Rabbits
In one study, a stressed-out group of adults were told to pet a rabbit, a turtle or their toy forms. The toys had no effect. But stroking a living creature, whether hard-shelled or furry, relieved anxiety. It worked for people regardless of whether they initially said they liked animals.

Crickets
Animals don't have to be cuddly to help. In a 2016 study published in the journal Gerontology, elderly people who were given five crickets in a cage became less depressed after eight weeks than a control group. The act of caring for a living creature seems to make the difference.

Horses
Among the most-studied therapy animals, horses have been involved in medical treatment plans in Europe since the 1860s. Activities like grooming a horse and leading one around a pen have been shown to reduce PTSD symptoms in children and adolescents.

Fish
Animals can focus people's attention. When people at an Alzheimer's-disease facility dined in front of aquariums with brightly colored fish, they ate more, got better nutrition and were less prone to pacing. They were also more attentive and less lethargic.

Dogs
Some research suggests that when children who struggle with reading read aloud to a trained dog and handler, they show fewer anxiety symptoms. "Their attitudes change and their skills improve," says Lisa Freeman, director of the Tufts Institute for Human-Animal Interaction.
Guinea pigs

Animals make socializing easier for kids who find it stressful, says Maggie O'Haire of Purdue. In her study, when children with autism had a guinea pig in the classroom, they were more social with their peers, smiled and laughed more, and showed fewer signs of stress.

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Reasons Why You Should Never Buy Your Child a Rabbit for Easter

House Rabbit Society strongly urges parents not to buy their children live “Easter bunnies” unless they are willing to make a 10-year commitment to properly care for the animals. Each year, thousands of baby rabbits, chicks, and ducks are purchased as Easter gifts only to be abandoned or left at shelters in the days, weeks and months that follow Easter.

Margo DeMello, president of HRS, encourages rabbit lovers to support the “Make Mine Chocolate” ™  http://makeminechocolate.org/ campaign created by the Columbus, Ohio, chapter of HRS.“Rabbits are not ‘low maintenance’ pets,” says DeMello; they require at least the same amount of work as a cat or dog, and often more. Chocolate rabbits are a great alternative; kids can enjoy them for 10 minutes, and they won’t have to take care of them for the next 10 years.”

Mary Cotter, vice-president of HRS, says that many of the rabbits purchased as Easter pets will never live to see their first birthday. Some will die from neglect, while others will be abandoned in local parks or left at animal shelters. “It is irresponsible for pet stores to push rabbits and other so-called Easter animals during the holiday,” says Cotter. “Unless parents are willing to take full responsibility for the possible 10-year lifepan of a live rabbit, they should buy their children chocolate rabbits instead.”

Most children want a companion they can hold, carry and cuddle, but rabbits are fragile, ground-loving creatures who break easily when dropped. 

Additionally, rabbits are easily frightened by loud noises. It is unreasonable to expect a small child to make a 10-year commitment to taking care of a rabbit. All too often, the child loses interest, and the rabbit ends up neglected or abandoned.

Does this mean no families with children should never have pet rabbits? “Not at all!” says DeMello. “But what it does mean is that parents must be actively involved on a daily basis, and willing to supervise any interactions between rabbits and children. Otherwise, chocolate is the way to go!”

For families willing to make the long-term commitment, here are a few points to consider before acquiring a rabbit:

• Housing: For rabbits who use a cage, the cage needs to be at least six times the size of the adult rabbit. It should not have a wire bottom, as the wire can cause sores on the rabbit’s feet. There should be room for a litterbox, toys, food and water bowls. Others may choose to forgo a cage entirely, using instead a pen for the rabbit’s home base.

• Playtime: Rabbits need plenty of exercise and should be allowed at least 30 hours out-of-cage or pen running time in a rabbit-proofed area of the home per week.

• Outdoors: Rabbits should never be left outdoors unsupervised. They can, literally, be frightened to death when approached by predators such as dogs, cats, raccoons and owls. They can also dig under fences to escape.

• Litter Box: Rabbits, once spayed or neutered, will readily use litterboxes that are place in one corner of the rabbit’s space; the rabbit’s running space should contain at least one additional box. Use dust-free, natural litter–not the clumping kind, and no softwood shavings.

• Diet: Rabbits need fresh water, unlimited fresh, grass hay, 1-2 cups of fresh vegetables, and a small serving (1/4 c per 5 lb. rabbit) of plain rabbit pellets each day.

• Health: Like dogs and cats, rabbits should be spayed or neutered. The risk of uterine cancer in unspayed female rabbits is alarmingly high, and unneutered males are likely to spray.

• Grooming: Rabbits shed their coat 3-4 times per year; use a flea comb and brush away excess fur.

A person who chooses a baby rabbit as a companion must:

• Have lots of time, a household that can withstand some chewing, and a stable residence.

• Expect an unneutered/unspayed baby will spray urine. Know that neutering/spaying (at four to six months) will stop the problem.

• Expect accidents when baby forgets the location of the litterbox.

• Allow the energetic young rabbit at least 30 hours a week of free time outside her pen, habitat, or cage.

• Know the cute baby will soon be an adult rabbit and may have a different personality.

If you think you would enjoy sharing your home with a rabbit, please your local animal shelter, humane society or rabbit rescue group for information about adopting a rabbit. No matter where you live, you are probably within 10 miles of a rabbit who desperately needs a safe, indoor home. If you are not sure you can make this kind of commitment, please consider buying your child a chocolate bunny this Easter instead.

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Brooklyn Woman Convicted of Hoarding Rabbits Could Actually Be Too Crazy for Jail

The Brooklyn woman convicted of hoarding rabbits could actually be crazy enough to avoid jail.

Obsessed animal lover Dorota Trec underwent a court-ordered psychiatric exam Wednesday – two months after she was found guilty of abusing 100 rabbits that lived outside her Gowanus home in a trial at which she acted as her own lawyer.

The official results will be released later in February, but Trec, who faces up to two years behind bars, hinted that she won’t be doing hard time.

“I think this is leading to not putting me in prison,” Trec, 36, said outside the Brooklyn Supreme courtroom.

She believes she’ll instead be ordered to “come for treatment [by] a psychologist.”

Trec, who was charged with mistreating 125 of the furballs, represented herself during the wacky three-week jury trial.

The Polish-born bunny breeder said the person who evaluated her “was very surprised I did the case myself and that the same person who goes for an evaluation is allowed to do [a] trial.”

Earlier this month, Judge Curtis Farber said he was worried about “serious mental health issues” and ordered Trec to undergo the psych exam before he handed down his sentence.

“I am trying very hard to think of an appropriate sentence in your case,” he told her at the Jan. 13 hearing.

“I am not sick,” Trec shouted to the judge. “I am a very intelligent person.”

In December, the ASPCA came to seize 45 bunnies of the 90 Trec had from her yard. She claims she’s been trying to give the remaining furry creatures away ever since.

“I am always going to have animals around. Who can stop me? They will have to put me in jail,” Trec said Wednesday. “If [Judge Farber] puts me in prison, I will continue to work on plans” to build a bunny sanctuary.

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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.




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Screwworm Infecting Key Deer Also Found in Some Sick Pets

It’s not just the Key deer being ravaged by a flesh-eating worm in the Florida Keys. Pets are also starting to turn up with gruesome infections.

While wildlife managers have focused largely on the endangered herd and the 107 deer killed since August, vets say they have treated at least nine suspected cases in dogs, cats, rabbits, pigs and a tortoise. Two feral cats had to be euthanized, said Marathon Veterinary Hospital’s Doug Mader. Those numbers are higher than the three reported by the Florida Department of Agriculture, which only counts cases confirmed in lab tests, largely because of the confirmation process.

“That’s the tough part about this whole thing. You look at them and it walks like a duck, but you have to have confirmation that it’s a duck,” said Keys Animal Hospital veterinarian Kyle Maddox, who treated an infected dog earlier this month.

The discrepancy in numbers, and expanded war on the screwworm that now covers eight islands and this week drew a new team of volunteers fanning out with medicated bread to feed deer, has only increased anxiety among pet owners. Vets, however, stress the risk to pets remains far lower than the peril posed to the wild deer.

To read more on this story, click here: Screwworm Infecting Key Deer Also Found in Some Sick Pets


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Did You Know that Animal Shelters Have Other Animals Available for Adoption Besides Dogs and Cats?

Did you know that animal shelters have other animals available for adoption besides dogs and cats? They have small furry animals including gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits, snakes, birds…and yes, fish.

If you are looking to adopt a pet, but can not have a dog or cat, check out the other small animals available at your local animal shelters. This Saturday, July 23rd, marks the 2nd Annual ‘Clear the Shelters’ event, and would be a good time to adopt since all fees are waived. 

The Washington Humane Society/Washington Animal Rescue League have several small animals/reptiles available for adoption. Please take a look at them below. Please take time to read their: Steps to Adopt


Available at the Washington Animal Rescue League (WARL)
71 Oglethorpe St NW
Washington, DC
(202) 726-2556
Hours: 12:00PM - 7:00PM

Biff - Rabbit

To learn more about Biff, click HERE

Pluto - Rabbit

To learn more about Pluto, click HERE.

Charizard - Lizard

To learn more about Charizard, click HERE.

Jay Z -  Small and furry

To learn more about JayZ, click HERE.

Butch  - Small and furry

To learn more about Butch, click HERE.



















Available at the Washington Humane Society (WHS)
1201 New York Ave NE
Washington, DC
202-576-6664 or 202-726-2556
12:00PM - 7:00PM

Chiliarch - Rabbit

To learn more about Chiliarch, click HERE.

Neon NopeRope  - Reptile

To learn more about Neon NopeRope, click HERE.

Romeo – Reptile

To learn more about Romeo, click HERE.

Juliet – Reptile

To learn more about Juliet, click HERE.

Julius – Reptile

To learn more about Julius, click HERE.

Rascal – Small and furry

To learn more about Rascal, click HERE.

Ritchie – Reptile unknown   
No picture

To learn more about Ritchie, click HERE.

Bucky – Rabbit 
No picture

To learn more about Bucky, click HERE.

















IN FOSTER HOMES

Hop Scotch - Rabbit

To learn more about Hop Scotch, click HERE.

Fluffykins - Rabbit

To learn more about Fluffykins, click HERE.

Flake – Reptile

To learn more about Flake, click HERE.

Bert  - Reptile

To learn more about Bert, click HERE.




















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Today is National Pet Day: What Plans Do You Have for Your Pet(s)?

Pet Day is a chance for those of us who own pets to show them how much we love them. Now, we all can think of the traditional things: a new toy, some tasty treats, or a long walk in the park, maybe a game of fetch, assuming you have a dog! But, think outside the box and come up with some ideas to celebrate your relationship with your pet. Once you have indulged your own animals with their favorite treats, why not consider donating to a shelter or other animal welfare organization?

There are so many neglected and unwanted animals waiting for some love and attention. You can donate your time, or you can donate food or other supplies. Every little bit helps. If you don’t already own a pet, what better time to adopt one? A good phrase to keep in mind is “adopt, don’t shop.”

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The Boston City Council Unanimously Approved a Ban Wednesday on Pet Stores Selling Animals from Commercial Breeders

The Boston City Council unanimously approved a ban Wednesday on pet stores selling dogs, cats, or rabbits from commercial breeders in an attempt to prevent the sale of animals bred in unsafe conditions.

The ordinance, dubbed the “puppy mill bill,” was signed into law by Mayor Martin J. Walsh and will apply to stores in Boston, according to an administration spokeswoman, Bonnie McGilpin.

There are no pet stores in the city that sell puppies or kittens from commercial breeders, according to Councilor Matt O’Malley of Jamaica Plain, who proposed the initiative. But at least one chain of pet stores that sells commercially bred animals wanted to expand in the city, O’Malley said.

There are no pet stores in the city that sell puppies or kittens from commercial breeders, according to Councilor Matt O’Malley of Jamaica Plain, who proposed the initiative. But at least one chain of pet stores that sells commercially bred animals wanted to expand in the city, O’Malley said.

“This is a very important piece of legislation that goes after the inhumane factories known as puppy mills,” O’Malley said. “It will also prohibit the sale of dogs on the street corner or in parking lots.”

A similar ban has been enacted in more than 120 other cities, including Chicago and Los Angeles, O’Malley said.

In Boston, pet shops can still work with animal shelters or rescue agencies to help customers adopt pets. People can also purchase animals directly from breeders.

The ordinance will make one exception, for Jim Gentile, owner of the Pet Shop in Allston. Gentile will be allowed to continue breeding rabbits until 2017. He did not immediately return a phone message Wednesday seeking comment.

Last month, Gentile told the Globe the ban would “drive a business out of the city of Boston.”

“The reason I’ve been around [so long] is that I sell animals, and I’m good at it,” said Gentile, who has owned the shop 41 years.

Animal rights activists hailed the vote as a victory.

“We’re really excited that Boston continues to be a leader in animal protection,” said Kara Holmquist, director of advocacy for the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

  

City of Boston Ordinance on Pet Shop and Roadside sales

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