The Bunny Camp Newsletter is brought to you by Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group in support of The Bunny Camp Sanctuary, who kindy let it feature on Rabbit Rehome. If you have any queries regarding the newsletter, appeals or rabbits in it please contact them directly not Rabbit Rehome.

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Bunny Camp News

Volume 1 Number 9 September 2003

Contents:-

• Results of our photo competition
• Sad times at the sanctuary
• Bunny Health.
• The Barbara Peters Pages
• Beyond the hutch
• More Rescues (Allison’s new arrivals)
• Bun of the month!
• Comment from our editor
• Join the Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group
• A reminder of who we are
• Some useful contact details

Ø Bunny Camp News is produced by the Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group

Ø In support of The Bunny Camp Sanctuary.

THE BUNNY CAMP SANCTUARY
JULY PHOTO SHOW

ORGANISED & JUDGED BY JANE COWAN AND SONYA McDONOUGH HELD ON 25TH JULY IN AID OF NEW CAGES IN THE SANCTUARY.

CLASS ONE...9 Entries

This class was for ‘Flirty Females (Best Female Bunny)’.
1st...Stella by Jean Gregg age “What are you looking at? Never seen a beautiful bunny before”.
2nd…Jessica by Diane Baldwin age 5 mths, “Long hair is in fashion this season”.
3rd…Hetty by Trish McGrath age 3½ yrs. “Elegance is my middle name”
4th…Millie by Rebecca Williams age 10 mths, “I’m a foxy lady”.

CLASS TWO...11 Entries

This class was for ‘Macho Males ( Best Male Bunny)’ .
1st…Hamish by Diane Baldwin age 2yrs “What, a big strong bunny like me cold?”.
2nd…Sweep by Jean Gregg “I’m just a stunner you know”.
3rd…Twitch by Lauren Bradley age 3yrs old “My sleek body just has to be admired”.
4th….Mr Toast O’Riley by Dee Daubney age 3yrs “I’m a hunk by name and a hunk by nature”

CLASS THREE...17 Entries

This class was for ‘Just Call Me Gorgeous’.
1st… Saxon by Claire King “You’ll never see one as gorgeous as me”.
2nd…Sandy by J & M Talbot age 4 yrs, “Just popped in to say hello”.
3rd…Clara by Trish McGrath age 1 yr “I’ve got the most glamorous coat you know”.
4th….Leo by Julie Haigh age 1 yr “Black’s the in colour this year”

CLASS FOUR...21 Entries

This class was for ‘Two’s Company Three’s a Crowd’
1st…Jesse & Jackson by Sarah Baxter age 4 yrs & 4½ yrs old “Not even a wedge could drive us apart”.
2nd…Mac Duff & Hamish by Diane Baldwin age 4 yrs & 2 yrs “These long ears come in handy, for cuddling my mate”.
3rd…Flopsy & Dandy by Paul & Chris Hutchinson age 3 yrs & 18 mths, “This is our secret love nest so please don’t tell anyone”
4th….Harvey & Leo by Julie Haigh age 4 yrs & 1 yr, “We love each other despite the age difference

CLASS FIVE...9 Entries

This class was for ‘Babes (youngsters up to 12 mths old)’
1st…Baby Belle by Wendy Byng 5 mths “I’m shy, I need my friends to protect me”
2nd...Apollo by Collette Taylor & Craig Whitaker age 6 mths , “Size doesn’t count, I’m still a tough guy”.
3rd…Baby Fudge by Wendy Byng age 4 mths, “Do you have to interrupt my supper”.
4th…Herbie by J & M Talbot age 32 wks, “It won’t be long till I’m a bug boy too”

CLASS SIX...10 Entries

This class was for ‘Bunny Business (bunnies doing bunny things)’.
1st… Clawed by Dee Daubney age 6 yrs, “Busy, busy, busy making my bed”.
2nd…Sabrina by Joan & Peter Waller age 2 yrs, “I’m just tidying the garden up”.
3rd…Hamish by Diane Baldwin age 2 yrs, “This hay is very tasty, I think I’ll have some more”
4th….Millie by Rebecca Williams age 10 mths, “I must cut the grass, It’s very long”.

CLASS SEVEN...6 Entry

This class was for ’It’s not what you wear it’s the way you wear it( Most striking colour or markings)’.
1st… Whisy & Herrman by Wendy Byng age 2 yrs & 1 yr, “Were handsome boys don’t you think”
2nd…Toffee by Dee Daubney age 4 to 5 yrs, “My golden coat is worth a million dollars ”.
3rd….Mickey by Carol Knapton, “My coat has a multitude of different colours”.
4th….Fergus by Hannah Derrick age 10 mths, “People tell me I’m one in a million”.

CLASS EIGHT... 20 Entries

This class was ‘Home is where the heart is’.
1st… Benny by Jayne Woodward age 8 yrs, “Laying hear under the window in the sun is the best place to be”.
2nd… Sooty & Sweep by jean Gregg, “Where else would you expect to find two bunnies except side by side in front of the television ”
3rd….Leo & Harvey by Julie Haigh age 4 yrs & 1 yr, “ Which floor do you want to play on?”.
4th….Flopsy by Chris & Paul Hutchinson age 3 yrs, “I’m so tired I’ll sleep anywhere”

CLASS NINE...5 Entries

This class was ‘Golden Oldies ( Bunnies over 4 yrs old)’
1st… Benny by Jayne Woodward age 8 yrs, “I’m still a spring chicken despite the age”
2nd… Clawed by Dee Daubney age 10 yrs & 1 mth “You’re as old as you feel and I feel 2 again”
3rd… Fiver & Yang by Wendy Byng age 6 yrs & 7yrs, “We’re two oldies together”.
4th….Bramble by J & M Talbot age 9+ yrs, “I’m a handsome old boy you know”.

CLASS TEN...9 Entries

This class was ‘Bunny Circus’.
1st…Connie by J & M Talbot age yrs “What can I have for tea tonight?”
2nd…Apollo by Colette Taylor & Craig Whitaker age 9 mths, “ This wallpaper is hard to strip”
3rd….Hetty by Trish McGrath age 3½ yrs, “I will reach that pot”.
4th….Hopper by Lauren Bradley age 3 yrs, “These plants taste good”.

RESERVE BEST IN SHOW By Diane Baldwin

Best in Show Stella By Jean Gregg

THANK YOU ONCE AGAIN FOR YOUR EXCELLENT PHOTOS

SAD TIMES AT THE SANCTUARY
By Sonya McDonough

VALENTINE MAY 2003

It is with a heavy heart and a great deal of tears that I write this for you. The last two weeks have been the most difficult I have had to face in a long time so much so that I nearly gave up my work with the sanctuary.

On Wednesday 4th September Valentine one of the sponsor bunnies stopped eating. This was quite normal for her as she needed her back teeth grinding regularly so on Thursday morning I took her to see Simon the vet and he kept her in for a routine operation on her back teeth. I wasn’t too worried as she had been through this procedure dozens of times before. In the afternoon Simon phoned me to say she had recovered from the operation however her mouth was one of the worst he had ever seen. She now only possessed three back teeth and would need to be given soft food from now on.

VALENTINE 20th FEBRUARY 2003

I brought her home and put her in the house with lots of different dishes of food to tempt her but nothing seemed to work. I syringe fed her every hour with baby foods and liquidised fruit and veg without success. She continued to get weaker by the day despite daily visits to the vets for antibiotics and other fluids. By Tuesday morning despite everything pneumonia had set in and she was unable to sit up. I rushed her back over to the vets and she was kept in and an intravenous drip inserted but nothing worked and two hours later she slipped away to bunny heaven.

MAX AUGUST 2003

On the Tuesday afternoon I noticed Max (Valentine’s son) had left his breakfast and his veg so I brought him into the house to observe him. I spoke to Simon the vet early in the evening and he told me to give him an antibiotic injection and take him in to be seen in the morning which I did. He was very concerned and admitted him to hospital for intensive treatment. Max had always been a poor eater despite his teeth being checked and filed regularly. Simon was unsure why Max was ill despite numerous investigations. I think personally he was so connected to his mum that the loss was to great for him to bare.

After settling Max we started to talk about Angel another of the sponsor bunnies who had been in the hospital for about a month. He was admitted with pasturella pneumonia which had been treated and cleared up but unfortunately the pasturella had spread to the eyes and he became completely blind. The treatment no longer seemed to be working and the pneumonia had started to return so we had to make the decision to allow Angel to join Valentine.

ANGEL PICTURED ON RIGHT
WITH HIS LOVE IVORY

I cannot describe the despair I felt as I drove home. I felt as though my world was crumbling under my feet. I was supposed to love and care for these adorable creatures and in 24 hours I had lost two of them. I couldn’t in my wildest dreams imagine things could get any worse but I was very wrong.

Thursday morning came and I got the children off to school as soon as I could and then Jim and I set off to see Max. We were taken into a quiet room to visit Max and the nurse brought him through to us. When she entered the room he looked fairly bright and recognised us straight away. He snuggled into the crook of my arm and seemed to relax. I have never been so pleased to see him I then gave him to Jim for a cuddle and again he snuggled in however this time he seem to be struggling with holding his head up. After about five minutes Jim gave him back to me. Again he settled in with his head on my arm he was so relaxed in my arm then suddenly he stretched his head up and looked at me straight in the eye with an adoring look then dropped his head back down onto my arm. He twitched a couple of times then stopped, I was sure he was breathing but Simon assured me he was at peace. My love was not enough to keep him he needed his mum more. Max was now with his mum and Angel.

MAX 9th SEPTEMBER 2003

I felt as though my world had fallen apart and so did Jim but they taught us a valuable lesson not every thing in life has a hidden agenda that there is unconditional love out there and we are needed for all the other bunnies abandoned, unwanted or ill treated.

This story was very hard to write but is a tribute to Valentine, Angel and Max and the love we had for them.

Bunny Health
By Maxine Gower

This month, we decided that it might be useful to publish a list of some of the things that are good, and importantly some of the things that are bad for your bunny to eat.

The Barbara Peters Page

THE MINT FAMILY

As you may be aware mint should be fed to rabbits as an aid for the digestive tract to help in avoiding gas attacks. There are many varieties cultivated these days and easily purchased from nurseries such as www.barwinnock.co.uk. or your local garden centre.

Bowles Mint is quite a large plant with big leaves to go with it. the ideal type for mint sauce and feeding rabbits. For those buns that like a change now and again, you can buy chocolate, pineapple, and apple mints.

Pennyroyal a small variety that likes shade and damp ground can be used as a rub on the skin to put off fleas and midges and also spread around the bedding in a hutch will put off ants.

Last but not least is Peppermint, available as either pale green or black, the black one having more oil in its leaves. This one is good as an infusion for colds and for numbing toothache in “two-foots” and thinking about it why not rabbits too.

Mint should never be given to pregnant Does as it excites the uterus.

THYME

Now I’ve known this herb for its effect of expelling worms in rabbits but by all accounts it can also be used for flatulence (gas attacks) and to stimulate the appetite.

This herb has been known for a long time as a “strengthening herb” and can be fed for cases of “snuffles” and bronchial illness, anaemia and exhaustion. An “infusion” of thyme leaves can be used as a “wash” to cleanse infected wounds.

QUITE BY ACCIDENT

whilst catching up with the news I stumbled across a letter in the Dr. Miriam Stoppard column on flatulence.

Excess wind in rabbits causes “gas attacks” and I have always recommended feeding daily the combination of Marjoram, Fennel and Mint as a precaution against this very painful problem.

Thanks to this article I can now add a few more herbs to our list. Camomile, Lemon Balm, Dill and Rosemary

BEYOND THE HUTCH
By Justine Hankins (reprinted from the Guardian)

Home for most rabbits was once a pen in the garden, but now the UK's third most popular pet is hopping freely ...around the living room. By Justine Hankins Help yourself to carrot cake, because today we're celebrating international Rabbit Day. The annual event is orchestrated by the Rabbit Charity, an organisation dedicated to spreading the word about bunnies. The message is simple: rabbits are "intelligent, affectionate, entertaining and sensitive creatures". I wouldn't dream of suggesting otherwise. But, let's face it, rabbits are generally regarded as B-list pets – a long way behind cats and dogs, those elite creatures that sleep on the bed, get taken on holiday, receive expert medical care and even birthday and Christmas presents; in many cases, they're regarded with greater fondness than human members of the family.

Rabbits, however, despite being the nation's third most popular pet, rarely enjoy such attention, and not usually for a lifetime. The life expectancy of a rabbit is seven to 10 years, but pet rabbits often fall out of favour long before then. Many rabbits lead a lonely existence in tiny hutches at the bottom of the garden; adorable, then boring, then neglected. More than 30,000 end up in rescue centres every year. But there are signs that Thumper is coming in from the cold. More and more people are keeping rabbits in the home, where they can hop around freely. There was a time when no one over 12 would admit to loving a bunny. Not any more. The house rabbit phenomenon, which started in the US in the 1980s, is often an adult passion. These days, pet shops are crammed with special toys and treats for bunnies. Your bunny can live in an elaborate designer hutch.

When at home and while you're away he can stay in a luxury bunny hotel.Rabbits also have fans among the marginally famous. Suggs, Toyah Willcox and the head of design at Habitat, Tom Dixon, have all publicly praised their house bunnies. Petplan introduced rabbit insurance policies in 1998, in response to public demand, and there have been significant improvements in the veterinary treatment available to them. Petplan estimates that.two out of 10 rabbits live indoors. The Rabbit Charity would like to see far more bunnies living free-range in our homes and is against hutches altogether. The organisation's director, Caroline James, says her bunnies are happy to sleep in a dog basket and recommends using a baby gate if you need to confine your rabbit to one room. The Rabbit Welfare Association is fine with hutches for indoor or outdoor use, so long as they're big. A hutch should be large enough to allow a rabbit to stand upright, and they also need enough space for regular exercise. Many of the hutches on sale in pet shops are simply too small.
Any rabbit would be happier exploring the living room than shut in a hutch. But is it really wise to have a rabbit on the loose? Possibly not, but wisdom doesn't really come into it. After all, cats and dogs can be a terrible nuisance, but we don't keep them in cages. Rabbits love to chew and burrow, and can be very destructive in a home that is not adequately bunny-proofed. Electric cables, telephone wires and carpets will all need to be protected. The good news is that bunnies can be litter trained without too much difficulty. They are also very affectionate and surprisingly bold. They're so sociable, in fact, that you should really have at least two — but you may need to get the vet to have a little chat with them about family planning.

Hi Everybody,

I hope all is well with you. And your buns. I have attached some of piccies of my new arrivals

Harvey is the white one, Benjamin is brown. I believe they are brothers as they are the same age and seem to be bonded. Although they look different, Harvey does have the same agouti colouring on his ears and round his eyes. Harvey also shows a bit of lionhead in him as he has tufts round his ears.

They were spotted by my work colleague whilst out walking on the Chevin Forest Park, Otley on 5th August. The next day armed with 2 carry cases we (my colleague Maike and I) went to the same spot and luckily they were still there, happily munching and hopping about. Maike caught Benjamin in the first five mins but it took nearly an hour and lots of nettle stings and bramble scratches before I could get hold of Harvey. They were fit and well and I suspect they had not been there long as Harvey's coat was still very clean. Plus, they had not moved from the car park area so I believe they had been dumped there recently.

They were checked up by a vet and pronounced fit and well and thought to be about 8 weeks. Now they are about 11 weeks acc to my reckoning which was probably about right as their male bits have started to appear! They have just had their first VHD jab and will have the myxi jab in 2 weeks. They are up for re-homing. They are both nice tempered rabbits, a little timid. They spend most of the time in their rabbit run on my front lawn, munching on the grass. Sophie was very agitated when they first arrived, she would incessantly circle the run and unfortunately managed to give them a few nips through the wire. Charlie was not too keen either, he was doing lots of chinning, although not as wound up as Sophie. Poor Charlie was also chased by Sophie who seemed to blame him for the new arrivals. They settled down quickly though and they seem to have accepted each others scent although I no longer put them together .

Regards

Allison.

Bun of the month
Stella (who owns Jean Gregg)

End column By Dandy

Bun’s just like to have fun!

It might sound blindingly obvious, but bun’s love to play. We like to laze about, sure we do, but there are times…….

Flopsy Girl & yours truly love lots of different things, but among our favourites are things like a woven willow ball stuffed with hay that we can pull out and eat. We also have a metal slinky that we like to throw about, and also, we have lots of things like cardboard spools that gift wrap ribbon has originally been wrapped around.

Without doubt though, our very favourite toy is our new playhouse that is pictured below. I bet you wish you had one!

Read my live journal at http://www.livejournal.com/users/dandybun/

Why not join us?

The Leeds & Bradford Hopper Group meet about once a month, usually in a child friendly pub (yes Sonya brings her kids!). We talk about Bunny Camp and plans for the future, but we do not just confine ourselves to that. We are a general talking shop for all things rabbit, and would love to welcome any Bunny Camp News readers to join us.

If you would like details of where and when we meet, then call Allison Girt on 0113 239 7408 (evenings), or e-mail her on : alison.girt@btinternet.com

Who we Are

Here at the Bunny Camp Sanctuary, we strive to provide a safe haven for rabbits who, through no fault of their own, end up here because they have been mistreated or neglected, or simply because their owners can no longer look after them.If you are interested in re-homing or sponsoring any of the gorgeous creatures that we have, or simply wish to make a donation to this worthwhile cause, please contact:

Sonya and Jim McDonough
4 Stoney Ridge Avenue,
Heaton,
BradfordWest Yorkshire
BD9 6PA
England
Tel: (0044) 01274 821665
Email: bunnycampsan@talk21.com

Useful Contacts

R.S.P.C.A. regional headquarters
P.O. Box BR29
LS13 2XL
Phone (24 hours) 08705 555 999

The Rabbit Welfare Association PO Box 603,
Horsham,
West Sussex
RH13 5WL

Some Other Good Rabbit Sancturies

BUNNY BURROWS. RABBIT RESCUE
Gwen & John Butler
68 Whitefields Drive,
Richmond
North Yorkshire
DL10 7DL

Telephone: 01748 824788
Website:- http://www.communigate.co.uk/ne/bunnyburrows/index.phtml
E-Mail:- bunnyburrows@ne.communigate.co.uk

Society for Abandoned Animals
The Peggy Henderson Animal Sanctuary
Barfoot Bridge
Stretford
Manchester M32 9UP