What is Going On?
If you like animals, specifically rabbits and chickens, you’ve probably had a few (or constant!) posts come through your facebook feed talking about live animals and Easter.
“Make Mine Chocolate”
“Rabbits are not Easter toys”
“Bun Lives Matter”
These are all headlines that are usually accompanied by cute rabbit photos and some serious comments about what happens after Easter. Unwanted pets.
Rabbits – Baby Buns are the Cutest!
Yup generique viagra belgique. All of us here agree that baby bunnies are incredibly cute. Soft and fluffy. Just a little handful . But as the rescue groups point – they grow up. Into adorable adults (so most of us think) that require love, care, cleaning and enrichment.
Sometimes it’s more than you’re expecting. These guys can live more than 10 years. They need a lot of cleaning, a specific diet and veterinary care from veterinarians who focus on rabbit care. We even have board certified specialists in exotic companion mammals (that’s ferrets, rabbits, rodents and the like in case you were wondering!).
More Issues
Aside from their needs as a pet (think of a rabbit as needing the same amount of care/time investment as a dog), some rabbits can get quite large. Up to 8-10 pounds (4-5 kg). That’s a big hutch, more food cost, more cleaning effort and often higher costs in medications.
So what ends up happening? A lot of rabbits get re-homed before their first birthday. Or, when not properly cared for, they don’t even make it that far.
Chickens
Why don’t we seem to have the same issues as chickens these days? I’m sure people do still get a cute little yellow ball of fluff…but thankfully it’s just less of a problem.
I have my own theory as to that change – it’s due to the banning of dyed chicks.
I totally get why people grab these little guys and take them home. But you all know what an adult chicken looks like. Not a little ball of pink or purple fluff!
If it was here in the SF Bay Area, I would wonder what people were thinking. You’re going to end up with chickens (or roosters)…in a big city…that can live for more than 4 years after they stop laying eggs. And that’s ignoring the fact that this is not a way to treat a living animal.
To Sum Up
Please enjoy your Easter – with candy, chocolate, stuffed animals and religious observations. But not with live animals unless you are ready for the commitment.
