Rabbit & Animal News

posted January 27, 2012

Run for the Buns is rescheduled for Sunday, March 25. More details as they become available.

posted January 26, 2012

Februrary 26 is National Spay Day! Cat are $15 and dogs are $20 for a spay or neuter for qualified families. Check details at the Sacramento Animal Area Coalition. You must make an appointment!

Sacramento County Animal Shelter is full of beautiful, adoptable rabbits. Please visit or look for your potential forever friend here for more rabbits looking permanent homes.

posted January 22, 2012

75 rabbits abandoned in a field in Salinas.

posted January 19, 2012

Our annual RUN FOR THE BUNS fundraiser is schuled for Sunday, April 15 at Healthy Habits in midtown Sacramento. More details as they become available.

Can animals love each other? Read a blog posting on NPR. Bonded rabbits are used as one example.

A generous Grass Valley doctor creates a prosthetic to save an injured lamb. See the story here on CBS13.

posted January 16, 2012

Effective January 1, 2012, SB 917 prohibits the sale, display or offer for sale or give away as part of a transaction, a live animal on any street, public right-of-way, parking lot, carnival, or boardwalk. SB 917 prevents animal suffering, safeguard the public, and reduce pressure on animal shelters and local governments. Text of the bill here.

Rabbits or other animals should not be sold at flea markets or by people on the street trying to sell off litters from their animals..

posted January 13, 2012

Agility training for rabbits? Read an article posted in the Sac Bee about a rabbit agility club in Minneapolis. More on rabbit agility here from the Royal SPCA.

posted November 22, 2011

More than 100 rabbits siezed from breeder in awful conditions. Please help if you can.

posted September 20, 2011

Share a writer's grief in mourning the passing of her beloved dog. Listen to this story on NPR.

Pet rabbit saves it's caregivers' lives in a house fire in Anchorage.

Sacramento City Shelter is having a rabbit adoption event September 24th and 25th from noon to 4:30 pm.. Special adoption price of $20 to commemorate International Rabbit day.

posted September 17, 2011

HOPPY HOUR is October 21, 5-8 PM

our annual cocktail party fundraiser is October 21 from 5-8 pm. Celebrate Healthy Habits Studio's 18th year while enjoying beverages and snacks, mini-spa treatments, shopping discounts, a silent auction, and MORE! All proceeds benefit the Sacramento House Rabbit Society RSVP at Healthy Habits Studio Special events.

Hey all you state workers! We know you're out there. The California State Employee Charitable Campaign (CSECC) is beginning & you can donate to HRS via payroll deduction! Our agency code for CSEEC is 11442. The campaign ends on October 24, so here is a chance to donate to HRS automatically. Last year 16% of state workers donated more than $7 million to all kinds of non-profit organizations. See www.csecc.org about the campaign.

posted September 2, 2011

Humans evolved to recognize and respond to animals. Read all about it in this NPR story.

posted August 20, 2011

Now through September 30, Sacramento County Animal Shelter is offering a special rate for kittie adoption:

• Kittens are 2-for1 (single kittens are still $81)

• Adults over 1 year that have been in the shelter for 30 days or more are $40.00 (not applicable to returning adult fosters who have not been in the shelter for the past 30 days.)

No late fee pet licensing until October 31, 2011.

Hoppy Hour

Hoppy hour is scheduled for Friday, October 21, 5-9 pm at Healthy Habits Studio. There will be beverages and appetizers, vendors and a silent auction. More info and links soon.

posted August 6, 2011

New law passed prohibiting the sale of animals on streets, parking lots, and unregulated public venues. The new law will also make the misdemeanor penalties for animal cruelty and neglect more consistent by providing a maximum sentence of up to one year in county jail for animal neglect, as well as a possible fine up to $20,000. See the sponsoring senator's press release here.

posted July 11, 2011

Translate our site into Spanish, or any other language using Google Translate!

posted June 1, 2011

The New Science Of Understanding Dog Behavior: New insights to understanding your canine friend from Fresh Air on NPR.

posted May 17, 2011

How do you move a bale of hay? It's one of the most ornerous tasks if you have rabbits. This how-to shows you a method to simplify storing a bale after you bring it home from the feed store.

posted May 15, 2011

Timothy needs a new home. His human caregiver passed away and he was placed in the care of the House Rabbit Society. Read his story on our features page.

May 1, 2011

Congratulations to Missie and Cameron!
They are our Buns of the Year as elected at Run for the Buns Today!

Missie and Cameron

4/24/2011
We’ve all heard the truism that pets can be an important part of maintaining our health and well-being, especially as we age. Taking care of pets can become increasingly difficult for the elderly or those with disabilities, but the benefits of pet ownership can be especially important for these populations. Read more about Donna and Timothy...

4/16/2011
Pet Connection in the Sacramento Bee: Rabbits make fun, quiet home companions

Gina Spadafori talks up the joys of having a house rabbit, an FYI in time for Easter.

posted 4/6/2011
Run for the Buns 2011 Details:
It all happens Sunday, May 1, 2011 at Healthy Habits Studio on 2224 J. Street, Sacramento. Events begin at 8 am with a 10K run. A 5K run begins at 9 am. An untimed 1 mile walk begins at 10 am. Download this Flier and mail it in or go online to Healthy Habits Special Events and register online. Fees: Individuals; $35 donation, $45 after April 22. Includes t-shirt. Family; $60 donation, $70 after April 22. Includes 2 t-shirts. Also enter the Bun of the Year Poster Contest!

3/23/2011
Prehistoric giant rabbit fossils found in Spain! Read the National Geographic Article here. Listen to the story on "The World" by Public Radio International.

3/12/2011
Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund, in the UK. has a great press release to tie in both Easter impulse purchases and the upcoming royal wedding. Read their Pet Partners for Life announcement.

3/10/2011
National HRS is kicking off the Easter caution campaign with their press release

3/8/2011
May Day is Run for the Buns 2011 Day. Run for the Buns is on Sunday, May 1!. More information to follow.

3/6/2011
Sacramento County Animal Shelter spays & neuters 29 cats and dogs on Spay day today!

2/3/2011
Sacramento County Animal Shelter severely impacted by budget cuts. Great story by Fox 40 news.

Bunnies Rescued from a Backyard Breeder

2/4/2011
Most SPCA bunnies from the breeder case have been adopted or gone to other rescue agencies. There are 13 remaining. 9 are girls. All rabbits old enough have been altered.

1/28/11
50 bunnies are seized from a backyard breeder. See the news story here. They are available for adoption at the SSPCA, not at the county shelter as was reported in the news story. Please donate hay and toys if you can.

Spay Day is March 6, 2011

The Sacramento Area Animal Coalition at www.sacanimal.org is sponsoring $15 cat alterations and $20 dog alterations. Certain conditions apply. You need to make an appointment beginning on January 15 for your pet. Although rabbits are not included, it is in the interest of ALL pets to reduce the number of unwanted domesticated animals. Download a flier here. En Espanol.

Now is the time to Plant Lettuce for you and your Rabbits!

01/01/2011
See the article in the Sacramento Bee on Saturday, January 1 about what is the appropriate time to plant & harvest some easy-to-grow veggies.

What to Do if You Find Abandoned or Stray Rabbits

Please call your local animal shelter immediately! If they are abandoned, this could lead to a criminal case, especially if there are multiple rabbits. California penal code section 597S states that anyone willfully abandoning an animal is guilty of a misdemeanor.

Sacramento City	916-808-7387
Sacramento County	916-368-7387
Placer County	530-886-5500
Yolo County	530-375-6492

Increase in Stray Rabbits

We have noticed there has been a marked increase in calls for help to catch rabbits beginning this summer. Summer is the worst time of the year for a domestic rabbit to be on the loose in the Sacramento area because of the intense heat & lack of available water. Also, several of these rabbits are moms about to give birth. We have included links to the national HRS website which has a wealth of knowledge in these areas. Please follow the links for some immediate tips with the sudden situation you are in.

Myxomatosis (pronounced mix-oh-mah-toe-sis) is Present in Los Angeles Area

At first, normally the disease is visible by lumps (myxomata) and puffiness around the head and genitals. It then may progress to acute conjunctivitis and possibly blindness; however, this also may be the first indication of the disease. The rabbits become listless, lose appetite, and develop a fever. Secondary bacterial infections occur in most cases which cause pneumonia and purulent inflammation of the lumps. In typical cases where the rabbit has no resistance, death takes an average of 13 days. Myxomatosis is spread by fleas and mosquitoes. Therefore, pet rabbits should be kept away from these pests. Keep you rabbits indoors to reduce the risk of exposure.

The virus is spread by biting insects or through direct contact with infected rabbits or contaminated hutches, equipment or clothing. Infected rabbits may develop swollen noses, eyelids, lips, ears or genitals, and may die very quickly. There is no good treatment for this fatal disease, so prevention is extremely important. Rabbit owners should take the following preventive measures to safeguard their pets:

Protect the rabbits from blood sucking insects. Use mosquito nets, and if possible, keep the rabbits indoors at dusk and dawn.
Reduce mosquitoes on your property by removing any standing water.
Quarantine new rabbits for at least two weeks.
Isolate sick rabbits and contact your veterinarian.
Practice good hygiene. Wash your hands between rabbits. Do not share equipment between rabbit hutches until it has been thoroughly cleaned and disinfected.

Check these references for more information: