Bunny Love  

We are fortunate to live in the rural Shenandoah Valley of Virginia where fields of
sheep, goats, llamas, and even alpacas and a few camels are common. I'll never forget
the excitement of one of my daughters' college city/suburb-raised friends who
squealed with delight at the sight of real sheep in open fields near our home.
"Slow down!" said Christa as they drove along our road. "I've never seen
a sheep outside of a zoo," she exclaimed.

I especially love seeing the baby lambs in the fields this time of year as we
anticipate spring and Easter. Besides flowers, singing birds, and fresh buds on
trees, there is no better reminder of the cycle of new life than sweet baby animals.
They are, too, an appropriate symbol for the resurrection of Jesus that Easter
celebrates.

But unfortunately, their cuteness is too often their undoing. Too many parents
succumb to the pleas of kids (or from seeing adorable pictures) and purchase a baby
bunny, chick, duck or other cute animal for Easter.

Experts say that thousands of rabbits are adopted at Easter time and face an
uncertain future. "The Easter bunny is one of the most popular symbols of Easter
and is also one of the most delicate and misunderstood of all God's creatures,"
writes freelance writer and animal lover Candice Silsby. "Many well meaning
parents purchase live rabbits at pet stores as gifts for their children. Live rabbits
are a huge responsibility and they are not very compatible with children," she
goes on. "Younger children are at a developmental stage that doesn't go well with
rabbits. Children explore their world with their hands, often by grabbing. It is
natural for children to exuberantly grab, hug and squeeze that which is cute and
seemingly cuddly. In reality, live rabbits are very fragile and instinctively feel
threatened when held, squeezed or hugged," Silsby points
out.

I remember the rabbits my mother raised to earn extra money, which were kept in
cages. But even a cage didn't keep my younger brother from inquisitively sticking his
finger inside one day for the bunny to nuzzle. The nuzzle turned into a sharp bite- a
very painful lesson for my brother.

"Rabbits are not docile, which can cause children to lose interest after Easter.
Unfortunately, parents often don't have access to this information before purchasing
the rabbit (or they think they will be the exception). After Easter, thousands of
bunnies are returned to overcrowded animal shelters and many must be euthanized,"
says Silsby.

Ms. Silsby suggests some helpful substitutes for Easter. "A cuddly plush rabbit
toy is a wonderful substitute for a child," if you give gifts at Easter.Ã,�?BR>"A child can hug their plush rabbit without injury, it doesn't need to be fed or
brushed, there are no droppings to clean up (live rabbit droppings are frequent and
plentiful) and a plush rabbit is not destructive," she says. "It is a happy
participant in tea parties and most importantly, if the child loses interest, the
plush rabbit will not be lonely or neglected."

Another suggestion is to "Take your child to a local animal shelter or rescue
operation to visit and feed greens to the resident rabbits (if any). This is
educational and teaches children compassion for one of God's creatures," Silsby
writes. This is a great addition to a stuffed rabbit gift, especially if your child
has been begging for a live bunny. This way your child will see firsthand the effects
of having a rabbit as a pet, without needing to understand the mammoth commitment of
owning one.

On the other hand, perhaps you are in a situation where, as a family, you can make a
conscious and educated choice to bring a rabbit into your home. If you decide it is
feasible, shelters and rescue operations are a great educational resource to help you
learn which animal is right for your family.

Finally, a chocolate rabbit is always a practical substitute. Chocolate as a rare
treat is acceptable for even the most health conscious family (unless allergic, of
course).

My thanks to Ms. Silsby for this information, who used the website
http://www.rabbit.org for research. If you decide you can make the long term
commitment to care for and love a pet, no matter what kind of animal your children
are begging for, do first of all consider adopting a pet from your local animal
shelter. Mixed breeds often make the best, friendly, pets for children. Shelters
carefully make sure that dangerous or difficult animals are screened from families
with young children.

God created animals to inhabit this world along with us, but they are not for
everyone's indoor lifestyle. A pet's unconditional love can be an everyday reminder
of God's unreserved love for us all. Happy Easter!