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Valentine’s Day is upon us and you remember what that means, don’t you? It’s time to show the world just how loving and wonderful adoptable shelter pets are! Join us on this Friday, February 14th for Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Second Annual Pooch Smooch and Kitty Kiss. Here’s how you can join: Pull out your camera phone and snap a photo or two (or ten!) of your adopted pet in the midst of doing what she does best – showing you love and affection! Post your favorite Pooch Smooch and Kitty Kiss photos to Adopt-a-Pet.com’s Facebook page on Friday, February 14th and be a part of the kiss felt around the world. You can also share those photos all over the social web with the hash tags #PoochSmooch and #KittyKiss. Be sure to tag @AdoptaPetcom! Let’s show potential pet adopters what they’re missing and why they should adopt!

Today’s Happy Beginnings story with it’s snowy photos will make you smile and see how much fun winter can be for a newly adopted dog! Nothing warms us like a sunny day than a story of how Adopt-a-Pet.com helped a homeless pet find a new loving home. (We’d love to hear yours too, and would be happy to consider it for a future blog post too! Send your Happy Beginnings story to info@cms.adoptapet.com with a photo or two.)  This week’s story is from Dennis and Pam. They write, “Here are a few pictures of Bernie who we adopted from Eye on the Sparrow, after you alerted us that he was available.  We have been without a dog for about 3 years after our Peke died . She was 16 years old and we had adopted her when she was 5 wks old.  Bernie is just a love.  He is learning trust and love everyday and is generous with his love.  Thank you for all you do we are so lucky that he is a member of our family.  He will get all the love and care that we can give him.”

Coming home

Snow Dog

Resting after a hard day of play

Our Faux St. Bernard loves the snow

One of the concerns we hear the most often from people looking to adopt from a shelter or rescue is: “How do you know what you’re getting when you adopt a pet?”  The truth is, no matter where you get a pet from, there is always an element of uncertainty. Pets aren’t cars with standard features that can be guaranteed to be found in every model — even within purebred pets from the same litter, personalities can make a big difference in each of those sibling pets! Of course, most people don’t want to adopt a total unknown. But not to worry, adopting a pet is nothing like agreeing to marry a blind date! Shelter and rescue volunteers and staff who are professional adoption counselors, and pet trainers and behaviorists can get to know a pet very quickly in a shelter or foster home, and can tell you a lot about the pet you’re interested in adopting. Below are some examples what you can look for to know more about what you’re getting when you adopt a pet.

– FRIENDLY? You can tell if a pet is friendly with you and other people he/she meets. Even if you can’t take a pet out of his/her cage, you can spend time in front of the cage watching how they interact with people and any other pets that may pass by. In rescues, many pets are in foster homes, where they will know a lot about the pet’s personality. Some shelters do behavior testing which can reveal a lot about a pet’s friendliness towards people too.

– GOOD WITH KIDS? Many rescues have pets in foster homes with children. This is a great way to know if the pet will be good with kids! Even in a shelter, if you are an experienced pet owner and are able to have your kids interact with the pet in a play yard or meeting room,  especially if you can have a professional trainer/behaviorist come with you for an expert opinion, you can get a good idea of how the pet interacts with your kids.

– GOOD WITH OTHER PETS? This can be a bit more of challenge, as chemistry between individual pets varies greatly. If the pet is in a foster home with other pets, that’s one great way to get a good indication. Some shelters let or even require dogs be introduced, and more and more have community cat rooms where cat-friendly cats get to live together freely, which means they are more likely to get along with your cat too.

– HEALTHY? You can see if a pet appears to be healthy right now. The most common (and usually easily treatable) illnesses have easy-to-recognize symptoms like goopy eyes, sneezing, or coughing. In addition, many shelters give pets a basic health check exam and vaccinations. Many rescues get extensive vet work done too. You can’t possibly know if a pet will stay healthy, no matter if you adopt the pet from a shelter, buy them from a pet store or breeder.

– ENERGY LEVEL? If you are looking at baby pets like puppies and kittens, you won’t know what their energy level will be like as an adult. In a shelter setting, this can be a little hard to know at first glance. The longer you can spend with a pet, the better you’ll get a chance to see their energy level. Dogs especially can be frantic or depressed in a kennel, so if you can take them out for a long walk, you’ll get a more realistic energy level assessment.

– ALREADY TRAINED? One of the great things about adopting an adult pet is there is a good chance they are already trained! If you can’t take the pet out of their cage at the shelter, you can see if a dog responds to the most universal command “sit”, and cats you can see if they are litter box trained. If you can take the dog out for a walk, you’ll know within 10 minutes if they are leash trained and what other manners they have been taught, like not to jump up or mouth you. If you are looking for an already-trained dog, if they already know sit, walk well on leash, and are polite, chances are they have been trained already in other areas too.

– HOUSEBROKEN? Many potential dog owners want a pet that is already housebroken. While housebreaking a dog is usually one of the easiest things you can train a pet to do, some people know that their busy schedules will make it hard for them to take a pet out on a regular schedule and want a pet that is too big to pee-pad train. Fostered dogs will likely be known to be housebroken or not, and owner-surrendered dogs at shelters may have that information too.

– PUREBRED? Shelters offer a huge range of animals to select from including both mixed and purebreds. Studies show about 20% of dogs and cats who end up in shelters or with rescue groups are purebred. That means millions of purebred pets are available for adoption each year!

So you see, you can know (most of) what you’re getting when you adopt a pet!

How deep does your love for your pets run? St. Francis of Assisi is the patron saint of animals, but we’d like to adopt Saint Valentine for all the pet lovers out there too! February 14th may be the official day to send valentines and gifts to your loved ones, but you know how some people celebrate their birthday all month long? We like to celebrate our love for our pets all year long! Let’s declare the the entire month of February the Love Your Pets with All Your Heart month, shall we? They might not appreciate a greeting card, but how about some heart shaped treats, or just a big daily hug or extra few minutes of snuggling or belly rubbing this month? Share your love of pets and pet adoption by sharing this graphic, and happy pet Valentine’s month to you and your furry loved ones too!

One of the great mysteries of life – why do cats love catnip? I am being a bit silly, of course, but so are most cats on catnip! In the photo you’ll see one of my  foster kittens who happily jumped up on to the table to help me get an appropriate image to go along with this article. He’s just 6 months old but already he’s quite the catnip affectionado! He and his brother have loved catnip since I got them a couple of months ago, but sometimes kittens aren’t interested until they are older. They will even bat around the tin that it’s stored in to keep it safe from their curious paws! Other foster kittens and cats I’ve cared for have ranged from totally disinterested in cat nip, to one who got so wild from the “catnip crazies” even from just an old catnip-stuffed toy that he would first attack the toy, then try to attack anything else that moved near by! (He was put on a permanent nip hiatus.) In my experience, most cats either get slightly more playful then take a nap – or go right to the nap! Some like to eat the leaves, some roll around in it, and some do both.  So what is it about catnip that affects cats behavior?

Catnip is simply a dried herb. You can grow catnip yourself from seeds, purchase a potted plant version of it, or buy it already dried. The dried form comes in three primary forms: either still on the stem in dried clumped-together buds, loose whole leaves, or loose crushed leaves. The fresh live catnip plant doesn’t seem to have any affect on cats. It’s only after it’s been dried that the smell of it starts to have an effect on felines. I’ve read that it a natural chemical within the catnip, called nepetalactone, that is what they are reacting to. Because they often eat it and the certainly are smelling it, I prefer organic catnip, which is usually readily available in most retail outlets.

Can cats overdose on catnip? Technically, a cat could eat too much catnip, just like they could eat or drink too much of anything, and get sick from it. I’ve read could more easily happen if you have a cat that likes to eat fresh catnip. My vet says catnip overdose would be really rare – especially with the dried versions, cats will self-regulate – its not like a can of cat food where they will eat the whole thing! To be safe, you can give your cat a pinch or two once a day. It is not harmful to their health, and I think the amusement and stress relief they get from playing or napping adds some nice variety to their kitty lives.

When we were teenagers, my sister had a feisty dwarf bunny named Ribbit that lived in her bedroom. She moaned about cleaning his cage, but we both loved his quirky personality, feeding him crunchy leftovers from my mom’s garden, watching him jump and twirl happy airs above the carpet, and laughing when he very seriously rearranged his dishes and toys! Rabbits can make wonderful pets for gentle older children, teenagers, and adults. They are not usually a good choice of a pet for a home with younger children, as many bunnies do not like to be held – and they are so cute the temptation to pick them up can be impossible for kids to resist! Also, they do have sharp teeth and nails that they will use if frightened, being prey animals by heritage. Rabbits are quite fragile structurally and can startle easily, so should only be picked up and be held by a bunny-experienced adult. An accidental drop can break a bunny’s back or neck, a horrible experienced for everyone involved and definitely one you want to avoid at all costs. Some rabbit rescues suggest to wait until your child is 10 years old or older, so they can really understand and respect the basic bunny safety rules, see below.

1-2-3 Bunny Safety Rules for Kids

1. Be considerate! Never pick up your bunny. Bunnies can bite and kick. Only adults should pick up rabbits.

2. Be gentle and patient! Sit on the ground so you are closer to bunny-size. Ask an adult to put the bunny and some bunny food on the floor near you. Hold out your hand so they can smell it first, then softly stroke the top of their head or back. If they like it, they will stay. If they don’t like it, allow them to hop away, and you can try another day.

3. Be quiet! Bunnies are easily frightened. Talk in a quiet voice. Enjoy together time with your bunny by sitting quietly, feeding them food and treats an adult gives you for them, and watching them do fun bunny things like chewing and hopping around. If you’re patient, you might even see them jump for joy!

Ready to adopt a rabbit? See rabbits for adoption near you on Adopt-a-Pet.com at www.adoptapet.com/other-pet-adoption#rabbit

Adopting a horse is a big decision, in more ways than one! I grew up riding and caring for horses, with a big lesson/riding barn on one side of my childhood home, a small two-horse barn where we kept our adopted one-eyed pony on the other side. When I was a teenager, we build a small barn of our own in our backyard. We moved the pony in, along with a friend’s horse after that horse, a 3 year old thoroughbred – not a safe amateur’s horse – bucked him off and broke his back. We got professional help with the horse, and although he still occasionally had impressive bucking fits (my mom called him “opinionated”), he became a well-loved member of our family. Although I learned a lot about horse care, when a friend recently asked me about adopting a horse, I had no idea of the logistics of how to find a good match of a horse to adopt, much less how much one would cost! To help others who are thinking about adopting a horse, I asked a horse expert I trust – my mom – for some commonsense tips to consider before adopting a horse. Here is her horse adopting advice.

BEFORE ADOPTING A HORSE: COMMON SENSE TIPS

DECIDE EXACTLY WHAT YOU EXPECT. In other words, why are you doing this? If you hope to ride and haven’t much experience, take lessons at a local barn to see if it’s something you really love. If you just love horses and want to give a needy one a good home, volunteer first at a local rescue to see what’s involved and read up on horse care (there are 100s of books on the subject!) so you know what’s involved. Even a retiree, cute pony or miniature horse that isn’t being ridden takes lots of time and money! But the payback is enormous. It might take a while, but most domesticated horses learn to appreciate the people who care for them. So the rewards are huge.

GET PROFESSIONAL ADVICE. Adopting a horse is nothing like adopting a smaller animal. In general, it’s not a wise thing to do unless you have professional help (to chose the right candidate) or are a very experienced horse person. The best rescues will give sound advice and help make good matches, so that a beginner will be paired up with a quiet, kind, safe horse. But many aren’t equipped to make this assessment.

IT’S A LONG TERM COMMITMENT. Bringing a horse into your life is a lot like getting married; it’s a major commitment of time (and emotion, too. Horses typically live to be in their mid 20s (ponies often live even longer) and once a horse is “aged,” it’s often hard to find him another home–good retirement places for horses can be hard to find and obviously your checkbook will still take a hit every month.

DO THE MATH. No matter where you live, horse upkeep can be pretty expensive–even when the initial adoption cost is low. Board is just the beginning. Most barns include feed (hay and perhaps grain) and basic care, but there are plenty of other recurring expenses, such as blacksmith and vet upkeep. (Jen’s note: this is such a huge part of keeping a horse, we made a whole separate article on How Much Does it Cost to Keep a Horse, click here!) 

GET A PRE-PURCHASE EXAM. Find the best local vet (if it’s a very reputable rescue, they will suggest theirs; typically a buyer brings in his/her own veterinarian) and talk to them about what you plan to do with the horse before they come out for the exam. Be sure to be there for the visit. Some horses will be sound enough for trail riding only. A basic set of x-rays is a good investment, often uncovering things that will become problematic as the horse ages or is put into regular work.

ABOVE ALL, BE CAUTIOUS! Not only are you making an enormous financial and emotional commitment, for a novice, there are always safety issues to remember.

Once you’ve done all your homework, make sure you do have a professional or very experienced horse person who can help you when problems arise. And once it’s all in place, HAVE FUN!

We are so happy to be able to share with you some more stories from one of the Adopt-a-Pet.com Veterinary Care Fund grant recipients! The Litter Box Kitty Rescue, Inc. is one of 10 grant recipients this month. (You can see all the recipient’s applications here!) In the last few months of last year, our grant program accepted applications from shelters and rescues across the USA and Canada. All of them already take advantage of the services we offer to help their pets get seen and adopted, by listing their pets on the Adopt-a-Pet.com website, and the grants are just one more way we help them help the pets in their care go from sick and injured to healthy and adopted! The Litter Box Kitty Rescue goes to amazing lengths for cats and kittens. Here are the stories they included in their grant application.

 

The Litter Box Kitty Rescue, Inc. writes: “We have multiple kittens who have recuperated through illness; they have done so with lots of eye medication, lots of antibiotics, and lots of TLC.  Meet a few of our rescues!

*Rupert (orange tiger with white sox – pictured above)

Rupert was a mere 4 weeks old when he was dumped at our doorstep.  He was very tiny and very sick.  He had goopy everything and was just plain ‘out-of-energy’.  We took him to the vet and boy did he have anything and everything going on.  His fecal came back positive for 2 different parasites, he had ghiardia,  ropey intestines, and to beat all an upper respiratory infection due to his lowered immune system from all his other medical issues.  As treatment began we noticed a small incline in his health.  His upper respiratory infection did not go away and we were up to see the vet again.  Poor little Rupert had another kind of worm and was dehydrated, and still under weight.  We continued treatment again and noticed his health improving a bit more.  He still didn’t come out of his upper respiratory infection.  The next vet visit showed us that his ghiardia was gone, his worms were gone, but he had manifested  the herpes virus.  We began treatment and his symptoms were still existent.  We returned to the vet three times and treated Rupert with three different remedies.  We finally had a breakthrough and he started gaining weight and playing with the other kittens.  Now, funny story about Rupert.  The first 2 months of his life he was sick, annoyed by the jubilance of the other kittens, and smaller than most of them.  Now he was a strong boy who could finally ‘get down with the boys’.  On the bed one night, as Rupert is taking his first steps to becoming a wild child, he is darting from here to there and pouncing on all that moves; all of a sudden with zero hesitation, he stops, gives a ‘I am very sorry, but I’m having too much fun to stop and do this correctly’ look, and pees a small flood on the covers.  With no regret he bounds to other end of the bed and starts wrestling with another kitten.  I looked at my husband with a bit of disbelief and a bit of triumph- that little Rupert felt better and he couldn’t get enough of it!  Currently he is a tad smaller than most his age, but still gives them a run for their money.  He is smart, affectionate, and does not pee on the bed at all!

*Lydie (tabby)

Lydie came to us at 3 days old.  She was the first to open her eyes and the first to take to a bottle.  As she began to take her steps and play with her siblings another of the kittens became lethargic with bloody diarrhea.  He began coughing and then paralyzed from his neck down.  The emergency vet thought he had pneumonia and was aspirating on fluids.  Upon returning home, early in the morning, we noticed another of the litter mates was exhibiting similar symptoms, we did not make it to the vet before he passed away.  Two days went by and as we thought we had passed our ‘loss’ stage, another of the litter mates began having bloody diarrhea and rapid breathing.  Not too much longer he was gasping for air.  We made our way to the emergency vet with two kittens.  Lydie who was paralyzed in her back legs and her litter mate who was on his way ‘out’.  We were unable to save her brother, who was was diagnosed with Panleukopenia.  Lydie was given extensive medications and began walking once more after small massages.  She gained weight, played with the other kittens, and has grown up right before our eyes.  She is truly our miracle baby and a new member of our family!

*Darla (white w/orange spots)

Darla came to us a bit under the weather.  She was sneezing and had a goopy nose.  We administered antibiotics and it cleared her sneezes up, but we noticed her eye was becoming cloudy.  We made a vet appointment and the diagnoses was not positive for Darla’s eye.  She had the herpes virus and her eye was worse than suspected.  We were sent home with eye drops, pills, and to expect an eye removal surgery in the near future.  We knew we couldn’t let her lose her eye so we washed, picked, and administered drops a bit more frequently than we were told to, prayed and gave lots of kisses.  She was more than happy to let us medicate her and even began giving kisses back.  She made a full recovery with maybe a pin prick of cloudy white in eye.  She is a joyous little cat who is happy go lucky and LOVES to give kisses, too many kisses…A LOT of kisses!

We don’t exactly look forward to more of these cases, but we welcome them because we know we can handle it, with a bit of faith, perseverance, and love we can make each and every one of them feel better!

Thank you to The Litter Box Kitty Rescue, Inc. for these incredible before and after photos and stories, and for all they do helping sick and injured cats and kittens find loving fur-ever homes!

Horses are beautiful, magical creatures! Humans and horses have shared strong bonds for thousands of years. You may have dreamed a long time about owning your own horse, riding through nature, enjoying the thrill of a gallop or a gentle nuzzle of a carrot-seeking nose. Adopting a horse is a wonderful way to make your dream come true, while saving the life of a horse in need at the same time. But hold your horses… before you jump in, there are some important factors to consider. The biggest one may be finances. The reality is that no matter where you live, horse upkeep can be pretty expensive! These tips below were written by an experienced horse person, Donna Warner Coughlin. They describe the various one-time and ongoing costs involved with caring for a horse or pony, so you can create a realistic budget, and be prepared to be able to afford to take care of your new equine friend, before you adopt a horse. Next week, we’ll publish more her commonsense tips for adopting a horse too!

ADOPTING A HORSE – BUDGET ITEMS

ADOPTION COSTS. Adoption fees at a local rescue or shelter can range from $200-2000. Be sure you’re dealing with a not-for-profit, reputable group and then at least you’ll know that money will go straight back into their budget to save another horse, whether from a kill auction (currently there are no slaughter houses in the US, although legislation is pending, but horses are shipped to Canada or Mexico) or possibly a race track, when the horse is no longer able to run or win. The US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has mustang rescues (as do private groups), but mustangs truly require a very experienced owner. The funds might be used for vet care or feed–all good causes.

BOARDING. If you don’t have your own barn, you’ll likely have to pay to board the horse at a local barn. Do the homework for what it would cost in your area: Search out local barns that board horses and be sure to visit them to see if they’re clean, friendly and safe–and make sure the horses there look healthy and well cared for. Ask what is included in the monthly boarding fee. Some smaller, private barns will often take in a few boarders to help defray costs. Be sure to ask about when you’re allowed to be there and any other “rules” or restrictions–such as what equipment/tack you can keep there, where and when you can ride, how much turnout time your horse will have (and where), etc. These are also questions for larger boarding barns.

BARN. Perhaps you’re lucky enough to have your own property where a horse can live.  Horses need shelter. Maybe not a full-fledged barn, but definitely a shed or place where they can get out of the wind, rain/snow or heat of the sun. They need a clean source of water daily that doesn’t freeze. And, perhaps most important, good fencing. You’ll need storage space for hay, grain (rat, mouse and raccoon proof) bedding, blankets, tack and other miscellaneous equipment, too.

COMPANIONSHIP. If you have your own barn, remember that horses are herd animals, so you’ll need to have more than one–though some horses are happy with sheep or goat companions. Perhaps there’s another person who would share the space and the chores, so you won’t have to be there for each feeding.

FEED. Most boarding barns include hay, and basic care like a daily stall cleaning. They may charge extra for grain such as pellets or oats, and of course if you are keeping your horses in your own barn, you’ll have to buy all their hay and feed. If you feed supplements (like minerals and vitamins or over-the-counter remedies for arthritis, etc.) these will be an additional expense. If you have big grassy fields for them to graze in all day every day, those costs can be minimal, but there aren’t many places that have enough year-round grass to avoid this cost all together. Recommended daily hay (or “forage”) allowance is anywhere from 1.5% to 2.5% of a horses body weight, but it depends on the nutrients in the type of hay being fed, the individual horse, and activity level. So a 1300 pound horse not getting any foraged grass might get about 26 pounds of hay a day. A 50-pound bag of pellets might cost $20-$25, and a 50 pound bale of hay might cost $5 and up. Prices vary enormously depending on where you live (and the time of year), so before you adopt a horse, check local feed store prices and/or hay dealers and do the actual math for your budget.

BEDDING. If you keep your horse in a field with a run-in shed, you may not want to use bedding, but horses do appreciate a soft dry spot to lie down. In a barn stall, you’ll need straw, shavings, or sawdust. Shavings can come in bags, and can be stored in a loft or other dry indoor storage space. Bulk bedding is usually delivered by dump truck, so you need a dump-truck accessible storage area that is wind/rain proof, and not too far from your stalls so you or your caretakers can shovel and wheelbarrow it into the stalls.

MANURE REMOVAL. Some communities have dumpsters or brown bins for removing your horses used bedding and manure. Other communities have regulation about if and where you can build a manure pile, how often it has to be hauled away. Both have cost considerations.

TIME AND LABOR. If you do choose to keep your horse at home, it will take you an hour every day or more (if he’s stabled) to care for him. EVERY day, no vacation days for the caretaker! This usually means 2-3 trips to the barn each day–or more. Even horses that are turned out in big fields with plenty of forage and a good water supply should be checked daily. Training and/or riding time is on top of this.

FARRIER. Whether a horse wears shoes or goes barefoot, you’ll need to pay a trimmer or farrier every 6-8 weeks, year ’round. In Southwestern Connecticut, a farrier charges $40 to $50 for a barefoot trim, and a full set of shoes can be up to $300 each visit!

VET. Basic vet costs would include twice a year visits for vaccinations and a brief check-up. Worming schedules vary by how much exposure the horse has had – and will have – to parasites. You do the worming yourself, and your vet can suggest which wormers are appropriate. Call local vets to see what those costs typically run. Few horse owners are lucky enough to only see the vet twice a year–horses are like small kids, accidents waiting to happen, so count on a few other visits. Weekend or emergency calls run more and if surgery is needed, costs can be astronomical. Horse insurance (mortality, loss of use as well as major medical) is also available, but not inexpensive either. A horse dentist should work on your horse’s teeth every 9 to 12 months. And there are smaller expenses like grooming supplies, blankets if you decide they’re necessary, etc.

EQUIPMENT. Equipment can add up, but good quality tack (halter, bridle, saddle, etc.) will last a long time if well cared for. But the basic stuff is only the beginning–visit a local tack shop or check out online saddlery shops to see all the other tempting “accessories.”

Congratulations to the Georgia House Rabbit Society, one of 10 grant recipients this month! One of the wonderful ways Adopt-a-Pet.com helps shelters and rescues get the pets in their ready for adoption is through grants from our Adopt-a-Pet.com Veterinary Care Fund.  At the end of 2013, we opened up the applications and they poured in from shelters and rescues across North America, eager for the funds to be able to help even more pets get the veterinary care they needed to get healthy and adopted. There were more than 900 applications! While of course we wish we could help them all, we are so grateful to our supporters and sponsors for the chance to distribute 10 grants of $1,000 each for the 2013 program. Drumroll please…. the first of the 10 is the Georgia House Rabbit Society!

As part of their grant application, the Georgia House Rabbit Society said, “…providing our buns with the medical care they deserve is expensive. We have excellent members and wonderful community support, but it takes an enormous effort to help save these precious little souls. We never skimp on medical care for any rabbit and with the generosity of grantors like Adopt-a-Pet, we will never have to.

I have attached four before-and-after picture series of some of the toughest warrior bunnies we’ve ever met. All of them faced terrible odds but pulled through and today are healthy, happy and loved. Details below.

Malibu, pictured above: We suspect she was actually set on fire. Her skin was scalded and her fur burned off on a large percentage of her body. Little Mali has been through so much. She was in pain and terrified but she made it! We’re so proud of Malibu and so happy she made her way to us!

 

 

Zazzle: Zazzle was found pregnant and limping with a broken leg in a grocery store parking lot. A compassionate soul brought her to us. With love and fast vet attention, she delivered five healthy baby buns and her leg healed very nicely. She had to wear a little pink cast for a while!

Mayflower: Poor Mayflower was so infested with mites she could not see or hear. Her fur had been slowly eaten away and her eyes and ears had become crusted over. It took some time, but our wonderful vet, Dr. Colby, helped nurse her back to health. Just look what a beautiful rabbit was underneath!

Marshmallow: Snow-white Marshmallow was dumped at a shelter that didn’t have the knowledge or resources to care for rabbits. His genitals were dangerously swollen and inflamed and his eyes were so crusted with mites he was nearly blind. When GHRS became aware of his presence at the shelter (from a photo on the shelter’s Facebook page) on a Saturday night, one of our volunteers tracked down the on-duty animal control officer, convinced him to let her in, and administered First Aid to the bunny. The next morning, he went straight to the vet. Look how lovely he is now!”

Adopt-a-Pet.com is thrilled to be able to help the Georgia House Rabbit Society with a $1,000 grant for veterinary care for their bunnies, so they can continue to heal them and help them find new loving homes. Thank you Georgia House Rabbit Society, for the amazing bunny-saving work that you do!