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To: Petcetera
and the Canadian Federation of Humane Societies Cc: Pets in Need Society (Please copy this letter and paste it in an email to the following email addresses) Petcetera
danu@petcetera.ca Buying baby rabbits from pet stores is often an impulse purchase because of the “cuteness” factor. Most purchasers are uneducated as to normal rabbit behaviour and the amount of care that rabbits require. They are often bought by parents who think rabbits will be easy to look after and will be a good “starter pet” for their children. Quite the contrary ! Rabbits require the same amount of care as a cat or dog. Their image of a cheap child’s pet is financially inaccurate and their complex needs are poorly understood by many who “own” them. Once the novelty wears off and the rabbit begins to mature, marking territory or chewing electrical cords, they often end up confined to a cage, and forgotten. The outcome for most of these rabbits is that they will be surrendered to pounds or abandoned to the outdoors to fend for themselves, usually after about six months. Sexually mature rabbits can reproduce every 30 days with a litter of 6 – 12 kits. The killing of healthy animals due to lack of space or funds becomes a reality for thousands of rabbits each year or they are often killed by predators or starvation if abandoned outdoors. In a positive step, Petcetera has recently announced that it will discontinue rabbit sales in all its British Columbia stores by September 1, 2007, in acknowledgement of the crisis proportion of rabbit abandonment to pounds and rescue groups. Rabbit sales will be replaced by a humane society satellite adoption center – an excellent idea worthy of being implemented across the country. This letter asks Petcetera and other pet stores to stop the sale of rabbits across Canada as a socially responsible business goal to help alleviate the suffering or death of a surplus of healthy rabbits who have been abandoned to backyard cages, pounds or the outdoors. Sincerely, (Insert Your Name) |
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