July 30, 2008
There's Always Something
I have always been the website admin for our "Make Mine Chocolate!" site. This spring, I also took over the CHRS site, relieving Karalee of that responsibility. It's something I should have done a long time ago since, most of the time, I really enjoy working on our websites.
Being a website admin is as close to the perfect volunteer job as I am likely to find. Most of what I do these days is maintenance: writing a blog entry, adding adoptable and sponsor rabbits, and other mundane activities. These tasks require very little effort but provide the perfect excuse for postponing less interesting responsibilities like unloading the dishwasher. After all, if I don't get Tanner's information posted tonight, that perfect adopter who visits our site tonight will not see him and Tanner will miss out on that forever home he clearly deserves. It's a bogus excuse but, as an expert procrastinator, my standards for what constitutes an acceptable excuse are pretty low.
But every now and then I get THE CALL or THE EMAIL. Invariably, Karalee is the sender and the message is usually pretty consistent: something that used to work now doesn't. I immediately begin a memory search, trying to remember what I worked on the previous night. Because, almost invariably, I made a mistake. Most of the time it's a simple fix but every now and then, I actually have to do some troubleshooting, which can mean a late night. Once the source of the problem is identified, the fix is usually pretty simple.
As you probably already know, I got THE CALL today. Columbusrabbit has become a debt relief site. Huh??? No memory search this time - yes, we've wandered off the reservation of what I know about websites. All I could think was, at least it's not a porn site!
The website looked fine on my work computer and on my new cell phone. Terri Cook said it looked fine. Initially, only two people, Bev and Karalee, saw our new debt site. My initial thought was a virus. So poor Karalee spent a chunk of her afternoon running virus scans. There are few things more boring than that but we were both in a panic by this point. Only later would we find out that Bev, who first discovered the problem, uses a Macintosh. That piece of information immediately demolished my virus hypothesis.
I then contacted our service provider for the second time. Their initial response suggested changing passwords but a quick look at the files indicated that the website content was untouched. They also suggested that local computers could be the source of the problem, such as a virus. But I subsequently learned that they were investigating the problem on their end.
They eventually discovered that there was a problem with the DNS zone file. Google is a marvelous thing and provided a simple explanation. I won't bore you with the details but, basically, there is a file that provides a directory of locations for sites such as ours. This directory somehow got modified and our website disappeared. My suspicion is that there are multiple directories and only one got changed. Which would explain why not everyone got to see the new debt site.
Thankfully, the problem now appears to be fixed. Our sincere thanks to Bev, Heather, Terri, and the other folks who helped us troubleshoot the problem.
I would like to use this occasion to make a request. If you ever see something on either site that doesn't seem right, please let Karalee or me know as soon as possible. It can be a concern that something on the site isn't correct as Laine Kathary did when she questioned something I had written about Teddie in this blog. Or it could be something more dramatic, like what happened today.
Karalee keeps a watchful eye on our sites but we need as many eyes as possible looking after our sites.
All's well that ends well, and I look forward to a quiet evening. Terri has sent new pictures of Tanner so I'd better get them up on the site. After all, that perfect adopter just might stop by!
Posted by Sue at 4:38 PM
July 24, 2008
A Binky for Luck
My house has been a binky-free zone for years. My Molly used to be a champion binky bunny but at 11 years of age and minus a leg, we're both pretty happy she can still hop. Shelby, also 11 years old and in possession of all her body parts, was never inclined to binky. She still occasionally does laps around the bird room when I'm late with her breakfast but no binkies.
During the roughly two years I've lived with him, the youngster of the house, Kramer, never showed any binky inclinations. He always greets me enthusiastically in the morning, speeding from the living room to the kitchen, tail bobbing up and down, with an occasional flick of his head. But yesterday morning, he delighted me with a full-fledged binky that took him a foot off the floor.
Needless to say, I was delighted. Not only are binkies fun to watch but I have always considered them good luck. I left the house yesterday morning confident I would have a good day. And sure enough, I did.
May your home be filled with binkies!
Posted by Sue at 6:36 PM
Updates - Part 2
Lucy and her babies have been a popular topic on this blog. You may recall that Lucy is suffering from chronic wobbliness. She had been placed on Prednisone for a week in an attempt to reduce inflammation in her brain that might be causing the wobbles. Unfortunately, there has been little change in her condition. On the other hand, she hasn't gotten any worse so we're pretty happy about that.
One of her babies, Maddie, was recently adopted. Maddie now lives happily with Nicky!
And last but certainly not least, I am very pleased to introduce Boswell, a young, 15-pound Flemish Giant. Boswell is happily ensconced at the Curry residence. Karalee recently lost Nickie, another Flemish Giant, to abscesses, so Boswell's arrival has helped to fill the enormous gap left by Nickie's death. Although he is thin and appears to be suffering from pneumonia, Boswell is one very happy fellow.
Isn't he amazing?
I think that's it on the news front.
And if you're wondering what happened to our anti-dumping mini-campaign, we are still planning to do it. Unfortunately, July has disappeared into the depths of countless distractions so the plan is to get it done in August. Stay tuned....
Posted by Sue at 6:16 PM
Updates - Part 1
The news has been largely good lately. But first, I must send condolences to Terri and Jeremy Cook on the loss of their mouse, Stuart. Yes, I know, he wasn't a rabbit but Stuart was one of the luckiest critters I have ever had the pleasure to meet. He was literally picked up in a parking lot by a good samaritan outside an OSU lab, thus avoiding both becoming a laboratory test animal and being done in by any number of outdoor hazards. The ultimate stroke of luck was to be adopted by the Cooks. RIP, Stuart.
Our friend Quincy continues to recover nicely from his eye surgery. In case you're curious to know what an eyeless rabbit looks like, see below. Doesn't he look fabulous? And that gorgeous white figure belongs to Lucy.
As you may recall, Laine and Doug Kathary had bonded Teddie with Hope just a few weeks before Hope died unexpectedly from kidney problems. Teddie is now visiting with Maggie who is also a graduate of the Cardington barn rescue. So far, the bonding is going very well. Maggie is a gorgeous black and white lop. Keep your fingers crossed that the bonding continues to go well!
Posted by Sue at 5:46 PM
July 14, 2008
RIP Hope
In case you haven't already heard, Hope was euthanized today. All indications are that the surgery went well as did her initial recovery. However, after a few days of fluids and the standard meds used to keep her gut going and prevent infection, her activity level dropped precipitously yesterday. She also did not poop or pee overnight. During today's checkup, the decision was made to euthanize.
You may recall that her pre-surgery blood work showed a kidney problem. Unfortunately, what was not obvious was whether the high values were a result of the bloat or a pre-existing condition. The necropsy showed that her kidneys were pale and enlarged, which is consistent with a pre-existing kidney condition. Apparently the post-surgery meds and fluids caused her kidneys to shut down.
My sincere condolences to Laine, Doug, and Teddie. Teddie was one of the Cardington rabbits rescued in 2006. He was adopted soon after his rescue. We thought he had found his forever home but he was recently returned to CHRS and Karalee because of a divorce. He had just bonded with Hope a few weeks ago. Although Hope is now gone, Teddie has finally found his forever home with Laine and Doug.
Hope was very lucky to have found a home with Laine and Doug. I hope that they find some relief from their grief in knowing that she was one very lucky rabbit.
Posted by Sue at 6:35 PM
July 12, 2008
Choices
My apologies for taking so long to write. I bought a new computer and have spent an amazing amount of time trying to get it set up just the way I want it. It's a relief to finally be able to start thinking about other things, such as the topic of this post.
When I bought my first rabbit (yep, from a pet store), I assumed that the hardest decision I would make was whether I was prepared to make a life-long commitment to this adorable creature. Little did I know how many difficult decisions we lagomorph lovers would have to make.
The past few weeks have really demonstrated this fact.
I have already written about Quincy, who had both eyes removed a few weeks ago. At ten years of age, Quincy is clearly a senior citizen so Terri and Jeremy had to make a choice whether to accept the risks of surgery in the hope of a greatly enhanced quality of life for Quincy. The last two weeks have been a nightmarish roller coaster ride for the Cooks. After quite a few sleepless nights and an enormous amount of worry and TLC, Quincy is now clearly on the road to recovery under the watchful eye of friend Lucy.
I took my girls over to the Norton Road vet clinic for their bi-monthly squeeze this past Thursday. Both girls suffer from chronic bladder sludge so these visits are normally pretty routine. I did, however, expect to see Karalee who was bringing in a young rabbit, Duffy, whose owner had died. Duffy had bad teeth and bouts of sneezing, which raised the possibility of a serious underlying problem. The examination showed that Duffy's prognosis was poor and his chances for a reasonable quality of life were very low. Unfortunately, the most difficult choice of all had to be made, and Duffy was humanely euthanized.
Laine and Doug Kathary were also at Norton, having brought Hope in as an emergency. Hope was suffering from severe bloat. She appeared to be rallying during the day but by that evening, she was bloating again. Dr. Borders recommended she be taken to an emergency clinic where she could be watched over night. Dr. Oglesbee (some of you may remember her from the OSU exotics department), who works at the clinic, examined her that evening and recommended surgery.
Stomach surgery on a rabbit is inherently risky. Making the decision even harder was the blood work which showed a problem with her kidneys. But Laine and Doug made the choice to go ahead with the surgery. They did not want to live with "what ifs" if they chose to euthanize.
The surgeon found a hair-covered poop that was the cause of the blockage. As soon as it was removed, Hope immediately started to poop, even under anesthesia. It's still early but her prognosis looks promising.
We give our hearts to these amazing creatures and we make the best choices we can. Sometimes things work out the way we want them to and other times they don't. All we can do is learn as much as we can about these amazing animals, support each other during the difficult times, and accept the reality that death will eventually come.
But each happy outcome is an opportunity to rejoice...
So please join with me in a happy dance for Quincy, Hope, and their adoring humans!
Posted by Sue at 4:59 PM
July 2, 2008
Energizer Bunnies
A quick update on two of our favorite patients, Quincy and Lucy.
First, let me clarify that I will be talking about two Lucy's. Quincy is bonded to one Lucy. The second Lucy is the mother of the babies and she is the Lucy with health issues.
Still with me?
I am very pleased to announce that Quincy is home, eating, pooping, and hanging with his gal pal Lucy. So far, Lucy appears to have forgiven Quincy for his stinky hospital smell and altered appearance. Keep your fingers crossed that she continues to stand by her man!
If all goes well, Quincy will be on pain meds and Dicural for two weeks. Those are the only meds he will receive. Amazing, isn't it!
You may recall that momma Lucy has been suffering from severe bouts of wobbliness. She was put on Prednisone a few days ago to see if it might encourage some neuronal healing. Karalee reports that she showed immediate improvement. However, she did have another bad episode of worsened wobbliness but this round was not as dramatic as previous bouts. A trip to OSU showed that her ear drums are still intact. Karalee's hope is that the Prednisone reduced the severity of this latest episode. Only time will tell.
In the past, rabbits were believed to lack the will to overcome significant medical setbacks. The argument was that there was little point in providing "extraordinary" care because the rabbit would give up and die anyway.
Quincy and Lucy clearly demonstrate that this is just another silly rabbit myth. Keep the prayers and positive vibes coming for our energizer bunnies!
Posted by Sue at 7:06 PM
July 1, 2008
Looking After Each Other
I've been in a bit of a funk lately, feeling that too much of our recent chapter news has been largely negative. So tonight I would like to tell a story that demonstrates the lengths our members will go to help each other and our beloved lagomorphs.
The star of my story is Quincy, beloved partner to Lucy and cherished member of the Cook family. A very spry and happy 10-year-old, he has suffered with an unrelenting series of problems in both eyes, which has left him almost completely blind. The loss of his eyesight doesn't appear to bother him, and his otherwise good health made surgery a viable option to finally end all the eye problems. So after much consideration the decision was made to remove both eyes.
Not surprisingly, Terri spent a nervous day waiting by the phone for news. Ellen Eder sent her a link to a Flickr site that documented another rabbit's recovery from eye removal. For many of us, one of the most difficult aspects of major surgery is not knowing what to expect. Terri found the site to be very informative and appreciated Ellen's sending her the link.
The surgery started late, I believe sometime around noon. Dr. Borders did the surgery and Dr. Herrli handled the anesthesia. They were the dynamic dual who removed my Molly's leg so I have a tremendous amount of confidence in them.
The surgery itself went well. However, Quincy tends to be slow to come out of anesthesia and he did so this time as well. Of greater concern, though, was the bleeding and erratic blood pressure. The severed blood vessels were slow to clot and a blood transfusion was required. Thankfully, another CHRS volunteer was there to help. Karen Winstead's Jenny was the donor. We owe Karen and Jenny a tremendous debt of gratitude.
Thanks to the tremendous efforts of Dr. Borders and Dr. Herrli, the bleeding stopped, his blood pressure stabilized, and Quincy was released to spend the night at an emergency vet clinic "just in case." Terri and Jeremy took him over this evening. I just got a report from Terri that Quincy is eating Critical Care and lettuce, so things continue to progress.
I once described CHRS as a small but mighty group of people. We're not so small anymore but we are still mighty, doing our best to look after each other and "our" rabbits. Because today, Quincy belonged to us all.
Thank you to everyone who was there when Quincy needed you.
10:30 update from Terri: "His temperature is up and his red blood cells are up to 29% (pre-surgery was 30%). He is eating lettuce and hay. And we have POOP!!!"
Posted by Sue at 6:07 PM
June 23, 2008
Call Us Crazy - Part Two
I am no marketing expert but I have done a little research into the concept of viral marketing. Two basic elements are of particular interest. First is the observation that people's opinions tend to be strongly influenced by their friends and family members. Thinking of buying a new vacuum cleaner? Chances are, your research includes asking people you know which brand they use and what they think of it. Personally, I would just ask Karalee, which demonstrates my point.
Second, people who agree with a message are a cost-effective way of conveying that message to a wider audience. Love your vacuum cleaner? You're probably pretty motivated to share that information with anyone who is interested.
Okay, what does this mean for the dumping problem? One surprising fact we have learned is that a number of people, including people who work at shelters, believe that domestic rabbits can be dumped outside with no harm to the rabbits. Hard to believe but apparently true. Granted, some dumpers really don't care what happens to the rabbit. But some subset apparently do not understand that domestic rabbits are fundamentally unprepared to survive in the wild. Education might be a way to get to these people.
Second, it may be possible to put out an email and watch it work its way throughout the country. A friend of mine at work is an excellent source of links to humorous youtube videos. Interestingly, a friend of mine from my previous job has forwarded the same links.
The obvious question is, is it possible to create an educational email, with a link to our web page, that could be distributed to all of our friends and the rabbit lovers we know, as an inexpensive way to start an anti-dumping campaign? That's what we intend to find out.
In the next week or so, you will find an email from CHRS in your Inbox. Please forward it to sympathetic friends and family, and encourage them to do the same.
It may not be much but it could be a small step towards reducing the number of dumped rabbits. At the very least, we need to do "something."
Posted by Sue at 5:51 PM
Call Us Crazy - Part One
Please forgive me. I'm in a talkative mood tonight. This post is proving longer than I expected so I am splitting it into two parts.
I have this weird quirk that I find comfort in doing "something." Whether that something actually accomplishes anything is, of course, debatable. But the act itself provides at least some modest comfort.
Not surprisingly, my initial response to the horror of the poor dumped rabbit was to start thinking about what we can do. I was stymied, though, by the basic problem of how do you get to the dumpers? After all, they're not the ones using Google to search for information about why dumping is a bad thing.
Ironically, a second dump case brought some resolution. Karalee heard about a dumped rabbit with a foot stuck in a drain hole cover and, as it turns out, a broken back. This time, the rescuer took the rabbit to Norton Road Vet Clinic where it was humanely euthanized. Clearly an improvement over the first case but we're setting the bar pretty low here.
We are all way beyond fed up with dumped rabbits - let's not forget Lucy and Blackberry who, thankfully, suffered no broken bones but continue to battle serious medical issues. Karalee's suggestion was to create web pages on both columbusrabbit.org and makeminechocolate.org that describe the likely fate of dumped rabbits and what caring people should do if they find a dumped rabbit.
In support of her strategy, we can also take advantage of a technique that marketers are exploring: viral marketing. I will explain what that is in my next post.
Posted by Sue at 4:56 PM
Other People's Messes Redux
My sincere thanks to everyone who responded to my post about the dumped rabbit; and my apologies for taking so long to respond. Hopefully, the reason for this will be obvious in my next post.
In spite of the delay, I do want to pass along the messages that people shared. They gave me a lot of comfort during a grim time.
One respondent expressed gratitude that this poor rabbit was no longer suffering and in bunny heaven. I'm sure we all take comfort that the rabbit finally made its way to Karalee and Chuck.
A second respondent shared a story about a momma duck whose ducklings fell into a storm drain. Passersby did rescue the babies. It's an important reminder that some people will do the right thing.
Another response was to encourage us to find satisfaction in our successes. Our own rabbits who have forever homes full of love and the loving care we give to every rabbit that comes into our lives, however briefly. Yep, I wholeheartedly agree with this. We cannot let situations like this discourage us from continuing our work and loving our rabbits.
One respondent wanted to know why the person who rescued the rabbit did not take it to a vet or to the shelter. The answer is, we don't know. When Karalee talked to him, she was under the impression that he was going to do what she suggested.
Let's be realistic here. Not everyone is willing to spend their own money on an animal that does not belong to them. I'm fine with that. My beef is that he wasn't forthcoming about it. You know Karalee as well as I do. All he had to do was indicate that he wasn't willing or able to follow through. Does anyone doubt that she would have offered to take custody of the rabbit? But he didn't.
So there we have it. Good advice from some of our members. Thank you!
Some of us have been discussing what else we can do to help reduce the number of dumped rabbits. Look for my next post for details.
Keep the faith, everyone!
Posted by Sue at 4:09 PM
June 17, 2008
Wowing Fox 28
Thanks to Heather Dean for providing the following description of her appearance on Fox 28. Kudos to everyone involved!
I, along with some help from Lacey and Brie, appeared on Fox 28's Good Day Columbus this morning. The crew was thrilled to have our sweet girls on the set, and were gracious enough to provide space to set up an X-pen complete with a litterbox and toys. Terri Sullivan sat down with me for three minutes to talk about why rabbits make great pets, and what families should understand before bringing a rabbit into their home.
I focused on the fact that rabbits should be spayed or neutered to help prevent health concerns and behavioral issues. I also talked about the life span of rabbits, and the time committment that is involved. Terri Sullivan was very impressed with the fact that rabbits will use a litterbox. Of course Lacey and Brie stole the show, making sure the TV crew could see how much fun rabbits can be.
Three minutes goes by fast and I could talk about rabbits as pets all day long! Let's hope that Fox 28 will invite CHRS back again soon to brag about our beloved bunnies... and find them good homes.
Thanks to Karen Winstead and John Dean for their help with the TV appearance, and to Fox 28 for their support!
Posted by Sue at 4:50 PM
June 14, 2008
Our Talented Volunteers
We are planning to put together a slideshow for last weekend's picnic. In the meantime, I pulled out a few pictures that I particularly liked. To me, each picture demonstrates the range of talents our volunteers possess.
Karalee's reaction to Terri's congratulatory remarks. Karalee also received a book that commemorated her many accomplishments. The book was put together by CHRS volunteers, including Ellen Eder who did the graphic design.
One view of the CHRS timeline. Even those of us who helped to create it were surprised by its size. We've been very busy these past years!
One of Eileen Vorst's stations. Four stations were created for each of the major volunteer activities CHRS supports.
One of many raffle prizes, this one was created by Judy. The names of some of the rabbits who found forever homes through CHRS are stitched around our logo. I was the lucky winner!
More pictures to follow!
Posted by Sue at 3:18 PM
Excellent Adoption News
One of the more pleasant tasks I get to perform is removing rabbits from the Adoptables page on the columbusrabbit website when they have found their forever homes.
I had triple the pleasure tonight. Our beloved Blackberry, baby Maddie, and cutie Rupert have all been adopted.
Whoo hoo and major kudos to everyone involved!
Posted by Sue at 2:56 PM
Other People's Messes
I read an email from Karalee yesterday just as i was getting ready to leave the office. It was a harrowing account of a rabbit with a broken leg and a dash through a severe thunderstorm to finally end the rabbit's suffering.
I won't go into the gory details other than to provide the basic facts. The rabbit apparently had been hit by a car after being dumped outside. The man who found the rabbit received advice from Karalee at 7:45 that morning but did not (could not, would not?) follow it. He subsequently abandoned the rabbit that evening at the Blendon Woods Nature Center.
Karalee and Chuck picked up the rabbit and took it to Norton Road Vet Clinic where it was euthanized. Thankfully, the rabbit died in a loving environment - the only positive thing I can say about the whole situation.
Since I received the email, I have been trying to think of something constructive to say but remain at a loss. I do know that my rabbits will receive additional goodnight pets for quite a while. I also know that I will take advantage of every opportunity to tell people that rabbits should never be dumped outside. It's not much but all I can think of right now.
If anyone has ideas for how to turn this into a positive, send them to me and I will post them.
Posted by Sue at 1:40 PM
June 12, 2008
Make That Fox 28 on Monday!
I hope that everyone survived the thunderstorm this evening. I had to work late, which meant that I observed the storm from the fourth floor overlooking Nationwide Boulevard. The trees that line the street were bent over almost to the point of breaking. The winds first came from the west, then switched to the east. During the worst of it, the rain was actually traveling upward and the building's roof began to leak. In a panic, I rushed home as soon as I could and found that all was well, with the exception of a line down in my back yard. I think it's my neighbor's cable but only time will tell. The rabbits and birds were fine, although questioning, no doubt, my panicked state.
You would have thought that we had a CHRS meeting scheduled!
My apologies for the digression. Our very own Heather Dean will be on Fox 28 on Monday at 8:15 for three minutes. Be sure to tune in!
Posted by Sue at 5:29 PM
June 11, 2008
Check Out Fox 28 on Friday Morning!
Our very own Heather Dean will be on Fox 28 Friday morning at 8:15! She will be talking about rabbit adoption.
Be sure to tune in....
Posted by Sue at 6:41 PM
Wessie Fest
You may have noticed the link on the home page to our next event, Wessie Fest. Terri Cook, Eileen Vorst and Jennifer Reed will be representing us.
This is our first appearance at Wessie Fest so we're not sure what to expect. But it looks like a fun family event, with an emphasis on nature. If you're looking for something to do on the 21st, think about attending!
Kudos to our three intrepid volunteers! And don't forget to take pictures.
Posted by Sue at 6:17 PM
Lucy Update
As you may recall, Lucy, the mother of our beloved babies, has suffered some health setbacks recently. It appeared that both of her tympanic membranes had ruptured and our fear was that her ears were filled with pus.
She was back at OSU today where she was evaluated by a neurologist. It now appears that her tympanic membranes are not currently ruptured, although they may have been in the past. The neurologist and Dr. Herrli are beginning to think that the cause of her wobbliness is some kind of protozoan infection, such as e cunniculi. The progressive wobbliness may be due to neurological inflammation.
I know this sounds really scary but...
The plan is to put her on a large dose of prednisone to try to reduce the inflammation. If inflammation is what is going on and if the prednisone is effective, the prognosis is good.
The plan is to start her on the prednisone next week.
What a rollercoaster ride! And major kudos to Sarah, who is looking after Lucy!
Posted by Sue at 5:46 PM
June 9, 2008
How to Order the Karalee Book
This is a one-time offer!
Contact me by Friday, June 20, if you are interested in purchasing your own copy of the Karalee book for $29.95 plus shipping. CHRS will receive $2.99 per book if we order 10 or more books.
You can order the book at a later time but the publisher will receive all of the profits so order now!
Posted by Sue at 6:36 PM
CHRS on Bunspace
I had heard about Bunspace and even spent a few minutes snooping around it to see what it's all about. I also know a couple of our members who absolutely love it. But, frankly, I'm a traditional website kind of girl and never got all that excited about it.
Terri Cook has been hinting for some time that the chapter needs a presence on Bunspace. A few days ago, she got downright insistent about it. The deal was clinched, though, when Terri and Karalee produced a volunteer whose enthusiasm about Bunspace makes her a natural for serving as the face of CHRS on Bunspace.
So, with no further ado, please visit our Bunspace page. Obviously, it's still a work in progress but it already looks terrific. If you're a Bunspace enthusiast, look for Mary Beth Parisi, otherwise known as chrsbunspace@columbus.rr.com.
Kudos to Mary Beth!
Posted by Sue at 4:43 PM
Maddie and Nicky
Another baby appears to have found a new friend and a new home. As the picture below shows, Maddie may be ready to swap her six siblings for a very handsome fellow named Nicky. Whoo hoo! Keep your fingers crossed that the bonding is a success.
Congratulations to everyone involved. And keep the positive thoughts and prayers coming for momma Lucy.
Posted by Sue at 4:21 PM
And A Good Time Was Had!
If you missed the CHRS picnic extravaganza this past Saturday, you missed one heck of a good time! The official theme of the party was a celebration of our chapter. To this end, a number of volunteers worked diligently over the past few months to create a wonderful timeline of photographs, newspaper articles, and other memorabilia that documented the history of our chapter.
You may not be aware of this but our roots trace back to 1995 when our favorite dynamic duo, Karalee and Chuck, began their education and rescue efforts. Since then, 330 rabbits have found new homes and our chapter has grown to more than 140 members. The timeline provided a wonderful walk down memory lane and we can all take pride in the enormity of the work that has been accomplished, including the Capital Area Humane Society socialization program and our international campaign, Make Mine Chocolate! The large number of new members who attended the picnic bodes well for a strong future for our chapter.
Now to the interesting part of the picnic. A few devious volunteers (dare I name names?) had an alternative picnic theme in mind. Four bunny elves, with assistance from many more, decided it was long past time to honor our fearless chapter leader, Karalee, who has worked tirelessly through the years to help the rabbits and their often clueless humans. So they put their heads together and came up with a plan for honoring Karalee.
You can see the results for yourself here. The book was presented to Karalee at the picnic and, for the first time that I can recall, she was absolutely speechless. It was truly a special time!
We are putting together a one-time group order so, if you are interested in purchasing a copy and donating to the chapter at the same time, stay tuned! I will provide instructions on how to order in a subsequent blog entry. You can always order the book at a later time but the publisher, Blurb, will keep all of the profits.
And if you missed the party, please send an email to Karalee thanking her for all she has accomplished for the lagomorphs we love. Posted by Sue at 3:43 PM
June 5, 2008
Excellent Article and Website Updates
Check out this terrific article on CHRS! Those of us who have adopted from CHRS certainly share the sentiments in this article.
While you're at it, take a look at a couple of additions that have been made to the home page. In the center of the page, you will now find a link to the CHRS newsletters. Although these newsletters date back to 2003, the information contained in them remains relevant. You will also find a second new link, "In the News," which will provide links to articles that reference CHRS. If you find one that is not listed, please send it to me.
Happy reading!
Posted by Sue at 5:37 PM
June 1, 2008
Double Your Pleasure!
CHRS received a $1,000.00 donation this week. As if that's not enough, the company the donor works for matches employee donations, which means another $1,000.00!
Of course, not everyone can afford to make such a large donation. However, many companies have a donation matching program, which means that even a modest donation can quickly add up.
Something to think about!
Posted by Sue at 11:51 AM
Blackberry, Lucy and Other Adoption News
Yesterday was a big day for our beloved Blackberry, who had her first bonding with Megan Lynch's 11-year-old Rex, Major Triad. Megan is a new volunteer who is doing our email newsletters. As you can see, their first date went very well. Of course, Blackberry groomed him and he even groomed her once. Keep your fingers crossed that today's second date goes well!
Two other bondings are going on, Maddie is one of Lucy's babies.
Earl survived a traumatic attack by an animal which resulted in the loss of a couple toes. He was then surrendered to a local vet clinic This little guy has definitely earned a forever home.
Unfortunately, not all the news is good. Lucy has had another setback. Both eardrums have ruptured. Hopefully, a CT Scan will clarify the extent of the problem. Please keep Lucy in your thoughts and prayers.
Another rabbit, Hannah, is being returned. The Nunes have offered to foster her temporarily until a slot opens up in the Curry home. Our sincere thanks to Ruth and Dave!
Posted by Sue at 11:08 AM