Interview - Meet Herta - the Buckeye House Rabbit Society founder

I support the Buckeye House Rabbit Society in Ohio, America and being inquisitive like a rabbit I wanted to know how it all began so I was very lucky to have Herta one of the founders take the time out of her busy schedule to answer a few questions for me.
Thank you Herta!

Brady testing the toys for playfulness. Look at those paws!

Herta could you let me know your occupation if working for Buckeye is not full time?

My name is Herta Rodina and I'm Associate Professor of French at Ohio University, where I teach advanced language classes and 19th and 20th-century French literature. That's my paying job. Buckeye is my sanity saver :-)

How did you first get started in Buckeye?

Waaay back in the mid 90's I was on a listserv called Petbunny. That's where I first met Kristi Cole and Libby Armstrong, both then living in Ohio.
One thing led to another and in the summer of 1996 a few of us from Petbunny met at a restaurant in Toronto (which by chance happens to be my home town) for an evening of getting acquainted. Then, in the late fall, Kristi hosted a get-together at her home in Canton, Ohio and we all met more local bunny folk.
Margo DeMello at the national HRS suggested we form a chapter and, in the summer of 1997, that's what Kristi, Libby and I did. We started with a handful of members, spread the word via our newly-founded newsletter, Harelines, and via our website, ohare.org.
The website was an anniversary gift from my husband, David Sharpe, who created it for the organization and who continues to maintain it today. It's been a lifesaver for us!

Honalee was born this spring and is sister to Napoleon. A very beautiful doe with amazing ears!

What is your role now (if it was different then)?

I still foster rabbits, of course, and in fact am now set up to take in more than I initially had room for. So, that part of the job is the same.

As Chapter Manager, I have a fair amount of paperwork and record keeping, but I'm fairly organized and detail oriented, so it's doable.

Napoleon, brother to Honalee. Do you have space in your heart and home for these two gorgeous siblings?

Why is it crucial that fundraising is done, particularly at Christmas and Easter times?

Traditionally, the holiday season is a time of gift giving and helping those who can't help themselves and that spirit continues.

The holidays offer people some time to reflect on what's important in their lives; for people who love animals and share their lives with them, giving to the homeless ones is especially gratifying, because those people understand the joy and love that a homeless bunny has the potential to give when he or she finds a forever home.

The weak economy has definitely affected donations, because a lot of folks are really hurting, but we're grateful for every dollar anyone can spare.

Kahlua has excellent litter box habits and is a gentle and very handsome chap.

Sadly, fall is our peak time for strays and shelter rescues. The Easter bunny has grown up, the kids have lost interest, winter's coming and he'll freeze in that backyard hutch.

So, a well-intentioned, but poorly informed Mom or Dad takes the creature that was once the center of attention to the shelter.

Less fortunate bunnies are abandoned in the woods, in parks, at highway rest stops, at every imaginable place.

Most don't survive, but some lives are saved by the good Samaritan who catches the stray and contacts us.

Dixie likes to play with her toys and run around. She has amazing long white eyelashes!

For Easter, it's a bit different. We focus heavily on educating the public about house rabbits and the degree of care and expense involved, because we want to prevent spontaneous Easter bunny purchases.

Too many people don't know what they're getting into when they fall in love with that cute little fluffball in the pet store.

And they don't know that so many bunnies are euthanized at shelters because of the pet rabbit over population problem, caused in large part by breeders and pet stores, whose prime motive is to sell a lot of supplies with a relatively inexpensive rabbit.

At the same time, we want to encourage the concept of rabbits as indoor companions for the right person and thereby increase our adoptions.

So, we do library talks and we submit opinion / editorial pieces to local newspapers and sometimes we get interviews on local TV or radio stations, all in an effort to get our message across -- adopt, don't buy; learn as much as you can about house rabbits before you consider one for your family.

Anise is a very soft and gentle rabbit with dark, dark brown fur , grey foot pads and beautiful slim, long ears.

Have there been hard times (money wise) at the rescue?

We've had times when foster rabbits have needed medical care that was very costly and that certainly affected our finances.

We spend 100% of all donations on the rabbits -- for spay/neuter, to treat illnesses, for medications, for long-term care for our sanctuary rabbits.

Although people are very generous, donations never come even close to meeting our needs, so we all pitch in a considerable amount of personal funds to make ends meet.

How easy is it to sponser a rabbit and can groups sponsor as well as indivduals?

It's very easy and yes, groups are very welcome. I'd encourage folks to visit our website to learn all about sponsoring a rabbit. We can also accept less than the $25 sponsorship amount per month and some people choose to send more. For other sponsorship options please contact the Buckeye HRS directly.

Thank you very much Herta for sharing your story with us about the Buckeye House Rabbit Society and the rabbits!

Just a reminder that there are only 9 days left to purchase a Raffle Ticket from Buckeye to win this delightful original painting of Charlie.

All money raised from their annual Holiday Raffle will be going to their rabbits and you may purchase directly from their page via PayPal, though if you live in America you may still send a cheque, postmarked no later than December 1st.

Charlie is Pey's rescue rabbit. Read all about Charlie in my earlier post. Pey has also donated 5 runner-up Rabbit Signs for the raffle too! Thank you Pey!

and here is Kahlua again showing off his very furry pads and relaxing, though he would love to find his forever home soon to relax even more there.

If you live in America/Canada and would like to meet any of the rabbits here please click on their names to read more about them and their contact details.

Thank you to Herta for caring about the rabbits and having this wonderful raffle - I have my tickets and I've got my fingers crossed!

my first blog Winter Raffle for the Rabbit and Guinea Pig Welfare

This is my first raffle to raise funds for the rescue that Wesley came from - the Rabbit and Guinea Pig Welfare in Rugby, England.

I have 4 fantastic prizes to give away! Tickets are only £1 / $2 each and you can buy them here by PayPal. If you live in the UK you can send a cheque in pounds sterling - please leave a contact email in the comments below.

Prizes will be shipped by the artist, worldwide at their expense. The raffle closes Tuesday 15th December midnight GMT.

All funds raised will go straight to Tracy at rngp to help her rescue thru the lean winter period.

After being found covered in blood and urine on a disused railway line Wesley was then at the rescue for a long time. White, albino eyed, adult rabbits are not so 'cutesy' and find it hard to get homes. I'm so glad I found Wesey - it was love at first sight (still is!) and every day when I massage his back he makes small peeping noises of happiness for me!

Wesley knows this is my first raffle and he's apprehensive too. When that happens he likes to eat whilst keeping a watchful eye on things!

FIRST PRIZE

Yellow Rabbit on Blue I

The First Prize is an original collage donated by American artist Carly Swenson, currently residing in England.

A striking and sentient work of aesthetically appealing imagery is combined with various drawings. Torn papers add beautiful accents in the background unifying the piece while the yellow and blue make a vibrant contrast in the foreground among sketches and found imagery to create this unique piece.

This original is 12" x 24" (30.5cm x 61cm) and ready to hang. The sides are painted black to create unity within the work and two layers of UV protective coating have been applied to help protect the integrity of this piece. Although it is still recommended that work not be hung in direct sunlight.

This piece is valued at $125. Thank you very much Carly!!

Cary has an etsy shop Naked Carly Art where she sells her other elegant artworks and originals.

SECOND PRIZE

Snowshoe Hare Footprint Bowl

The Second Prize is an original handmade Snowshoe Hare Footprint Bowl by American artist Kirsten Holmes who lives in America.

This beautiful stoneware clay bowl has three footprints from a real snowshoe hare in it's natural habitat in the Adirondack Park in Northern New York State. Kirsten made a stamp that was moulded from the footprints and used that to create this unique design surrounding the bowl.

This 'peppered blue' bowl has been fired to cone 10 in a propane fuelled kiln and is dishwasher and microwaveable safe. The glazes are lead free. It is 3 7/8" high by 6 7/8 wide at the rim (7.5cm x 15cm) and would make a great small serving bowl. It can hold 48 ounces (6 cups). It comes with a tag picturing a snowshoe hare and a brief description of Kirsten's style of pottery.

This piece is valued at $40. Thank you very much Kirsten!!

Kirsten works as a zoo keeper and has a website showing more of her pottery work and the animals she works beside - Kirsten's Clay and also an etsy shop Kirsten's Clay with more of her beautiful and unique work for sale.

THIRD PRIZE
Esme the Brown Bunny Set - ACEO, Large and Small Greeting Cards and Print plus bonus Bookmark

The Third Prize is a set of Esme images from an original painting on clay by Canadian artist Pey Lu who lives in Canada.

The set comprises one ACEO (Art Cards Edition and Originals) standard ACEO size of 3.5" x 2.5" (9cm x 6cm), one Greeting Card Large - card size 5" x 6.75" (13cm x 17cm), one Greeting Card Small - card size 3.5" x 5" (9cm x 13xm), one Print with image size 5" x 7" (13cmx 18cm) on larger sized paper and one bonus bookmark of Esme.

This set has a special introductory price of $22. Thank you very much Pey!!

Pey is an accomplished, internationally collected artist and has a website Pey Lu and an etsy shop Pey Lu. Pey is currently donating the main prize for the Ohio based Buckeye House Rabbit Society Holiday Raffle and the five sub prizes. Please see this post to read more about Pey, that raffle and her rescue rabbit Charlie.

FOURTH PRIZE
Baby Hare Hope

I am donating the Fourth Prize of a baby hare. Baby Hare Hope comes with a small booklet telling her story, a blank Baby Hare greetings card and matching Baby Hare gift tag and a small baby hare tie tag/page finder. This hare is valued at $25.

Please meet baby hare Hope. Hope is a very gentle little hare and very early on found her purpose in life. One day when exploring the field edges she heard little cries and on poking thru the grass discovered 3 tiny baby rabbits in unusual colours – oranges, blacks and whites - goodness! When she asked the babies why they had been left there and where was their mother she was confronted with a flood of tears and sad stories of being taken from their mum and dumped by humans. She managed to take them all safely home with the help of the mother hares. The kittens grew strong and fast filled with rich hare milk, warmth and love.

So Hope made it her mission to rescue the abandoned and neglected rabbits that the humans far too easily tire off. She has found rabbits of all ages out in the fields but most commonly those at 6 months when they are no longer so cutesy or small.

Hope has set up a special nursery for the smallest babies still needing milk. The hare mothers are on 24 hour call for feeding and warmth duties. She has also organised parties of foxes, owls and deer to keep an eye out for scared, hungry and dehydrated rabbits. When one is found she takes a strong father hare with her and they safely bring the charges in.

She now has a growing population of multi coloured rabbits who have mainly hare traits! Hope has brought heartbeats of happiness and a good future to so many badly treated rabbits.

She is now in talks with a few notable humans about stopping the sale of tiny baby rabbits in pet shops and putting breeders out of business for good.

Her plans are coming to fruition and she has a steady stream of donations of carrots, kale, herbs and fresh meadow hay – surprisingly some have been from a couple of caring humans involved in rabbit rescues. Those humans are also helping a few of the rabbits find loving human forever homes.Hope is relieved that she has been able to make a difference.

She will soon be opening her ‘Hope’s Making a Change One Rabbit at a Time Rabbit Rescue’ to the public on special days. The foxes, weasels, spiders, snakes and mosquitoes have been called in for Control and Patrol duty.

~

Hope has been machine and hand sewn with great care and has safety eyes. She will have many ‘unique’ (imperfect, handmade) bits. She prefers to continue her rescue and negotiation work and would appreciate an open window so that she may come and go as necessary as emergencies can happen at any time.

She is made of 100% recycled cotton and has a polyfill stuffing, along with a full stomach of dandelion leaves (only joking!). She stands approx 4.5” wide x 6.5” high (12cm x 17cm).

Hope is looking forward to her journey and her forever home! She also wants you to know that baby hares are called leverets and baby rabbits are kittens.

~

Thank you to everyone entering my raffle. Tickets can be purchased via the PayPal button on my side bar. UK Cheques can be sent to Tracy at rngp or to me. All entries will be written down on paper and put into my golden fish trinket box on the closing day. The winners will then be chosen and announced on my blog.

Thank you for helping the rescue rabbits and cavies, and an enormous I-couldn't-do-it-without-you! Thank You! to Carly, Kirsten and Pey.

... and ..... I also could not have done any of this without the super, friendly help from Bridget from etsy shop Heart of a Cowgirl who has a blog by the same name - Thank you so very much!!!

5 Runners-Up Rabbit Signs for Buckeye Raffle

For all raffle ticket holders in the Buckeye House Rabbit Holiday Raffle there will be 5 runner up prizes too!

All donated by Pey from etsy shop Peylu / FolkArtVision. Pey is also donating the main prize of a watercolour of her rescue rabbit Charlie. To read about Charlie please visit this earlier post here.

The 5 prizes are all originals on wood laminate and have a hole ready to hang your minature painting or they can even be used as a guard sign. The winners can choose which sign they would like from Pey's shop!

Above is Bunny Normy, he is very security conscious and you will need a password to get by him (maybe even a carrot?)

This is an original portrait of George and he takes pleasure in watching the world go by from his little corner. (Also known as being a good neighbour in the neighbourhood watch group!)

Here is delightful Bunny Betty - (on guard) she is naturally suspicious. I see her eyes won't be missing a thing!

There are quite a few signs to choose from but making the final decision could be hard. I have my eye on three!

Not all of them are rabbits, there are also some very handsome dogs and a cat. They are all very watchful mind you!

apart from this little one - Baby Boo. She overcame her shyness via postive thinking. I'm wondering if she has passed Introductory Stage One for Lagomorph Awareness Training?

Don't miss out on your chance to win a super piece of original art by Pey and helping the rabbits too at this critical time of year when the now not-so-cute impulse Easter purchase has grown up.

This Christmas give the gift of hope to others.

Thank you

Bunny Benefit Day 8th November

Jen from etsy shop JMcGuinnes is having a Bunny Benefit Day on the 8th where 100% of all proceeds will be donated to 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue. The rescue that Jen's little Molly came from.
A month ago Molly was very ill but she is now alot better and eating again. Jen rescued Molly after she was abandoned at a pet shop and in danger of being given away for free to just anyone so she took the bundle of fur in. The 3 Bunnies Rabbit Rescue had sent out an alert.

Jen is a very talented photographer and sells prints and cards in her etsy shop.

I like this Welcome Home greeting card. It has a very beautiful heart shape and gorgeous soft colours.

If you are partial to owls then this Framed set of 3 Owl Prints is a very classy gift. The photographs of each owl can also be purchased separately in the shop. I love the silver frame and black mount - it's very tasteful indeed.

And ofcourse horses are always beautiful! This grey mare is very enchanting! Jen has a few different horse photographs available.

Molly is still a youngster and has to share the house with Jen's older rabbit Lola. Lola and Molly aren't friends (yet), like Arabella and Wesley, but there is always time. Bonding with rabbits can sometimes take a while. At other times there may be rabbits that will never be friends.

Rabbits are very opinionated and they don't always change their mind.

This image of Lola on a greeting card is in the shop too.

Here is Lola as a baby. Now that she has grown up she would be hard pressed to fit inside that palace! She is a very handsome silver rabbit!

All rabbit parents will immediately recognize what is going on here! Lola may have good taste but she is 'chinning' the Guinness bottle as her property. All rabbits have a scent gland under their chin and they will mark objects in their territory. On many an occasion I have had my thighs chinned as I've been kneeling down next to my rabbit!

You very quickly get to know who the boss really is! (not you!)

Jen took this photo of a baby opossum who was being rehabilitated with his siblings. The onset of winter is a hard time for many animals including the baby rabbits born earlier this year.

All rabbit rescues go thru a hard period just now as the 'grown-up\not so cutesy any more' Easter impulse buys are dumped and abandoned across the world.

It is also getting colder in the Northern Hemisphere with shorter nights and people do not want to bother going outside to look after rabbits that live in hutches. Every rescue I know only adopts it's rabbits to Indoor Living.

Rabbits are highly sociable and love company - all the time - and are perfectly at home inside.

Last year my Handmade with Love Christmas present was this serene photograph of a fawn. I have the fawn by my work table and look at it every day. It is very special! Infact I loved the image so much that I also bought it as a set of fawn greeting cards from Jen's shop as well. I still have a couple left, which I'll always keep!

It's never too early to think about purchasing a special gift and if you buy from Jen on the 8th then you will also be helping the rescue rabbits at 3 Bunnies at the same time. Jen has been supporting them for a couple of years now and all funds go towards paying for every day rabbit needs as well as specific medical attention for some rabbits.

I can attest to Jen's exceptional quality of her photography and I'm glad I invested in my fawn!

Thanks for supporting a rabbit rescue dear to you Jen!

The Jewel Keeper

I bought this adorable little swan puff many years ago. Infact I bought two and sent one off to a good home.
I have been searching the internet and book stores to find a pattern to make my own little brood but to no avail!

It doesn't matter in the slightest that I can't yet crochet or knit, or read the patterns but I will soon learn and I am sure that the beasties that appear will all be quaint and loveable! (as only a mother can love!).
I got this one from a charity shop in North Berwick. There was a small wicker bowl filled with them and I took my time choosing. I used it daily in my handbag to hold lip balm and other small what-nots until I decided that the neck was too delicate to be untangled from my keys every day.

So I now have her in my display cabinet. If you come across a pattern I would be ever so grateful for the link so that I can purchase it.

Swans are such elegant birds and always very regal. This one is most like a Mute Swan with her bright orange bill, though she does lack the black colouration on it too.

One of my favourite ballets is Swan Lake and I just love the musical score too. So dramatic!

In Britain all swans are protected by Royal Order and 'belong' to the Queen, and The Worshipful Company of Dyers are the carers of the river Thame's Swans in London.

In Scotland at Aberlady Bay there have been Whooper Swans. I have seen them fly overhead in their posses, calling, and they are truly magical to watch and hear.

They differ from Mutes in that they have yellow and black on their beaks and are slightly smaller in size.

There are many collective names for groups of swans - I've listed some here by my swan watercolour ACEO - though I did make up posse! - but it sounded right!

Another swan breed similar to Whoopers is Bewicks. They have more black on their beaks and are also known as Whistling or Tundra Swans.

This is the little pocket to store your jewels and forms the swan's base. I am hoping that all the crochet and knitter experts will be able to tell me if this is knitted or crocheted! I did see a swirly twirly ball in a crochet pattern book called an everlasting ball and it looked similar to the swans body. And I've always believed 'nothing ventured nothing gained'.

If you live in Britain and come across a swan in distress then get in touch with The Swan Sanctuary in England or the SSPCA or Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Trust in Scotland. Hessilhead do amazing rescue work with all wild animals in distress and are experts at this. They have a blog that they update with their rescues. Just go to Gay's Diary on their site.

The Swan Sanctuary also have sponsorship of Sanctuary swans. If you wish to sponsor a swan it costs from £12 a year though they will gladly accept larger amounts.

My swan is happily on display now (away from my keys) and beside her best friend a hob nosed goose, which incidentally was the inspiration for my baby swans in my etsy shop. As soon as I saw his huge fluffy bum I knew I had to make cygnets the same!

Behind them is my treasured vintage plastic flying swan tray and some rose quartz chunks. They all sit on my Scottish made porcelain gold and royal blue dish that I got from Ullapool, NorthWest Scotland.

- and remember - only 4 weeks left to buy your lucky raffle tickets to help the rescue rabbits at Buckeye House Rabbit Society to win the original painting of Pey's rescue bun Charlie.

good luck!

better late than never 'TockTober

Lagomorph 'tocks are just the dandiest and you will very rarely get to see true 'tock relaxation unless your rabbit trusts you and their environment 100%

Rabbit's hindquaters are their livelihood and will carry them away from danger so it is the lucky bun-mum who gets to caress them.

Arabella has the whitest of pads and a midnight black tail top. She normally doesn't tuck her tootsies under, must've been a chill in the air (or she could sense the camera)!

and Wesley is rather a bit more laid back about the whole 'tock issue.

Here he is flopped ontop of a pile of fleeces with his white tail, top left out of picture, as is his other leg. His right heel shows a pink spot of exposed skin which is a common occurence in carpet living rabbits.

A small price to pay for warmth, filled food bowls and a happy heart.

Celebrating 'tock tober in the rabbit blogosphere.

Buckeye House Rabbit Society Holiday Raffle 2009

Every year the Buckeye House Rabbit Society has a Holiday Raffle and this year Pey from etsy shops Peylu / FolkArtVision has donated the main prize - 'Charlie The First' - an original watercolour of her rescue rabbit Charlie.


Charlie was rescued from living rough at Pey's local Zoo. He was dumped there with another rabbit by an uncaring owner! The zookeeper said he had been living there since June and Pey first spotted him in October.

Charlie first stayed in the llama pen then he had a stint living with the Highland Cows and finally he settled in with the mouflons.

He sat in a tree enclosure near the fence and munched on hay watching the world go by. The keepers were concerned he would be taken by foxes and were thinking of trapping him and taking him to the Humane Society but Pey said she would take him instead.

They lost sight of him for two weeks in December when the snow was really deep and everyone thought he had gone.

Then one day after Pey and her rottweiler Ted had walked past the pen they saw Charlie bounding down the hill towards Anatol, Pey's husband! Pey fished out the carrot she had had in her pocket saved for such an occasion and gave it to the keeper who waved it infront of Charlie and went into the Peacock house with him.

The next day Pey returned with a travel carrier and took Charlie to the vet first and then on to his safe forever home!

Every time Pey and Ted had gone to the zoo Charlie would always run down to the fence to see them. Ted became very interested in him and looked for him every day. How delightful that a little rabbit would choose a big dog to be his best friend.

Their friendship was cemented!

and Pey and Anatol have a very beautiful rabbit who no longer has to fret about his next meal or keeping warm or having friends or keeping his feet fastidiously clean (which he spends ages doing!)

Charlie has his own room with a view and has adapted well to indoor living. According to Ted he must really enjoy eating!

The rabbits at Buckeye are all looking for forever homes too and the money raised in the raffle will go towards supporting them as they wait for that special person. All the rabbits are spayed and neutered and their personalities and habits are known.

Age is not important in a rabbit as they all have such strong personalities and when they trust you fully they just shine. Many of the rabbits are young adults and some are older but whomever you choose to bring into your life you will be rewarded 100 fold every day by a grateful heart.

If you are not able to give a forever home to a rescue rabbit you could consider sponsoring one of the sanctuary rabbits. These rabbits usually have health issues which prevent them from being rehomed and not everyone has the time to look after a rabbit with health issues. Unless you have experience in dealing with various issues it can be a very scary thing.

I have had two rabbits with serious health issues and I would be grateful to take on a rabbit that needs a little extra attention but as always the staff at Buckeye will assess your individual circumstances and find the most suitable rabbits for you to meet.

Charlie now has a great life with Pey, Anatol and Ted. When he first moved in he would often jump on Ted's back to relax. That must have been all the zoo living with larger animals!

He really is a happy bun!

Pey is a highly accomplished artist and her work is collected worldwide. She exhibits locally in Canada.

I first came across Pey on etsy after seeing one of her beautiful bird paintings of RedWinged Blackbirds! How very special they are. Pey has some amazing works of birds with eggs centered around the theme of nest egg watching. And then I saw this gorgeous rabbit!!

This is one of her paintings called Esme and is a painting on clay. Very unusual and I love the texture, method and colours. Esme has a very gentle expression and look at those white socks! Ofcourse this is my favourite!

Pey has many shadow boxes that her husband sells in their FolkArtVision shop. Hearts are a focal point in these amazing assemblages.

This one is called P.S. I Love You and is a mixed media assemblage. The textures of the wood are amazing and I love the metal heart and it's shape with the furl on the side.

and this one is called Hope with a small bunny called Hope in the centre made with clay and painted in acrylic.

and this one is called Love Me Tender. It also has a raised metal heart in the centre and such a lovely light sea green colour.

I'm very grateful to Pey for donating an original artwork to a cause that we both believe in. Every rabbit in a rescue centre deserves the very best home in a safe and loving environment and it is thru generous donations from supporters that rescues are able to continue their important life-saving work. Every single $1 does make a difference and no $1 is too small to be donated. Especially in the economic times we live at present where giving is even more important.

Pey and Charlie share a very tender moment. Two hearts beating as one.

Charlie is very proud to have his portrait raffled and wants to thank you for your donations and may the best bun, oops! I mean best one, win.

Charlie is off to bed .....

.... or perhaps Guard Duty!

you guess!!