Donna Ralph, Ellicott Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Personally, I feel that at Easter time baby bunnies, ducklings, and chicks should be hidden in basements at the retailers rather than offered up in cardboard boxes at the cash register for impulse buyers like the living, breathing sacrifices they are.

Easter is coming, and I think we can all agree there's nothing cuter than a downy chick or a fluffy little bunny. These critters can be found just about everywhere this time of year and it's hard to resist the appeal of one of these babies, so people often pick them up as an impulse Easter gift. However, in my experience, after several hours or days the reality sets in that these animals require lots of care and aren't as interactive as many other types of animals can be. Chicks and ducklings have special heat and food, not to mention socialization needs. A rabbit confined in a hutch for the rest of its life, I think, is a very sad bunny. Bunnies need space to run, jump, and play. Rabbits are sensitive, inquisitive, interactive creatures that make wonderful pets, given the time, space, understanding of physical needs and maintenance, and supervision they need, as rabbits have a need to chew constantly to keep their teeth trimmed and healthy and therefore will chew on anything and everything, and not necessarily the chew toys you provide for them. I question the quality of life of a rabbit kept in a small hutch outside in the yard, victim of weather, predators, and loneliness. Another thing to keep in mind is veterinary care. Does your vet treat rabbits? Is your vet experienced in rabbit care, anesthesia, and spay/neuter of rabbits? Is the pet recipient allergic to birds and/or bunnies? About May my phone starts to ring with calls from people that no longer wish to keep these animals. The kids have long since tired of the animals and the adults are relegated to cleaning up after them. Often these unprepared babies are dumped at local parks to fend for themselves. People will call us wanting to know if we'll keep their now unwanted pets. Ours is a wildlife care facility and we don't take unwanted pets. I've come home from work and found cardboard boxes on the porch; God only knows how long they've been sitting there in the heat, with live animals in them that people will just leave here. Other times these animals will be dumped in a park someplace, having no survival skills whatsoever, or taken to the shelter once the initial appeal wears off. So we ask you, please REALLY stop and think before bringing one of these critters home, perhaps think of a pet as a lifelong commitment, or maybe consider a plush stuffed animal instead.

For more information, contact us at

www.ellicottwildlife.com

P.O. Box 75069

Colorado Springs, CO. 80979

719-683-8152