October 2009

The Bunologist •
•
•
Munchkin Award
Be a bunny for a day – World Vegan Day
Restaurant rabbit
Your FREE monthly rabbit newsletter • Farm rabbits
• Dear Diary
To join, visit www.scribd.com/bunologist • Rabbits: their part in my downfall (Molly & Tessa)
• Adopt me!
• Clarence the SUPER SPY & the vegan ferret

Global Pet Gallery

What’s News?
Global Pet Gallery is a project
that aims to set a Guinness World
Record for the largest Pet Photo
Radioactive rabbit poop Mosaic. Email a photo of your
11 October 2009 (US)
bun to be included in the photo
http://www.blogcatalog.com/post-tag/bunny+news/
mosaic.
Although it may sound like a plot point in a comic book, there
is actually radioactive rabbit poop in Hanford, Washington. www.globalpetgallery.com
As it happens 50 million gallons of liquid waste laced with
radioactive salts were dumped in a radioactive reservation in
Hanford more than 40 years ago. The dumping area is home Baby hare saved by emergency
to many jackrabbits. The rabbits’ warrens abut some of the caesarian
dumping sites and the rabbits often lick the radioactive salt. www.dailymail.co.uk
Recent stimulus money has aided the clean up of the rabbit A woman who found a pregnant hare lying dead in the
poop, which has trace amounts of radioactivity. Previously, road performed an emergency operation to deliver its
large swaths of earth were dug out and disposed of to rid the baby.
area of the radioactive poop. Now, a helicopter is used to
spot and map the piles of poop for crews to come in and Caring Leila Goss, 25, spotted the mother hare after it
clean up. was killed by a car and immediately noticed its swollen
stomach.

Endangered Kits are Born
14 October 2009 (US)
http://www.blogcatalog.com/post-tag/bunny+news/
The Columbian Basin pygmy
rabbit has been on the state of
Washington’s endangered
species list since 1993. The
population declined so much that
biologists took in the last 14 wild
rabbits to create a breeding
program.
Among the institutions
collaborating in the breeding
program is the Oregon Zoo,
which has been breeding
Columbian Basin pygmy rabbits
since 2000.
This year the zoo welcomed 26 endangered kits, or baby
rabbits. This brings the total to 73 kits for the year among all
the breeding programs.
Leila, a laboratory
assistant at a donkey
sanctuary, was driving
home at around 10pm
when she found the adult
hare lying in the middle
of the road.
‘She was still warm, so
obviously the car had
just hit her. When we got
her home, I performed a
caesarian on her and
there were two babies
inside. One was quite
floppy. The second one
looked a bit better so I
swung him around gently
to get the fluid out of his lungs, then I gently blew down
his nose and it started gasping for air.
‘I dried the baby off a bit more and
wrapped it up in a towel and put it
on a hot water bottle. Its
breathing became steadier and
the legs started to move around
and within an hour it was sitting
upright, looking like a little hare
should do.’
 Munchkin Award Be a bunny for a day!
The Munchkin Award
World Vegan Day
recognises websites
contributing to positive &
1 November 2009
responsible care for Be a vegan bunny for a day & visit one of these locations
rabbits. for a cruelty-free celebration –
This month we proudly
award Pepper & Dylan’s Melbourne
blogspot.
World Vegan Day Festival
When: Sunday 1 November 2009
Where: Abbotsford Convent, Abbotsford
Time: 10am – 5pm

Sydney
Sydney’s Cruelty Free Festival
Pepper and Dylan are rescued rabbits who live indoors. When: Sunday 1 November
They share their experiences on their blog. Where: Belmore Park, Haymarket (next to Central Station)
Time: 10am – 5pm

Loads of stalls with cruelty-free products, delicious vegan

food & live music. You can also attend free yoga and
meditation classes and cooking demos throughout the day.

Perth
World Vegan Day picnic
Animal Rights Advocates Inc. invites you to join them for a
picnic to celebrate World Vegan Day! Bring friends, family,
music and vegan food to share.

Date: Sunday 1 November 2009

Where: Sir James Mitchell Park, South Perth
Time: 12pm – 4pm

http://lagomorphlife.blogspot.com/
 Restaurant rabbit Farm rabbits
By Carmen Conway By Karen (BOING)

What is it with all the rabbit dishes lately? The other I guess I’m very biased when it comes to rabbits as food,
week it was Karen Martini in the Herald, last night Matt particularly factory farmed rabbits.
Moran (who I used to admire and respect as a nice
person and gifted chef) on Celebrity Chef, after So many people are surprised to find out that there are indeed
checking with the Aria Restaurant I discover he many factory farms imprisoning thousands of rabbits all over
actually serves rabbit as a dish in the restaurant. Australia. These large sheds house tens of thousands of
rabbits kept in individual tiny wire boxes living horrific short
1 October 2009 lives.
Matt Moran
Aria Restaurant
1 Macquarie Street
East Circular Quay NSW 2000
Dear Matt

Let me firstly say how much I used to admire you as a

person and a gifted Chef. This was until I saw you on
Celebrity Chef on 30 September and one of your
dishes was rabbit. I have since discovered that you
serve rabbit in your restaurant. I am deeply distressed
and appalled by your contribution to the continuing
exploitation of rabbits and supporting an industry,
which condones scandalous and cruel practises which
rival the inhumane practises of the chicken industry.
Frankly, Matt you should be embarrassed and
ashamed. This rabbit farm is near Geelong in Melbourne

Rabbits are the most exploited of all animals. They are
tortured and used in labs for a multitude of
unnecessary testing, especially in the cosmetic
industry; they are murdered for the fashion industry;
they are marketed as pets for small children to torture
at Easter and then conveniently dumped at the shelter
after a few months or left to die of neglect in a small
cage at the bottom of the garden and they are also
raised for food in conditions that rival the abhorrent
practices of the chicken industry.
So, when we found out that Karen Martini was again pimping
rabbit in the Sydney Morning Herald in late September, we
were horrified. Her suggestion for her Spring Rabbit Broth was
to choose a “farmed rabbit” because she states, “farmed rabbit
meat is much more tender than wild”.
It makes me feel ill just copying & pasting the above wording.
Why? Because we live with three rabbits that were “rescued”
from a factory farm and to think that Isabelle, Poppy & Lulu are
seen by people as edible, makes me more than angry.

We are not in the midst of a food shortage in this Why should one rabbit be labeled over another as food?
country or a 1920’s Great Depression, we do not need
another meat for the plate! Promoting the eating of All rabbits are sensitive,
bunnies is obscenely unnecessary and contributes to intelligent and
the cruel exploitation of these intelligent, loving affectionate. The only
creatures. difference with the farm
bunnies compared to
These rabbits, which you are exploiting, are intelligent, most pet shop bunnies is
loving, vulnerable creatures who deserve our their size.
compassion and respect - not our cook pots or frying
pans. Lulu (pictured right) is a
rescued factory farm
I beg you to replace rabbit on your menu with a rabbit. She adores pats,
vegetarian option and show you care. leans her head on a knee
when she’s happy, loves
Yours sincerely to try & climb behind the
Carmen Conway couch, adores all veggies
Thanks Carmen!!! We love letters & enjoys sitting on top of
expressing anger against rabbits her cardboard box.
as food.
Someone tell her she’s
We also think that Matt Moran supposed to be edible!
might want to rethink his latest
glamour shots (pictured left)!!
(BOING) SAVE A MEAT RABBIT TODAY!!!

Dear Diary
by Karen
This month BOING celebrated World Animal Day at
Edgar’s Mission in Willowmavin, Victoria –
www.edgarsmission.org.au
World Animal Day is celebrated every year on 4 October to
acknowledge the diverse roles that animals play in our
lives. Nimal & I had a wonderful day at Edgar’s Mission
and enjoyed visiting our favourite friends Tony Blair
(turkey), Edgar (pig), some very funny sheep and of course
the rescue bunnies!! BOING had a small table to highlight
the diverse range of interactions between bunnies and
humans – from loving companions to products in the meat,
fur & cosmetic testing industries.
This month at the Do Hop Inn we were reminded of the
dangers of leaving items around the home where inquisitive
bunnies can find them. After coming home with a plant
cutting I intended on putting in the garden, I placed the
plastic bag with the plant inside on the couch (silly I
know!!!!). Coming back into the room a few minutes later, I
discovered Poppy sitting on the couch next to the bag & a
piece missing out of the plant. Panic set in, the bag was
thrown out the door and all we could do was to wait & see if
she would be okay. Fortunately, she was fine but it is a
reminder to all bunny lovers to not leave items around for
your fluffy friends to find!!
Sadly, we discovered
this month that Pancake
(pictured on the right
sitting next to her buddy
Ally) is suffering from
renal (kidney) failure.
She has been quite
weak & has been losing
weight for the last few
months. Pancake is
around 8 or 9 (we
guess) and has always
been a very confident & happy bun.
Currently Pancake is on daily fluids and is being
encouraged to eat more. Luckily, she is very keen on
banana & critical care mixed in a bowl and she licks that up
very happily. Ally (her long term partner) will be devastated
if he loses her. He spends most of his time grooming her
and is never very far away from her side. It’s a sad time at
the Do Hop Inn as we know that her time with us may be
coming to an end.
Poppy & Lulu (our ex-farm bunnies) are back on antibiotics
after a urine sample revealed a medical condition that
causes pain when urinating. A culture is currently being
grown to see what the actual bacteria could be & the best
way of treating it.
Products for your bunny
Oxbow Critical Care
This is a powdery form of food for
rabbits that need force feeding due to
illness.
It’s a fabulous product that comes in
two flavours - licorice and apple/banana
(this one’s a real winner).
The product comes in a sealed bag that
needs to be frozen after opening.
Critical care is mixed with water & syringe fed to ill bunnies.
It’s a great way to provide food & fibre when needed.
Critical care is a great product to always have on hand just
in case your bunny needs it in an emergency one day. You
can purchase Critical Care from selected vet clinics. Even
if they don’t have it, ask them to order it in for you.
Oxbow Bunny Basic pellets
Pellets are not normally necessary
in your rabbit’s diet. However, if
you need to feed your bunny pellets
so that they can gain weight, this is
the best product that we have in
Australia.
Oxbow’s Bunny Basics are high in
fibre, low in fat and salt and contain
Vitamin D.
There are two different types of rabbit pellets. One is a
growth pellet, designed for young rabbits. The other is
designed for adult rabbits.
You can purchase Oxbow’s pellets from selected vet
clinics.
 Molly
Rabbits: their part in my
downfall – part 15
by Nimal

Tessa

In contrast to Tessa was the lively Molly. Karen received a

phone call from a teacher who had found a stray bunny
wandering in the grounds of a primary school in Malvern,
East of Melbourne. “The funny thing is”, the teacher said,
“someone has put a lot of effort into training this rabbit. A
lot of effort.”
Tessa was surrendered to us after her partner Snoopy had
What had led this woman to believe that she had found a
died tragically after a suspected fall. Karen had met
highly trained elite super-bunny? “Well, it’s very friendly
Snoopy, a lovely gentle Netherland Dwarf. When Snoopy
and comes over to you when you call it”, the teacher
passed away unexpectedly, his owner didn’t know what to
reported, apparently expecting that this information would
do with Tessa, claiming she was very aggressive and had
be enough to gob-smack anyone. Karen tried telling her
attacked and injured one of her other rabbits. So it was with
that it was actually not unusual for a bunny to be quite
some trepidation that we agreed to take on this troubled
friendly, but the teacher remained convinced that she had
bunny.
found some kind of valuable performing rabbit!
Furthermore, she happened to know that a rabbit had been
Given her supposed aggressive history, Tessa was placed
reported missing in South Yarra – could this be that very
under maximum-security care and watched closely for any
bunny? Karen said she thought it unlikely given that this
signs of potential bunnicidal behaviour. However, Tessa did
was some 10 kilometres from where the rabbit was found,
not seem overly aggressive and if anything was a little
although it would make sense for a bunny from upper class
reserved.
South Yarra to be highly trained and superior in every way!
But there was no denying that she was an odd little thing.
The rabbit in question was currently residing with the
Strangely, she didn’t much care for veggies and often left
teacher’s son, who was a surly so-and-so and very put out
them uneaten. Apparently she just preferred her hay but
that he had been given the troublesome task of looking
otherwise was very healthy. She spent most of her time
after a bunny. He called demanding our address so that he
snuggled up on her favourite pink bed.
could bring the rabbit over immediately and relinquish all
responsibility.
Today she is a friendly little bunny although she has a
tendency to growl when her personal space is invaded or if
So it was under some duress that Molly came to live with
anyone tries to shift her out of her bed. However, when she
us. She was a frisky little brown lop whose stocky, furry
comes out for a run in the lounge she can prance with the
front legs made her look as though she was wearing baggy
best of them!
trousers.

Molly was the epitome of cuteness with a number of

endearing habits. She snored loudly and often she would
roll over on the hearth and go too far, somersaulting onto
the floor. Perhaps she had learned these tricks at the circus
where she had been trained?
 Adopt me!
Miffy
Location: Melbourne
This is "Miffy". She is approximately 2 years old, female
and undesexed.
Miffy’s story is very sad. She spent the first 2 years of her
life in a pet shop, living in a small square glass pen. Other
rabbits came & went but Miffy was left behind.
Eventually, as Miffy was not attractive to anyone looking for
a pet rabbit – she wasn’t a baby anymore, she was white &
she had red eyes (apparently traits that others find
unattractive??!!) – one of the staff members suggested he
would take Miffy home, kill her & eat her!
Luckily, another staff member took her away from the store
& gave her to me to try and find her a new home.
Miffy is okay with being handled (does not bite of scratch)
but would rather come to you than you come to her. As
she is used to meeting other rabbits in the pet shop, she
has bonded well with other bunnies in the past and seems
eager to make friends, though will need to be desexed to
ensure bonding is easier (best for her health too!!).
Miffy's litter training is coming along very well. She is a
clever girl and is very happy to be away from the pet store.
She is now looking forward to her new future as a loved
bun.
If you are interested in Miffy and could offer her a well
needed loving home, please contact Georgina at
angelicvampyre666@gmail.com
We are proud to launch the new blogspot devoted to
finding homes for buns. This news blog replaces the
website adoption page and will help us keep all buns
looking for homes up to date at all times. Please check it
out!!
http://adoptabun.blogspot.com/
Clarence the Super-Spy
and the Vegan Ferret
by James Robertson
We join Clarence the Super Spy and his human brother/spy
student James, foraging through the Underground Hutch
System’s old food cupboard, searching for an exotic spice
from Vancouver. They were going to bring a spiced salad
for this party in Venice, and they thought they should bring
something rare.
*Spy-Notes: Clarence obtained the spices from Vancouver
on a mission two years ago. He was given the spices by a
plump pig named Henry, who was a (fat) fortuneteller.
Then Clarence’s sensitive ears pricked. He could hear the
unmistakable sound of something heavy falling from the
sky. Five seconds later a big, round (fat) object smashed
through the trapdoor and bounced around the room, hitting
the fridge and the chairs and finally crashing into James’s
arms.
‘Oh, hi James. Clarence.’ It was Pumpkin, Clarence’s best
friend from Spy School. ‘I bring a message from Colonel
Bunny.’
James began talking like he’d never heard what Pumpkin
had said. ‘Pumpkin, don’t you know how to use the front
door or anything?’ said James in an annoyed tone.
Pumpkin shrugged and mumbled something about ‘nice
perfume’ and jumped out of James’s arms, trotting over to
Clarence. ‘Here’s the message.’ He handed a small, red
printed scroll over to Clarence.
It read: “Clarence the Super Spy, this message is to ask
you whether you’d like a second apprentice. We know you
already have one but we think you can cover another. If
you agree or disagree send this message back with the
messenger who took it with your requests.”
Colonel Bunny.
‘Well, that seems like a good idea.’ Clarence handed back
the message to Pumpkin. ‘I say yes.’
‘Ok.’
Pumpkin stuffed the message in his fur and jumped
through the trapdoor, disappearing from sight.
Fifteen minutes later Pumpkin once again smashed
through the trapdoor, bounced around the room, this time
landing in the old cupboard. He rolled out of the messy
cupboard, olive oil sticking to his fur.
‘Colonel Bunny says that’s great that you’ve accepted the
new apprentice,’ said Pumpkin gleefully, like he’d never left
the room. ‘I present to you your new apprentice… Freddie
the Ferret!’
Pumpkin opened the little bag he was wearing and out
came a little brown ferret, with white stripes. He was
dragging out a large suitcase from the bag. ‘I am Freddie
Vestina, and I’ll do anything you ask me, oh my great
leader.’ Freddie dropped his suitcase and bowed.
Clarence frowned. ‘You know, this is a spy base not an
army academy. And I just want you to think of me as a
good friend and colleague’ he said, patting Freddie on the
shoulder.
‘Phew.’
‘Come on, I’ll give you the grand tour’ said Clarence
happily. ‘James and Pumpkin, come too.’
Clarence, James and Pumpkin took Freddie around to
each place in the base. They showed him the mud room,
the Poop Station, the garage, the explosives room,
Clarence’s bedroom and obviously the living room, where
Clarence shared his computer password to Freddie and
showed him the Library.
Another fifteen minutes later they came back to the
cupboard.
‘And now, obviously, I’ll teach you about being a proper
spy. But, I must warn you, it’ll take many years before
you’re a real spy,’ said Clarence secretly. ‘James has been
with me for four years and he’s still not a spy.’
‘It’s true’ James added.
Freddie smiled. ‘I know. I’ve read the Moron’s Guide to
Super Spying, by Bugze Wiz’ he said innocently.
Clarence turned to James. ‘As I think you are thinking, a
spy apprentice cannot teach a new spy apprentice. You
may be dismissed,’ he said.
James grinned. ‘See ya!’
He got to the trapdoor, opened it and walked down his
garden to the house. If my calculations are correct he’s
probably gone to work on those Karate Kid comics he’s
really into.
*Spy-Notes: James bases the Karate Kid comics on
himself, as he is a green belt in Karate (that’s a very high
rank). The comics are about a boy who saves the city via
Karate moves.
Five hours later (not fifteen minutes), Clarence and
Pumpkin taught Freddie how to operate a Shield Detonator,
how to ride a Rope Clinger Gun, how to create a non-metal
made laser and much, much more. Clarence even let
Freddie borrow his spare aqua marine scooter.
Yes, this time fifteen minutes later: ‘Oh no, we’re late!’
screamed Clarence. There was thirty minutes until the
party in Venice started and Clarence still hadn’t found that
exotic spice from Vancouver! But Pumpkin had a plan.
‘Leave it to me, Clarence,’ said Pumpkin heroically.
He waddled over to the old cupboard and ripped it right out
of the wall. Yes, just like that! He turned it over and spilled
all the contents on the floor.
‘Here it is!’ Pumpkin held out a small bottle of a liquefied
spice that you all know is from Vancouver.
‘Thanks Pump!’ Clarence snatched the bottle, took it over
to a big bowl of salad in his kitchen and poured it all in.
That’s when James entered the room. The first thing he
saw was the spilt foods on the floor and then the empty
bottle in Clarence’s paw. ‘So I see you’ve found the spice.’
Clarence nodded.
Freddie piped up. ‘Can I come, Clarence?’
Clarence stopped and shrugged. ‘I guess it would be ok to
take you along with me,’ he said carelessly.
‘Yay!’
Clarence loaded his scooter boot with the salad, extra
precaution weapons and a book called Moron’s Guide to
Socializing with Italians, also by Bugze Wiz.
They took their scooters and bikes and sped down
Clarence’s tunnel, not forgetting to check out his great
paintings. They darted up the ramp and into the street, as
dusk came.
****
‘So, you’re Sunny. And you’re French. And you’re holding a
party in Venice?’ said James, frowning.
The bunny with the huge beret nodded. ‘Yep!’ she said in a
French accent. ‘Oh, pardon, I’ve just seen my comrade.
Tootles!’
She left James as Clarence and Freddie came to the punch
stand.
‘Hey,’ said James casually.
‘Great party, eh?’ said Freddie.
They all nodded vigorously. ‘Hey, Freddie, why aren’t you
having some steak with those Komodo Dragon Super
Spies. That is what ferrets eat, right?’ asked Clarence.
 Freddie smiled. ‘Oh, no! I
can’t believe I forgot to tell
you that I’m a vegan, I don’t
eat meat,’ he said with a
laugh.
He and James departed from
the scene as Pumpkin
waddled over next to
Clarence. ‘Wow, who ever
knew ol’ Freddie was a
vegan. Phew, this means you wouldn’t have to have kept
meat in your fridge.’
Clarence and Pumpkin drank a few (thousand) glasses of
punch. Until, they heard a scream!
Clarence and Pumpkin dropped their punch glasses and
ran to where they heard the scream. Freddie and James
tagged on with them. They soon came to a clearing in the
middle of the crowded hall. A grey bunny wearing a purple
robe was standing in the middle of the clearing, holding an
old fashioned bomb. The bomb’s string was flaring.
Clarence grimaced. ‘Nice to see you again, General
Rogan,’ said Clarence grimly.
General Rogan is a great general of the S.O.O.T.M.C
(Secret Order of the Mystifying Cucumber) and the last
time Clarence had seen him was the time he met Harry the
Gossip Guinea pig.
Rogan swung his head in Clarence’s direction. ‘Nice to see
you again, Clarence,’ he said feverishly. ‘I am here
because I heard you and Pumpkin and James and Sunny
and Bugze Wiz were going to be here. So, I thought, why
not bring a lovely present to blow you all up!’
Freddie stepped forward. ‘Hey, you forgot me,’ he said
angrily.
Rogan turned to him. ‘Because you are no matter to me,
little spy apprentice!’ he said.
Rogan put the bomb on the ground and brought out a big
roll of duck tape, which he wrapped over the bomb, thus
sticking it to the ground.
‘This tape will never come off, it was made with honey and
syrup,’ said General Rogan slyly.
Clarence, James, Pumpkin and Freddie flipped out their
weapons as Clarence yelled ‘Attack Formation X!’
They split into four groups, all the other spies at the party
included. They attacked from four different sides of the
crowd.
Rogan brought out a sleek, black gun from his robe and
blasted it in all directions! Freddie and Clarence ducked the
blasts, but Pumpkin, James and all the other spies were
flung back at the wall and some even fell on the food.
‘Ok… Attack Formation, umm, J.’ Clarence and Freddie
charged from two sides and Rogan once again shot a big
blast at Freddie! But Freddie acted fast and flung out his
shield detonator, deflecting the blast.
‘Your reflexes are improving!’ called Clarence.
Clarence leapt forward with a veil of lead in his paws.
Rogan didn’t turn round in time and ended up being
knocked out by the lead.
‘Wow, that took a lot out of me,’ panted Clarence.
Pumpkin and James came over to Clarence, Freddie and
the unconscious General Rogan.
Then they realized the bomb was still flaring and it was
about to stop! ‘Quick, we have to shut it down,’ said James.
‘Anyone know how to deactivate old fashioned bombs?’
Clarence, Freddie, Pumpkin and Rogan shrugged. Wait
what!!
Rogan got up on to his hind paws, rubbing his head. ‘Uh,
did you really think a block of lead would affect me?’ said
Rogan fiercely.
‘Actually, yeah, we did,’ said Pumpkin nervously.
Rogan grinned, unlatched a stolen Rope Clinger Gun and
sent himself up into the air and through the roof.
‘Astalevista, suckers!’ he yelled with a laugh.
Rogan soon disappeared from sight. And they were all
panic-stricken. What about the bomb? How would they stop
it? The flare was nearly out…
‘Umm, guys, I think I have an idea,’ said Freddie uneasily.
They looked at him astonished.
‘Clarence, use your Energy Cane to rip the tape,’ ordered
Freddie. It may seem weird, the apprentice ordering the
master about, but…
Freddie grabbed the bomb and ran out of the hall, his long
tail and the others trailing behind him. He came out to an
open canal and, without another though, threw the bomb
into the murky water.
‘Fire in the hole!!!’ he screamed.
The bomb exploded in the canal, water spraying
everything! Freddie was blown back into the hall, as were
Clarence, James and Pumpkin! As a result there was a
huge hole in the middle of the canal.
‘Now that’s a way to stop a bomb!’ said Clarence
breathlessly.
And with that they went to drink more punch.
The End!