Bunnies Being Cared For

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Created on Friday, 29 March 2013 14:35

Written by Catherine Vitale

NORTHEAST KINGDOM – A Lunenburg animal shelter is taking care of 38 unexpected visitors.

Those visitors are rabbits and bunnies that have just been released by the court.

Riverside Rescue in Lunenburg has been home to many dogs and cats in need. In February, the shelter adjusted their housing situation to accommodate fifteen rabbits and nine bunnies. Following a complaint of rabbits not being properly cared for, Riverside Rescue President Sharon Eaton accompanied Saint Johnsbury Police officers to the home of 65 year old Louise Townsend. Thirteen dead rabbits were taken from the home, and the live rabbits and bunnies were sent to a veterinarian. The veterinarian who tended to the rabbits said they were suffering from lack of water and nutrition. Townsend was cited for Cruelty to Animals and the rabbits were removed.

 “Thirteen of the bunnies were outside in a garage, in some pretty ugly cages, just not in great states,” Eaton remembered, “There was little or no water, and we didn’t see any food. I guess there was food in the cages, I’m not aware of that though.”

Looking at the number of bunnies you might think this was a case of animal hoarding. Eaton explained the situation saying Townsend was not a hoarder, rather a breeder. Eaton also explained that bunnies do not mate in the winter, so there’s usually no profit coming in until springtime. She said that the cost of keeping a bunny can get quite costly and caring for 24 can add up quickly. Unfortunately, Riverside lost four of the baby bunnies, but their number of bunnies actually increased. During their time at Riverside, two rabbits gave birth, and bumped the total number up to 38. 

Vermont’s Animal Cruelty Response System helps police officers and shelter volunteers get pets that are in need of a safe place into shelters like Riverside Rescue and local pounds. Candace Dane is the animal control officer for Burke, Sutton, and Sheffield. Dane says she’s been lucky and hasn’t run into any cases of abuse herself, but knows many who have. She believes in the importance of reporting possible cases of abuse.

“Even if you’re wrong, it’s better to be wrong than to have ignored something for fear of being wrong, and then the animal dies,” Dane said, “I would prefer to go on a call that was unnecessary as opposed to going on a call when it’s too late.”

Eaton explained the correlation between animal abuse and other forms of abuse, saying they commonly go hand in hand. Eaton said that many times when animal abuse is reported other types of abuse are investigated and if necessary, they are reported to the proper authorities.