Cute, cuddly-and a commitment.Byline: JAIME SHERMAN The Register-Guard CORRECTION (ran 3/19/02): The Greenhill Humane Society A humane society is a group that aims to stop animal suffering due to cruelty or other reasons. Examples Examples of humane societies include: The Humane Society of the United States, Peninsula Humane Society, American Humane which was founded in 1877 as a network of can be reached at 689-1503. A story Monday in the City/Region section about pet rabbits listed the wrong number. A bunny may seem like the perfect gift on Easter morning, but less perfect later: Rabbits that are cute and lovable at the pet store can soon become an unwelcome chore. Humane society volunteers know this all too well: Each year in the months following Easter, animal shelters receive many unwanted rabbits. "It's referred to as the Easter dump," Barbara Ray of the Greenhill Humane Society said Sunday at the shelter's Rabbit Education Day. Ray and other rabbit experts encourage people to evaluate the pros and cons pros and cons Noun, pl the advantages and disadvantages of a situation [Latin pro for + con(tra) against] of owning a bunny before rushing to buy one. "A rabbit, like any other pet, needs to be a well thought-out decision," Ray said. With Easter less than two weeks away, many people are sure to buy a bunny. "They do it spontaneously," Ray said. "Then they get bored. Then it becomes a problem because rabbits are a long-term commitment for a family." Springfield veterinarian veterinarian /vet·er·i·nar·i·an/ (vet?er-i-nar´e-an) a person trained and authorized to practice veterinary medicine and surgery; a doctor of veterinary medicine. vet·er·i·nar·i·an n. Matthew Fricke told potential bunny owners how a rabbit should be cared for if it's living in the house with its owners: Daily meals of hay, food pellets and fresh vegetables are a must - along with fresh water, safe shelter and routine exercise. Also, rabbit owners shouldn't leave electrical cords and toxic materials where they can be reached, Fricke said. To quickly treat diseases that can be fatal to rabbits, Fricke recommended people know their rabbits' behavior well enough to know when they should be taken to the vet. A rabbit's lifespan can be doubled when it is spayed spay tr.v. spayed, spay·ing, spays To remove surgically the ovaries of (an animal). [Middle English spaien, from Anglo-Norman espeier, to cut with a sword or neutered neu·ter adj. 1. Grammar a. Neither masculine nor feminine in gender. b. Neither active nor passive; intransitive. Used of verbs. 2. a. , Fricke said. The surgery helps lower the risk of cancer, eliminates unwanted pregnancies and often makes for a calmer, happier rabbit. For more information on house rabbit A house rabbit is a domestic rabbit kept as a pet for companionship, which lives inside the home with his owners. He has an indoor pen and a rabbit-safe place to run and exercise, such as a living or family room. care, click on www.rabbit.org or contact the Greenhill Humane Society at 689-1503. CAPTION(S): PAUL CARTER Paul Carter is the name of:
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