The sad news is that the Illinois Department of Agriculture has overturned the seizure of the Watseka rabbits and the vast majority of those rabbits--at least 117--have been returned to Paul Craft. Craft is the breeder from whom the rabbits were seized by licensed state of Illinois humane investigators.
We will never forget the wonderful rabbits we met.
3 comments:
I am posting to thank each and every one of you for all the help and time and plain love you put into these rabbits. Without the volunteers, there may not have BEEN survivors. :( So THANK YOU so very much!
And actually, it's **not** bad news for the rabbits. The new facilities are very clean, the care is being closely supervised---and Paul Craft has, as he promised, begun the process of dispersal down to the mandated limit of 50, or even further.
We ask that anyone who volunteered and became attached to a **particular** rabbit contact SSHS if it was an ill animal at the time of seizure; if one that was returned, please let us know which.
We WILL be trying to find good pet homes for some of these animals as well as some of the kits recently born (they won't be available until they are 8 weeks of age). A small fee will be charged for adoption to help cover the costs of continuing treatment, feed, and care. (I anticipate a range between $25 and $75, depending on the rabbit.)
We can be reached through the Rabbit Industry Council (RIC@cncnet.com) at any time, for any reason or question regarding rabbits in general, as well.
I hope care continues to be "closely supervised" and that the whistle is quickly blown if he lets things get out of hand again.
I personally witnessed the trauma these rabbits endured. And to thank us, Mr. Craft has left behind all the really sick ones, including a litter of babies whom are all blind in one eye from being crammed into a tiny wire cage - the wire of their cage digging into their eyes causing their corneas to prolapse. We have watched 20 rabbits (and counting) die because of the illnesses they developed under his care.
I am not, nor are the others who lent a hand in this ordeal, "bleeding heart hippies" or whatever these breeders would like to see us as. We simply believe that we humans have a responsibility to treat these animals (that humans themselves developed into PETS in the first place back a hundred years ago) as humanely as possible. They are sweet, domestic animals that feel pain and fear. There is no doubt about that. Furthermore, the apparent mentality that it's ok if 30% are sick and dying as long as the rest are in sellable condition is beyond ignorant, it is cruel. The all mighty dollar should not come before basic human decency. PLEASE MAKE SURE HE DOES NOT DO THIS TO ANOTHER LIVING CREATURE AGAIN.
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