Dear Haven Family - Happy New Year!
2021 is here and we are already busy as every rescuing, serving our shelters, caring for all of our rescued animals and providing much needed education services. We accomplished so much in 2020 regardless of all the difficulties we faced.
We made it through COVID shutdowns, shelter closures, VHD, electrical storms, and huge fires. We stayed strong to support our community and shelters. Our intake numbers have stayed constant, just different rescue conditions. Our rescue activity included the rescue of 53 meat rabbits, plus numbers of animals coming in as owner surrenders or abandoned rabbits, guinea pigs & hamsters from shelters we serve.
We helped our community by setting up a food bank with the assistance of Small Pet Select and Sherwood. We set up several clinics to vaccinate all of our foster rabbits against the New VHD threat. We reset our adoption and foster program to include Zoom training to educate with less risk. We continued to rescue rabbits abandoned in the wild.
We worked hand in hand with our vet clinics to see that our rabbits received medical care regardless of new no contact limitations. Special thanks to James for weekly transports! We even carried our holiday gift box distribution to shelters in December. Thank you Haven elves.
Today is a Haven adoption day and our adoption counselors are busy holding one to one (safe) adoption appts. Our nail trim/Health ck staff and working in Los Gatos at Pet People providing nail trims to 60+ rabbits! We also provide a clinic in Santa Cruz at PetPals once a month! There is no stopping The Rabbit Haven.
I can hardly believe all the changes that we have experienced this year. Full adoption shows at Pet Pals and Pet People closed in March 2020! Bunny fest -cancelled, bunny hops -cancelled. It was sad but unavoidable. Then VHD raised its ugly head. We met each challenge with determination and creativity. We have such Great volunteers! Our essential services are continuing. We found many ways to work and stay safe.
Our foster system is bustling and BunnyBee sales are great- The support we have received from our community is magnificent. Even photos continue in a COVID safe site. As always, we continue to rescue from our communities and shelters. We had many community surrenders due to COVID job losses, housing loss and severe financial situations. The Rabbit Haven is here to help when we are needed.
Today we will be rescuing a rabbit from one of our shelters and we are working to take in three rabbits from a meat farm that has closed. Busy as ever doing our work.
Thank you so much for helping the Rabbit Haven reach our match goal in December! Together we did it and now have raised a good portion of funds needed for Nyssa and Charis, Daniel, Cookie, Blake, Hopscotch and Cassiopeia (to name just a few). We deeply appreciate your wonderful contributions.
Here’s to a BUNderful 2021! We have high hopes for this year and will continue to carry out our program goals (Rescue, support & education). Together, we will thrive, knowing we can overcome even the most difficult and unexpected challenges.
Thank you so much for your ongoing support, love and support. Wishing you and your family a safe, healthy and happy 2021.
Love to you,
Auntie Heather
The Rabbit Haven