As a rabbit rescue group, we know only too well that Easter is bad for rabbits' health. All too often, rabbits are purchased at Easter for a day and then abandoned, frequently with tragic consequences.

Two years ago, Jessica Graff, a seven-old who shares her home with Abby, Clancy and Cyrus rescued an Easter rabbit before it was too late.

The rabbit, barely old enough to be separated from her mother, was being used as an Easter prop by a photo studio at the Fair Oaks Mall in Fairfax, Va. Although the studio refused to give up the bunny to us until Easter, Jessica and her mother monitored the rabbit's well being and provided hay, food, litter and housing until the rabbit came into our care.

This is the story of the Easter Rabbit in Jessica's words:

Once upon a time, last night we saw a bunny in the mall. He was in a photo camera store. He was a (newborn) bunny and he had no one to care about him. They were just too busy to play with the bunny. He had no fresh hay. He had no water. He had a small house to sleep in. He had yucky treats for food. He was lonely in the dark at nighttime. He was (new) born and small. He had nothing to dream about at all. He was very sad. We knew his heart was crying and sad and lonely. He had a bad home and a bad family. He needed a family that was kind and gentle and nice. I wish we could rescue it. I wish she was at our house. I wish she could meet Clancy, our pet bunny. We'll see if we can take her home. 

Jessica was only five years old at the time. 

So please, heed Jessica's plea. Don't buy an Easter rabbit.

Stop breeders and pet stores from perpetuating the cycle of selling rabbits at Easter. Pass this on to your friends, family and colleagues. And join us in educating the public against purchasing Easter rabbits.

We will holding two special Easter educational events this month.  
 On Sat. March 23, at 11 a.m., at
 A Likely Story Bookstore
1555 King St., Alexandria, Va. Tel: (703) 836-2498
http://www.alikelystorybooks.com/NASApp/store/IndexJsp.
On Sat. March 30, from noon to 3 p.m. at
 the Alexandria PetsMart at 3351 Jefferson Davis Hwy.  
It's in the Potomac Yards shopping center. Tel : (703) 739-4844.

We need volunteers to help us set up and take down our booth, hand out educational materials, and share your knowledge and experience with rabbits with potential adopters. If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us at information@friendsofrabbits.org, or please call us at (703) 548-6793.

Also come and join us in at our Easter fundraiser on Sat. April 6, 2002.  If you can't join us but would like to contribute to our efforts to save Easter rabbits, please become a member for only $10. Please mail your tax-deductible contributions to Friends of Rabbits, P.O. Box 1112, Alexandria, VA 22313.

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