A new addition

As volunteers at the rescue, one of the common excuses we hear for giving up rabbits is that there is a baby on the way and when we told friends and family that we were expecting our first child there was a common assumption that we wouldn't be able to cope with our 4 house bunnies and 3 cats, plus a pair of foster bunnies, as well as a baby. We were determined that having a baby would not have a huge impact on the furry members of our family but as the pregnancy progressed we have to admit it did cross our mind how we could continue to care for so many animals along with a little person.

Baby Sophie finally arrived on 18 June. The last month has passed in a blur of sleep deprivation and dirty nappies but we are pleased to say that the bunnies and cats are still here and we have managed to care for them in the same way as always, with their routine virtually unchanged. It certainly has been hard work keeping up with all the cleaning out and feeding that the bunnies require, but they also provide a nice break from all the cleaning and feeding that Sophie requires! In the haze of sleep deprivation the bunnies have also helped us to keep some sort of routine to our days by demanding we provide their breakfast snacks and bedtime pellets at the usual hours. So although we can understand why people feel they can't cope with their bunnies once they have a baby, we hope to show that it is possible.

Soon we will take Sophie down to the rescue to meet the bunnies there and we hope to have her helping with the cleaning out as soon as she is able. She'll certainly be educated about rabbit welfare from an early age and hopefully will share her knowledge with friends so that a new generation of children grow up learning about the proper care of rabbits.