Baxter is one of three bunnies we have taken in over the past few weeks!

As usual, things have been crazy at the shelter these last few weeks!

Of course, it's about that time for "Easter Dumps", as they're called among rescuers...People who went to pet shops and bought baby bunnies at Easter have now decided that a rabbit is not a good pet and dumped it outside (or the ones that were improperly housed outside have gotten free). 

We've already taken in 3 that we found on the street...one with ear mites so bad it was all I could do to not cry just looking at the poor thing.   I've doing rabbit rescue for 6.5 years and I've never seen a case of ear mites so bad.   It was just awful to look at and I can only imagine the pain the poor girl must have been in.    Thankfully, we've gotten that cleared up and we'll be able to get her spayed soon so we can adopt her out.    We found one other little guy running around in the pouring rain a few weeks ago..he was shaking and soaking wet when we finally caught him.   The 3rd one we caught was found with a litter...the babies have been taken in by someone else but the poor mama bunny is showing signs of a neurological disorder so she's with us for the time being.   The vet's are thinking that she may have had a stroke while giving birth and suffered brain damage, since she's tested negative for parasites and viruses that are known to cause neurological issues.

We've also taken in a gorgeous gray rex named Chase.   He developed head tilt and his owners couldn't afford his care so they turned him over to us.   He's on the mend but his head will probably never straighten out completely.   Thankfully, he's as sweet as can be and with that plush rex fur, he'll find a home for sure!

With all of the bunnies coming in that need medical attention, that brings us to FUNDRAISERS!!

We'll be doing a Tag Sale in Stratford, CT on Saturday June 16, from 8am - 1pm.   If you would like to donate items, we will gladly accept anything that it is USEABLE condition (with a few exceptions).   If it's broken or damaged, we can not accept it. 

We CAN NOT accept the following items:
- Clothes
- Shoes
- Books
- Stuffed Animals
- Baby Clothes

Here are some examples of the things we will accept (again in USEABLE condition please!):
- Knick Knacks
- Comforters
- Camping Equipment
- Yard Tools
- Power Tools
- Records
- DVDs
- Camera Equipment
- Furniture
- Electronics
- Jewelry
- Baby FURNITURE (no clothes!)
- Picture Frames
- Artwork
- Unused Candles

We are happy to provide receipts as all donations are tax deductible.

Any questions - please send us a Tweet (@hopalonghollow), follow us on FaceBook (Hop Along Hollow), or email us at hopalonghollow@aol.com

Also!   If anyone is interested in making a donation of supplies directly to the shelter, we can always use the following:

- Water Bottles
- Food dishes/bowls
- Towels
- Newspaper
- Paper Towels
- Empty Paper Towel/Toilet Paper tubes
- Vinegar
- Rubber Gloves
- Petco/Petsmart gift cards

Wow, it's been quite a long while since I've blogged!   I didn't realize it has been almost 3 months!

Things at Hop Along Hollow have been really crazy lately...but crazy is our "normal" so we have no complaints!

Our big New Zealand, Nichols, that fell ill in my last post, has been back and forth to the vet countless times since December.   He's had a leg removed, has a wicked upper-respiratory infection... The poor guy is one big mess but he keeps fighting so we keep fighting for him!  

Speaking of vet bills.....Hop Along Hollow is currently running a Spring fundraiser through Yankee Candle!   We make 40% of what we sell and all of that will go directly to bunny care!   We made over $1000 in the fall when we worked with Yankee Candle so it's definitely a good way to raise bunny-money!   If you'd like to help us out, please let us know via Twitter: @HopAlongHollow or look for Hop Along Hollow on Facebook!

We have had quite a few adoptions the last few weeks!   Our long time resident April (with us since 2007!) and her husbun Mocha, found their forever home!  We also did a few bondings and adopted out some of our single bunnies!     

We still have lots of WONDERFUL animals looking for homes, and we're always looking for volunteers! 

If you are interested in adopting, volunteering, or making a donation (supplies are always welcome in lieu of cash!), please email Linda at HopAlongHollow@aol.com

Well, we thought we had a home for Snoop Dog, our black mini-lop...we tried to bond him to a pretty little Dutch girl...they made it all week without a squabble, but as soon as Linda sent them to their home, Snoop did a 180 and terrorized his poor would-be bunny wife.   So Snoop is now back at the shelter, and is still single. 

We also had a scare this week with one of our older residents, a New Zealand named Nichols.   We rushed him to the vet as he was in full body paralysis... his kidneys and liver were all out of whack.   We were ready to start saying our goodbyes to him, but Linda told me this morning that although he still can't move...he's eating on his own.   The vet thought maybe there was cancer somewhere but Linda is wondering if maybe it's E.C (e. cuniculi) instead....we'll see what happens.   Pray for the big guy!

On a personal note, we found out last week that our 2 year old Shepherd/Lab mix has a genetic disorder called Pancreatic Exocrine Insufficiency.   It's very common among German Shepherds, but also crops up in other breeds as well.   Basically, her pancreas just stops making the enzymes that are required for digestion so she is on a powdered enzyme supplement with every meal for the rest of her life.   What sucks, is that the amount of the enzyme can be different from dog to dog.  So we have to just keep making small adjustments until we get her back to normal.

I also took our 8 year old Dutch, Alex, to the vet on Tuesday.  He was grinding his teeth something awful so we had him checked out and found the beginnings of molar spurs.  So we have an appointment for him to get those filed down at the end of January. 

OK so back to Hop Along Hollow stuff...
Anyone with empty wrapping paper tubes or corrugated cardboard boxes (stickers and tape removed please!), please feel free to donate them to us!  Bunnies love to chew cardboard and it helps to keep their teeth from overgrowing so we always appreciate it!

We're also always in need of:
black trash bags
gallon size jugs of plain old vinegar
paper towels
old (clean!) sheets or blankets
litter boxes
water bottles
food dishes

We will always be grateful for Petco giftcards or donations to South Wilton Veterinary Group in our name (to pay for spays/neuters and other medical issues)...

Oh and ADOPTIONS!!   We have so many bunnies right now, our heads are spinning!  If you're thinking about adopting, please consider giving a bunny a home for the holidays!  It's not too late!  Check out our Petfinder.com page for a list of our available bunnies! 

Happy Holidays, everyone!