Pulling a friend out of a hat
November 8, 2004
By Cam Tait
VANCOUVER, BC // When Sue Collard was ten years old, she remembers
going Christmas caroling around the neighbourhood. And though she was
undoubtedly singing a festive tune, perhaps "Here Comes Peter Cottontail"
was playing through her mind. Because when it comes to rabbits, Sue's
compassion is second to none.
Sue helped establish Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy in 2003. In fact, she has filled out the forms to become a charity. She says the group began "out of the wishes of a group of dedicated bunny people, many of whom volunteered with local SPCA shelters." The same people - who have more than two decades of experience with rabbits - saw a greater need for, what Sue calls, one of the most uncommon and commonly misunderstood companion animals.
"Like rabbits, key members of VRRA are varied and unique: personnel include a researcher, an unemployed mother, a professor emeritus, a retired administrator, a media personality, and several other people. [They are] all pooling their talents to try and educate the public about rabbits as house pets," Susan says in an e-mail. Based in Vancouver, VRRA has members throughout British Columbia and as far east as Ontario and Quebec.
Their eventual goal? To have a dedicated rabbit education centre and shelter. To get things kick-started, the organization is planning a major fundraising activity in the near future. "All of us are acutely aware of the unique cultural niche that rabbits occupy as the only pet in the West that is eaten for food and whose fur is worn on clothing."
Because there's a great deal to grow on, just last January the group
began a House Rabbit Society, the only Canadian chapter. "Thanks in
part to our status as an HRS chapter, VRRA has answered bunny-related
questions from individuals and the media across Canada and parts of
the US, ranging from what to do with a group of baby wild bunnies, to
responses to feral rabbit issues," Sue says, adding that their website
had 22,000 hits in under a year. (www.vrra.org)
"Sometimes this approach breaks our hearts: there are always more rabbits
that need rescue, care, attention and homes than we currently have room
to place in our foster network. We hope to be able to say 'sorry' less
frequently when we have our own shelter."
Sue, a former educator, is often at her local SPCA, telling people about
the joys of rabbits and helping with cage cleaning. She's the president
of the group, and besides handling the business of the charity, she's
a tireless promoter of VRRA.
"I once said in a talk that I was motivated by an overdeveloped sense
of guilt, a tendency to get involved, and a well-developed conscience,"
she says. "While I was joking, there might be elements of truth in all
of the above. I think that I work in this field not only because I truly
enjoy my rabbit companions, but because I think animal welfare is a
significant movement, one that is becoming increasingly prominent, and
an area where there is still a lot of action that needs to be taken.
And it is because my rabbit gives me "kisses" in the evenings that I
am motivated to work so that rabbits can receive at least the same levels
of respect and consideration that cats and dogs do."
Do you know someone who deserves to be in the Charity Village Spotlight? Send us their name, telephone number and details about their community involvement to cam@charityvillage.com.
