All the Redmond Rabbits find sanctuary at last

By Mike Jones PAWS Campaign Coordinator

Grandpa was the first on the ground. As the eldest of the Redmond rabbits, Grandpa had the honor of first setting foot in their new sanctuary at Pasado’s Safe Haven.

As Grandpa tentatively surveyed his surroundings, volunteers opened carrier doors, removed other Redmond rabbits and lowered them to earth. Convoyed from a Bellevue warehouse and shocked at their sudden placement in the cold, snowy woods, these bunnies were tharn; stupefied. Shaking free of their paralysis, they turned tail and bolted back into the nearest cages.

Solving this momentary impediment to rabbit emancipation (by closing the carrier doors), the volunteers continued to introduce bunnies to their new home. After a few minutes of uncertainty, several rabbits started to enjoy their new-found freedom, and began to binky. First one rabbit then another, in a display of exuberance, hopped a few paces, gathered speed, leapt into the air and kicked with hind legs, spinning to a landing. A volunteer exclaimed, "Oh look! A binky!"

The Redmond rabbits will live out their lives in a predator-proofed enclosure at Pasado’s Safe Haven, a far cry from the frightening environment they survived in Redmond’s Overlake area. The Redmond Rabbit Rescue Coalition, comprised of PAWS, the Humane Society for Seattle/King County and other organizations, formed to address the Redmond rabbit quandary. Its rescue mission complete, the coalition will focus on preventing a reoccurrence of what could have been a tragedy, born of irresponsible people releasing unwanted rabbits.

The golden frith emerged from the clouds over Gold Bar, warming the rabbits as they drew nearer to the sanctuary’s first silflay. This above-ground meal of supplemented hay will be used nightly to draw the rabbits from their warrens and into a secured barn, safe from predators and miles from a freeway.

The Redmond Rabbit Rescue Coalition still needs volunteers for vegetable pick-up and delivery, and spay/neuter transport in the Snohomish County area. Call Robbin Peterson at (425) 787-2500 extension 807.