To the Mount Hood Railroad,

 

We, the undersigned, are writing to express our deep concern regarding the use of live bunnies for petting and interaction at your events. While we understand the intention may be to provide a fun experience for children, we believe this practice is harmful and unethical for the following reasons:

The Welfare of Bunnies:

 

• Extreme Stress: Rabbits are prey animals, highly sensitive to stress. The loud noises, unfamiliar handling, and chaotic environment of a public event can cause them extreme fear, potentially leading to heart attacks and death.
• Fragility: Rabbits have delicate skeletons. Improper handling by children, who may not understand how to hold them gently, can easily result in broken bones, especially their spines.

Promoting Irresponsible Pet Ownership:

• Impulse Adoption: Events like these can encourage children to impulsively want a pet rabbit without understanding the long-term commitment and care involved. This often leads to rabbits being abandoned shortly after Easter or other holidays when the novelty wears off.
• Contributing to Abandonment: By featuring bunnies as temporary attractions, the event inadvertently contributes to the cycle of rabbit abandonment. Domesticated rabbits cannot survive in the wild and are often left to fend for themselves in parks or empty lots, where they face starvation, disease, and predators.

Dispelling Myths About Rabbits:

We want to raise awareness about the true needs of rabbits:

• Lifespan: Rabbits can live for 10+ years, not just 2-3 years as commonly believed.Housing: They require spacious living areas, not small cages, and should ideally live indoors as part of the family. They are not meant to be left outside.
• Care: Rabbits are not low-maintenance or cheap pets. They require specialized veterinary care, a proper diet, and enrichment to thrive.
• Cost: They are considered one of the most expensive small animals to care for due to their specific needs.
• Emotional Needs: Rabbits are sentient beings with feelings. They can suffer from depression and stress, just like any other animal.

Our Request:

We urge Mount Hood Railroad to be a responsible and ethical business by immediately ceasing the use of live bunnies for petting and interaction at your events. Please consider alternative, humane activities that do not put animals at risk.

Thank you for considering our plea and for taking steps to protect the welfare of these vulnerable animals.