Family helps save starving rabbits

Heidi Huskins-Weagle, mother of Griffen, 11, Garrett, 9, and Greyden, 7, Weagle, says, “When we went back to my dad’s (Archie Huskins) hunting camp we could hear a rooster crowing so we went to investigate. On top of this big woodpile sat a beautiful Bantam rooster and in the woodpile were two beautiful white fluffy bunnies and they were definitely out of their element.”

It takes about 20 minutes to a half-hour to drive with a 4 X 4 to this remote area of the forest, she says, meaning the animals were abandoned to starve or face predators. “Grampie found them and took the boys back to see them. Our first instinct was we have to save these bunnies and rooster because they won’t live long out here because it’s hunting season and the bunnies were domestic bunnies, not wild at all.”

The animals were abandoned with only a little hay and no food. She estimates they were there about two weeks because they were starving, but not emaciated. “We left them lots of food and went back daily and fed them.” That following Tuesday Queens SPCA President Jill Grafton went to the site with them.

Grafton used live traps to catch two of the three rabbits, but, despite subsequent searches, helped by Don and Vi Mackenzie as well, the rooster has never been found. The third rabbit was caught just last week and is now safe.

Huskins-Weagle says her sons were excited at first when they found the rabbits. “They wanted to save these bunnies. They couldn’t wait to hold them but the bunnies were so scared. Once we got them in the trap and home they did let them cuddle them. It was hard to let them go. But we just couldn’t keep them.”

And, she says explaining such cruelty to her sons was difficult. “My three boys are animal lovers and to think anyone could hurt an animal - they can’t comprehend that, they just don’t get that. I told my children some people can’t afford to keep animals anymore and let them go but what they should do is call the SPCA to help out. That’s why we had to save them.”

She feels bad about the rooster but is happy the rabbits are safe.

Grafton says the family should get an award “for caring citizens of the year” for the effort made to save the animals.

She adds she can only guess the pets – who wouldn’t have survived long - were Easter presents the owner “got tired of.”

She says she wants to remind people abandoning animals is not only inhumane, but a criminal offence. “Are they actually prepared to commit to the lifetime care for that pet? Rabbits can live for seven to 10 years, dogs 10 to 15 years, cats 15 to 20 years or more.”

The rabbits are at her home and, as of last week, were still up for adoption.