The Situation

The Santa Cruz shelter system (including Watsonville), went well over maximum capacity two weeks ago. Even with ongoing Rabbit Haven rescue and adoption shows we have not been able to keep up and the shelters have an urgent need for rescue. Sadly, the community continues to dump unwanted animals at an alarming rate at these shelters. We have been working as fast as we can to manage the flow at this shelter, but we need fosters, rescue and adopters to make this work.

This is Meyer, he needs a home of his own

Some of the rabbit over-crowding is due to a steady flow of rabbits that started last May and has not stopped. They just keep coming in pairs or groups and we your help to get caught up. This year we are facing a much heavier animal surrender rate at our shelters.

For rabbits at the shelter, this problem has been made much worse because 6 spaces have been eliminated at the Watsonville facility and 1 in the Santa Cruz site. In addition, 6 additional spaces were lost 4 years ago when they moved to their new shelter facility. Basically, cage space at the shelters is decreasing when numbers of rabbits are increasing. A bad situation for rabbits.

The awesome rabbit advocate, Leslie, has been busy emailing and calling all the rescues near and far and to date, we have been able to get out only 5 rabbits. Tragically two more came in Saturday! Haven has contacted everyone we know in the rescue community as well to find space. We definitely have a huge task at hand. To save lives we need to secure additional rescue, increase adoptions and set up new fosters sites.

"Can you help us RABBITS? love, Harper.

There is so much you can do. We need you. The rabbits need you:

1. Foster
2. Adopt
3. Rescue
4. Help in a supportive role
5. Donate

Please see if you have space anywhere to help these little ones. Timmy & Harper need to get out ASAP. They have been at the shelter since April-May. These rabbits are having a hard time in the shelter environment. They are smaller rabbits. Timmy (pictured above) is a tiny dwarf Sable point and Harper is a small white ruby-blue eyed dwarf. Also show are Chip a luscious Rex and Bibbity.
We have only a few days to save their lives. Just fostering for three months will save a life. There are other ways you can help too. You can help transport, pick up supply, put up flyers in the community, assist at the office or even donate. Email me for a complete list of rabbits available at either shelter.
Call us at 831 600-7479 10 AM to 10 PM or email if you want to help director@therabbithaven.org

Just Two Days Left

                            

Can you help please?   

I have only 2 days left at the shelter.                                                              

I want to live - I need rescue ASAP

 My name is Geneva.  I am lonely and missing some of my fur due to my former housing situation.I am very thin as we did not have much food.  I want the chance to heal and get well.  I am younger - not yet spayed - Heather said we can do that later. OK? I am at a shelter right now.  I am receiving food, fresh water and I have a small but clean room here. I even have a litter box. But given my low weight and body condition I still have only two days left to be here. 

I need your help if you can ok?  I need a place to recover and to grow my fur back.  I need some time.  If you have a space somewhere will you please call Heather at 832 600-7479 or email director@therabbithaven.org  so she can get me out and transported right to you.  My friend and shelter advocate,  Kyomi  is sending more photos of me

                            so you can see more of me soon OK?

                            Love, Geneva