|
The picture above is of Ricco, a rabbit rescued from a church kindergarten where he was being ignored and kept in a tiny cage. He didn't even have a name back then. No one was looking after him except a KARA member, Yuni, who knew of his plight and called in each day to feed him and clean his cage.
The kindergarten was located at the back of the church, beside a kids playground, and Ricco was kept in a kind of romper room attached to the kindergarten. The romper room with its glass ceiling was almost like a greenhouse.
When another KARA member, Stephen, heard about Ricco's fate, he went to take a look. He immediately suggested building an enclosure with more space--even though Yuni had joined two cages together to try to provide more space, it was still inadequate.
Stephen felt really sorry for the little guy, and not a little angered at the behavior of the Christians in charge. Instead of being responsible, it seemed like he was regarded as some kind of kindergarten toy. And a companion rabbit that had been in the room with him had died from heat stroke last summer. As mentioned, the room was almost like a kind of greenhouse. This gives an idea of the level of irresponsibility practiced by the teachers.
If you watched Ricco, his intelligence and brightness were obvious. He was clearly smart, with an intense curiosity and a zest in his movements. It was criminal for him to be locked up as he was.
After some deliberation, Stephen decided he would adopt him, or rather kidnap him so he could then adopt him! So, one Saturday afternoon, he and his wife went around to the kindergarten and took Ricco, as well as the cages and all the food. They basically cleaned out the place. The kindergarten teachers were on holidays, so they’ll would have found out when they got back.
The drama didn't end there. Stephen already has two other orphan rabbits living on his balcony, and he knew introducing a new rabbit to this established rabbit world would be fraught with problems. So for a while, Ricco was kept in a temporary pen made from barbecue grill mesh pieces, bought from the local supermarket.
It was fine when all the rabbits first met, the moment captured below. But things soon turned nasty. The gray male rabbit, Monty, did nothing but attack and leave dung everywhere. He basically turned into a lunatic. The female, while passive initially, became even worse than Monty, and now attacks Ricco without hesitation. Poor Ricco!
Within days, Ricco was neutered, otherwise life would be hell for everyone, including Ricco. Besides, it’s the right thing to do with any companion animal.
Despite all rabbits having been neutered, they still behave in a territorial manner. Apparently, it is possible to have two males together, but it all comes down to their individual personalities.
Update:
Months since the rescue, the rabbits still have not bonded. So, now they live in separate quarters on the balcony, divided by wire mesh. It's the only solution for the moment.
Update December, 2009:
A recent picture of Ricco. He's grown and he's doing very well.
|
