Animal Posse Episode 5 - Lola & Friends Bunny Rescue of South MS - Animal Posse

Episode 5

Episode 5 - Lola & Friends Bunny Rescue of South MS

Published on: 28th February, 2025

James Johnson, founder and owner of Lola & Friends Bunny Rescue of South MS, joins us to discuss the ins and outs of rescuing bunnies.

Learn more about the work James does here in his group: Lola & Friends Bunny Rescue of South MS Inc. | Facebook

Visit the bunnies up for adoption: Pets for Adoption | Petfinder

Transcript
Dixie:

Welcome to Animal Posse, the podcast dedicated to the

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people and rescues making a

difference in the lives of animals.

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Today we are chatting with the owner and

founder of Lola and Friends Bunny Rescue

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of South Mississippi, James Johnson

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Hi, James.

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How's it going?

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James: Well, it's going good.

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Just a lot of work with

all the bunnies, I guess.

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Dixie: Yeah, I'm excited to talk to a

bunny rescue because, I've always just

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dealt with cat rescues or dog rescues.

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. So, you're the first bunny

rescue I've ever talked to.

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James: Well, I guess that's good.

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I mean, I deal with a lot of the cat

rescues also because a lot of people

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dump the bunnies in the cat colonies

then the bunny was trying to eat the

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cat food and of course, and I'll get

tagged and they'll let me know about it.

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And so I'll go catch the bunny,

that's just within the cats.

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And so.

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we work with the cat rescuers quite a bit,

and that's how we know that there's no

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bunnies at Lafreniere Park in Metairie,

is because of the girls that walk the

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track feeding the cats every morning.

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They're basically like a

lookout for the bunnies.

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So if they spot a bunny, they

usually tell us, or one of the

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local rescues there, the Jefferson

SPCA, or Miss Donna with Bun again.

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Dixie: What is the mission of your

rescue, and what are the core values

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?

James: Well, we basically set up to, we don't usually intake bunnies just

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because somebody don't want it anymore.

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Now if they go and dump it later, we

can't control that, but basically what

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we decided to start doing with our

rescue is, we noticed that there was

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quite a few bunnies being dumped after

Easter, after Christmas, after certain

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holidays where they're given as a gift,

and so we decided to run a rescue.

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My wife had a couple bunnies, she got

attached to them, we happened to find

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one running loose, and it just kind

of started from there but, What our

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core values are is we try to rescue

the bunnies that's running loose in

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the neighborhoods It's been dumped.

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Either, they're most of them dumped or not

in very good shape Most of them are sick.

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They got parasites.

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So, we try to rescue those and get them

the care they need, get them spayed and

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neutered, and then we try to adopt them

out to a safe indoor home with so many

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dumped bunnies that finding a home for all

of them is proving to be pretty difficult.

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But that's what our mission is, to

try to rescue the bunnies that's out

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on the streets, that's in the parks

that's running loose and try to Catch

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them before they, they die, and it's

usually starved to death or get attacked

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by, a predator and are hit by a car.

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And so we try to get those and get them

off the streets before they, they pass

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away and get them the care they need

and rehabilitate them and then try to

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find them a safe, loving indoor home.

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Philip: I always find that

whenever a fair comes through town.

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You start to notice dumped

bunnies around somewhere.

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It's like the show prizes the

fun ran out after the fair's gone

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and now they're running loose.

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James: Well, we do have

an issue with that.

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And of all places,

Alabama has banned that.

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I mean, Alabama and Mississippi,

Louisiana with the bottom of

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the list for a lot of things.

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At least Alabama stood

up with that and banned.

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They passed the law and banned the giving

away of any type animal at the fairs.

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So the local circus, the local fairs

that Louisiana, Mississippi hires

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is located in North Mississippi.

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They and they usually go to the Catholic.

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Churches and to these little fairs

out in the country and they you

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throw a ball in a little bowl and

you get a goldfish or a bunny.

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It depends on which booth you're at we

actually had it shut down here along the

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coast at the catholic churches We alerted

all the churches that they were giving

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away live animals so the catholic churches

told the they still hired the circuses or

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the amusement company to come in, but they

told them not to bring any live animals.

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But it's still, big issue,

especially in Louisiana.

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They have a lot of fairs in north,

middle of the state, and it's the

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same one that does ours over here.

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They bring those bunnies

that, that people walk up.

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The people are not prepared

to take the bunny home.

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The kid wins a prize that they

give the parents the bunny.

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Next thing they get home and realize that

they don't want it and off in the streets.

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It goes if it survives.

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Most of these bunnies given as gifts

don't even live to be six months old.

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most of them perish, before that

they even get dumped because of the

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mishandling of the small child that,

That somehow just harms a bunny or

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breaks his back or whatever case

drops it and the bunny passes away,

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Dixie: I know we've seen that here

where they have a old mall they were

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having some fairs and they were doing

Giveaways of bunnies and iguanas and

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every time that they see them out there.

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Luckily they have stopped them

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right

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but I mean they'll keep coming back

and you'll see the whole thing again

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where they're giving the bunnies

away And they'll go over there and

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try to put an end to that as well.

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Because I can't imagine how

healthy they are when they do

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go home they're sitting out

in the sun during these events.

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James: Right.

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And most of them come

from a backyard breeder.

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And so the bunnies, you're right,

they're not healthy to start with.

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None of them have any vet care.

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Every bunny I catch has been dumped.

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Well, most of them,

especially at Kenner Park.

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I mean, we finally cleared Kenner Park

a month or so ago, the last bunny.

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I had the signs put up.

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And I'm in Mississippi.

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Of course, and I'm working with Jeff

Dorson with the Humane Society, but

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we've had signs put up at Kenner Park

and Lafreniere Park, hoping that they'll

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stop dumping the bunnies at the park.

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And there is a law that Somebody

sees them actually doing it,

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they can be arrested and fined.

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But but luckily Lafreniere has been

bunny free for, I think since March.

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Kenner Park's been bunny

free for two months now.

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And I actually decided just to keep

the first bunny and the last bunny.

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We called it Kenner Park.

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And just because , it was so many

of them that, I thought it would

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be better, it would be kind of

fun just to have her with us.

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But yeah, it's a problem that the fairs

come through the circuses and like you

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said that they're getting the bunnies

from probably one of the worst places

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they could get them and Then the kids

if they don't the kids don't mishandle

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or they're rough, the kids don't know

no better You know, I mean they're

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they got home They were they went home

with a live animal that they don't even

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know how to care for neither do the

parents So they're mishandling the bunny

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and it's a delicate animal to start

with And so, even if it survives past

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that, then, like you said, the small

bunnies, most of them have parasites.

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They're raised in the backyard in these

cages, full of feces, full of urine, and,

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they probably got intestinal parasites

and, no matter, telling what else.

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And so, and not that anything a

bunny has can transmit to a human.

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But it's still the bunny.

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Even if the child does care for the

bunny dies in front of the child.

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And then that's traumatic for the

kid that has to watch the bunny die.

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The kid that does care about the bunny and

treats it right and then has to watch it

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pass away because of some type of disease.

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So that's kind of sad, too, and

so we don't know what to do.

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We've tried to get laws

passed in Mississippi.

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Louisiana actually has a law that's been

put on the books and has been turned down

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a couple of times that one of the senators

there in the state of Louisiana had put

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a law in place to where they try to stop

live animals given away at fairs as gifts.

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But up to now, it hadn't passed.

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It just sits there.

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I don't know.

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I've talked to Jeff about it with

the Humane Society, and I don't know

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how that works, but somehow it just

sits there until they want to bring

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it up and discuss it and pass it.

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Dixie: Yeah, it's a shame.

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It really is.

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Now you do a lot of the rescues in

Louisiana, but you are in Mississippi.

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So how did you first become aware

of the issue with the bunnies

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being in the parks in Louisiana?

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James: So when we first started,

we had a couple of bunnies.

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My wife, babysit a bunny for a

little girl that was in the military.

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She went overseas and asked my wife Sherry

if she could watch the bunny until she

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come back Well, she never come back not

because she didn't want to because she

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just she got stationed there and she

didn't come back in enough time and we

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kept the bunny four or five years and

it passed away from old age So Sherry

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had become attached to it and we got

another one from I don't know I think

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we was traveling and seeing it posted

on facebook or something and we went

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and when we got her and that was Lola,

which is the rescues named after so she

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lived to be nine or ten and In that time

we rescued a couple more that we just

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saw it on the streets and it started

that way But we didn't have a vet local.

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There's no exotic vets around that

can do bunnies So the best exotic

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vet one of the best in the along the

whole south southern states is Dr.

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Rich and Dr.

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Pence at Avian and Exotic Animal

Hospital of Louisiana there in Metairie.

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So we started bringing the bunnies over

there and As you know as we started

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bringing our personal bunnies We met Miss

June who run the House Rabbits Society of

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Louisiana at the time and she was one of

the rescues that Was good friends with Dr.

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Rich.

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She was Getting older and was

retiring and she kind of put us

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under her wing and that's how we

kind of got kicked off and started.

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She kind of backed us as we were getting

going with the rescue and helped us along

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the way so we that's how our ties in

louisiana become how we got over there

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with the vet being in metairie And as

we went we started learning that there

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was a ton of bunnies in the park Dr.

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Rich would tell us Ms June would say,

there's bunnies in the parks and so after

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we got kind of established we decided to

go, you know You full steam and see how

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many bunnies there actually was and ended

up being, you know anywhere from 60 to 80

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at Lafreniere Park and I think 40 to maybe

40 to 60 at Kenner Overall in the last

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year and six months that we've actually

caught every bunny in both of those parks

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Dixie: Yeah, that's amazing.

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You do a lot of great work

catching those bunnies.

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I do see the post on

Facebook all the time too.

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And it's very sad

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James: It is.

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And with that being said, I don't want

to leave out with the Jefferson S.

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P.

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C.

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A.

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And Miss Donna with Bun

again have helped out a lot.

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Even though we was back and forth a lot

ourselves, they did a lot to help us also.

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And and with the Jefferson SPCA,

any bunny caught over there,

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within Jefferson Parish, was fixed

under the Fix A Rabbit program.

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So that helped us tremendously too.

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So, that was another incentive to catch

the bunnies in that area, that we was

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able to get them fixed and spayed and

neutered at a good cost and that helped

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a lot too, but yeah with Bun Again

and with the Jefferson SPCA and Rachel

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and Hannah Over there and Mary at

Jefferson feed it they helped a lot too.

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Wasn't just Lola's we kind of headed the

thing But they did a lot to help along

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the way and as we caught the bunnies

and met with the people who walked

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the park in Lafreniere with the cat

rescue and they fed the cats every day.

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We post in the local groups about

the bunnies and people would start

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seeing the bunnies running loose in

neighborhoods and they will start

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catching them and bringing them to the

shelter to get them off the street.

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But they didn't know no better.

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They thought , it was a wild bunny.

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It's it can survive.

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Well, it's a domesticated bunny, but it

can live just like a wild bunny and they

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can't.

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Well when people realized that a lot

of people within these groups started

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catching the bunnies themselves and

taking them to the shelter So that

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helped us also now it didn't help

the shelters any because they maxed

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out the Shit, we're all full now.

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So it's like it's hard to catch

bunnies And bring them anywhere because

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everybody's just loaded with bunnies

now you catch five and adopt one and

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at that ratio you never catch up We

don't get as many post of bunnies

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loose as we used to, over here along

the coast, we hardly get any anymore.

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Now, with New Orleans and Metairie and

Kenner being the size it is, I mean, they

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still get, get some over there, but it's

nowhere near, the five or six or seven

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each day that we were seeing posted.

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Now it's one, one or two or three a week.

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And now it's at the same

location over and over.

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So it's probably a breed or

somewhere in these certain areas.

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That's just letting them

loose, but it's gotten better.

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People's, kind of got educated with

all of us doing the rescue with the

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post and the local social media groups.

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And it's helped, it's helped

educate the public on the bunnies.

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And hopefully it'll help people stop

from dumping them and letting them loose.

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Dixie: I do cat rescue and I know

with the cats, it's k ind of a

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similar situation to the bunnies.

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And the problem with the cats

is that they reproduce so fast.

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They can reproduce at four months.

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What is that like for the bunnies?

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Like how many bunnies, it'll

become exponential for the cats.

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So I imagine it's gotta be

even worse for the bunnies.

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James: Right.

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I wish it was only four months.

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So bunnies can reproduce every 28 days.

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Dixie: Wow.

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I didn't know that.

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James: They're a fertile 365 days

out of the year as soon as they have

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one litter as soon as that last baby

comes out She can get pregnant again.

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So my first rescue at kenner park I was

a little black and white dutch bunny.

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I didn't go there to catch her.

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I went there to catch four

babies that were underneath

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the bathroom at Kenner Park.

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So when I got there, the babies

that were hard to catch, they

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were burrowed under the bathroom.

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They would go in and out of a hole.

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So, I ended up catching four bunnies.

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Well, the mother come and just kind of

walked up and sat between my legs, and

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I was going to catch her last, just so

she could keep feeding the babies that

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I didn't catch and I was going to catch

her last when I caught all the babies.

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Well, she walked up when I picked her up.

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She's pregnant.

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You could feel the babies

inside her already moving.

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So, I went ahead and caught her,

and then got lucky and caught

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all four babies, four weeks old.

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Within two days, she had five more babies.

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So, I had a mother bunny in

my rescue that I just caught.

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With four, four week old babies

and five brand new newborn babies.

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So yeah, , they're always fertile.

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All 365 days out of the year

and they can have a little litter

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between 28 - 32 days every 28

-32 days And it's been rumored.

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I don't know if this is true.

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i'd have to ask dr Rich for sure i've

heard a lot of people say that they can

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carry two litters at once I personally

don't believe that but i've heard a

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lot of people say that they can do that

people that has a lot of bunny knowledge

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more than I do, but I've never seen it.

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And they can have anywhere

from six to 14 or 15 babies.

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So.

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And they can reproduce at four months old.

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So I mean It's just it's a bad scenario

for everything These bunnies can go

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from a male and a female two bunnies.

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They can have a litter in 28 days In

four months, those babies can reproduce.

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So, I mean, you're looking at

just an ungodly amount of bunnies

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in a matter of six months.

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But there's so many predators out there

that will, that the bunnies hurt nothing.

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Everything hurts them.

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That's the way you see it.

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Bunnies, they have no voice.

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They can't, they harm nothing.

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They dig holes.

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That's all they do.

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But everything harms them.

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So even though they can produce like

this at Kenner and Lafreniere Park,

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even though we caught almost 200 bunnies

between both parks, there's probably

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400 or 500 bunnies within those two

years that, that was out there that

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just passed away from either being born

dead, not surviving within a week or

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two because of where they were born.

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Living three or four weeks and catching

parasites and dying because of the

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ducks and birds and chickens that run

loose So even though we caught 200

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that sounds like an ungodly number

That number probably was double that if

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truth be known just because the other

half of them died but that's, that's

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just what happens when they're done.

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People don't realize that.

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They don't know.

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But sometimes it don't matter.

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Sometimes they just get the

animal and can't deal with it.

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They don't get it spayed or

neutered and they just let it loose.

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I mean, a lot of people just don't

really care what happens to it.

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It's sad to say, just like the

cats, they just let them loose and

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don't really care what happens,

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Dixie: Yeah.

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Now, how many rabbits do you

typically have in your care at a

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giving time and are you foster based?

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James: Well, I wish.

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We do have some fosters, but right now

when they got to 100, I stopped counting.

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I'd have to add Sherry, but we've

probably got over 100 bunnies.

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15 to 20 of them are personal bunnies

or they're medical bunnies or they're

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senior bunnies that, We can't adopt out

because they have to go to the vet every

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couple months They're eight or nine or

ten years old Or they're just our personal

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bunnies that we've had for quite a while

now and they're just ours But the rest

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on we've like I said, we've got close to

100 Probably 105 bunnies that right now.

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That i'm sitting here looking

at while I talk to you a lot

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of them were single bunnies.

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I've got a few that were babies.

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Like I still have some of those

to the four babies and five

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from a year ago, the duchess.

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And so a lot of times I'll catch a female

and one bunny turns into seven or eight.

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So if you've got four or five

bunnies at the park and you catch a

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female, good chance she's pregnant.

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She's either pregnant or she's got a

little baby somewhere around the park.

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Just because of the way They multiply.

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But yeah, we I've got a prior to 105

bunnies right now on in the rescue

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Maybe six or eight fosters out,

maybe 10 out with fosters.

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So it's not a lot of fosters over here.

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It's not as much as we advertise and

we own the news and this and that.

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It's just not a lot of people that

are interested in a bunny, the ones

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that like them will come and get one.

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The ones that don't, it's just

that, they just don't believe

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that a bunny should be inside.

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And we don't adopt anybody that puts

them outside in cages, of course.

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Dixie: Where are they available

for, to see for adoption?

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Do they have to contact you to see or do

you have a website that you list them on?

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James: We don't have a website.

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We do have the Facebook group.

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And like I said, we just started

this maybe a year and six months ago.

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So everything and with my wife working

which I retired from the city fire

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department here local, but I worked

full time again and I still work part

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time with another local fire department.

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So with all the jobs, basically

I work seven to three.

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She works three to midnight.

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So we don't even see each other.

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We don't see each other

until midnight, basically.

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So she does her chores with

the bunnies during the day.

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I come home, do my part during the night.

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So it takes a lot, but we had

no time to do a website, but

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we do have our Facebook group.

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My personal pages turned

into a bunny page.

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But it's Lola and Friends Bunny Rescue

of South Mississippi is our local group

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and they can post in there and they

can see bunnies that we post there

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they, can comment or they can, leave

a message or they can contact me and

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and we're on the news and I'm posting

different groups and here and there.

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And that may hurt me some i'm not

like some of the bigger rescues

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thats been around a while that

has websites and this and that so

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but as time goes by i'll get that.

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I just have to find time to do it

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The bunnies are pet finder.

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We do have bunnies on pet finder So lola

and friends bunny rescue is on pet finder

350

:

and we do have bunnies there that they can

go and look at and If they're interested,

351

:

but yeah, they can come to the rescue.

352

:

We're in biloxi north of biloxi you know

if they want to come out and my phone

353

:

number stuff I think is on the group page

If it's not they can, leave a message

354

:

or message me But we usually have people

come out anywhere from like 11 o'clock

355

:

in the morning to two or three in the

afternoon That's the time frame that

356

:

Sherry's here to do adoptions and for

people to see the bunnies and see the

357

:

rescue And a lot of times they just want

to come out and look, and that's fine too.

358

:

The more people that see it, the more

people that can talk, whether they

359

:

adopt or not, word of mouth is good too.

360

:

But yeah Monday through

Saturday, it's like 11 a.

361

:

m.

362

:

to 2.

363

:

30 p.

364

:

m.

365

:

And then Sunday, Monday, we can, different

hours because Sherry's off those days.

366

:

And we can accommodate different hours

on days like on Sundays and Mondays.

367

:

Philip: What would the average

lifespan be of a bunny that is

368

:

completely healthy, it's been vetted,

it gets the proper care, how long

369

:

would they be able to keep a bunny?

370

:

James: Well It's anywhere from

8 to 14 years same as a dog if

371

:

they get the proper care the

proper diet and they're fed, right

372

:

hey, you know a good quality pellet and

then they go see a good exotic vet They

373

:

can live anywhere from 8 to 14 years

and if they give them a proper diet, and

374

:

it's mostly it's 80 percent hay and 20

cent pellets and A lot of people like

375

:

to give them cilantro and green leaf

lettuce and red leaf lettuce Every day.

376

:

I don't, well, I got a hundred

bunnies, I can't afford it.

377

:

I'd have to have 50 acre for to afford

it, but I don't give a lot of greens

378

:

because it produces gas and it just

causes issues with their digestive system.

379

:

So, but a lot of people do.

380

:

And it's okay to do that.

381

:

We just don't.

382

:

And but like I said, hay, good quality,

pellet fresh water, a, a good ample

383

:

space to run and hop and jump anywhere

from eight to, to 12 to 14 years.

384

:

So we got.

385

:

Six or eight bunnies here.

386

:

that's nine years.

387

:

We got one that's eleven and a half.

388

:

Some seven and eight.

389

:

And then we've had some just die.

390

:

We walk out and some would just

be passed away at six or seven

391

:

years for no other reason.

392

:

I we blame it on inbreeding.

393

:

You never know where

the bunnies come from.

394

:

And most of your breeders just breed

mom to, dad or dad, to the daughter.

395

:

And, it's it breeds the

immunity out of them.

396

:

And it makes a bunny that just

don't live as long as they should.

397

:

Yeah.

398

:

Dixie: Now, How is your rescue funded?

399

:

James: Well, it's funded

through donations.

400

:

We are a 501 C3 nonprofit.

401

:

We, of course, like most rescues,

a lot comes out of our pocket,

402

:

but we have people who donate and

we pull in a sick bunny people

403

:

donate and help cover the cost.

404

:

A lot comes out of our pocket

and it's donation based also.

405

:

We actually just a couple months ago, we

got the best non profit along the coast.

406

:

We had a the TV station, Channel

25, run a thing with all the non

407

:

profits and different things.

408

:

And we won the best non profit

and the best animal rescue

409

:

along the coast over here.

410

:

Oh, congratulations.

411

:

Yeah, pretty good little thing for us.

412

:

And that got us some some

publicity out there also.

413

:

But yeah, mostly donation based

and out of pocket, of course.

414

:

I mean, you're not going to get donations

for every single bunny you bring in.

415

:

Just don't happen that way.

416

:

So, you run a rescue just with

the cats and everything else.

417

:

A lot of times you just hope that you

can get, As much funded as you can,

418

:

Dixie: Yeah, I totally get that.

419

:

Dr.

420

:

Mark was our first episode.

421

:

And that's what he was saying.

422

:

People open a rescue thinking they're

just going to get donation money

423

:

flowing in and it doesn't work that way.

424

:

You'll get some, but you've

got to come out of pocket.

425

:

James: You do.

426

:

And if you get a big chunk, I mean, it

seems like every time we get donations

427

:

and get enough built up to spay and neuter

the bunnies, we catch a bunny that's got

428

:

some major issue and it just eats it

up and being a rescue, we still get,

429

:

they give us good deals on the bunny.

430

:

So, even with that, we have to

amputate a leg or we have to go

431

:

and do something inside the ear

canal or any type of major surgery.

432

:

It's still, a couple

grand to get that done.

433

:

And we've had, four, five, six bunnies

here in the last six months that had to

434

:

have legs amputated because they were just

hanging off of them when we caught them.

435

:

And bones sticking out or whatever

reason the leg had to be removed.

436

:

And that just eats up it.

437

:

It's all right.

438

:

The bunnies hear me talking.

439

:

So that's something and

it eats up your donations.

440

:

One bunny can take away all your donations

that would spayed and neutered 30 bunnies,

441

:

But I mean, we just you have to

pick up an extra shift at work.

442

:

Everybody's not gonna bring in donations.

443

:

It's the ones that sick and

tugs at somebody's heart that

444

:

brings in the most donations.

445

:

We go catch a bunny that's That looks

perfectly healthy, even though he may

446

:

have parasites, and it's not going

to be a big, other than the spay

447

:

and neuter being the biggest cost.

448

:

I don't even post it asking for donations

because a lot of people won't donate.

449

:

Not because they don't want

to, just because it looks

450

:

like the bunny don't need it.

451

:

The bunnies who bring in, and I

don't go looking for sick bunnies.

452

:

I don't want sick bunnies.

453

:

But the most bunnies, the bunnies

who bring in the most donations are

454

:

the bunnies that just look horrible.

455

:

But then again, they eat up all

your donations that even though

456

:

people donate for that bunny,

it's still in such bad shape.

457

:

It takes every bit of that

plus some to get it healthy.

458

:

So it's kind of like I hadn't

figured out how to do it yet.

459

:

And we don't like to ask donations all

the time because you lose your followers.

460

:

When you start asking for donations every

single day, it's like people go, hold

461

:

on something right here and with the

way the economy is in times where people

462

:

don't have the money they used to have.

463

:

So I don't like asking for

donations all the time, because

464

:

people They'll get tired of that

and just leave the group altogether.

465

:

So I'd rather have somebody donate once

every three months and stay with my

466

:

group than somebody that, that would

leave the group because they get tired

467

:

of seeing you posting every single day

asking for donations for the bunnies.

468

:

Even though we need it still kind

of hurts you in the long run.

469

:

Dixie: Now with the bunnies,

you said that it is challenging

470

:

to adopt out adult bunnies.

471

:

I know, with cats, it's very

hard to adopt out a black cat.

472

:

Are there certain bunnies that get

adopted faster than other bunnies?

473

:

James: It is.

474

:

And black bunnies are the same as

black any black animal is the same.

475

:

People just don't like the

little black animals from these

476

:

because they're not fancy.

477

:

But usually the little fluffy bunnies

with a lot of fur, they get adopted.

478

:

The lop eared bunnies.

479

:

People just love the

little lop eared bunnies.

480

:

They're the most expensive

bunny you can get.

481

:

They have more issues than any bunny

out there because they were bred

482

:

to look cute, not to be healthy.

483

:

So they was bred to have a

little short smashed in face, and

484

:

they were bred to have the ears

to hang over their ear canal.

485

:

So first of all, the smashed face

causes teeth problems and they

486

:

have issues with dental issues.

487

:

They have abscesses in their teeth.

488

:

Then the ears hang over the ear

canal, which keeps it moist all

489

:

the time, which causes infections.

490

:

Almost any bunny that you hear that has an

ear infection is going to be a, 90 percent

491

:

is going to be a lop eared bunny because

the ear can't Get air because the lop is

492

:

covering the ear canal So but the lops

the little lion head bunnies with all the

493

:

fur around the little hair little line

So basically like dogs the cute bunnies

494

:

get adopted The other one's just a little

plain white ones with the black spots and

495

:

the black bunnies They just kind of just

tend to sit here and they and those solid

496

:

white bunnies with the red eyes People

do not like those bunnies and those are

497

:

absolutely the sweetest bunnies you can

ever come across but for some reason with

498

:

those red eyes people just I guess the

they've come across something somewhere

499

:

that they thought the red eyes were The

devil or whatever the case may be but

500

:

that's farther from the truth They're just

some of the sweetest bunnies you can ever

501

:

come across but they won't adopt them.

502

:

They sit right here with them little

Ruby colored eyes and just wait

503

:

for somebody to come and get them,

504

:

Dixie: yeah it's sad that they have

so many of them that are overlooked

505

:

that would be such great pets.

506

:

James: And it is, I mean, a bunny's a

bunny and people should just get the

507

:

one that, that kind of comes up to

them, not looking for a specific one.

508

:

And I don't fault people when

they want to get something

509

:

to look for a specific bunny.

510

:

We've got all kinds of bunnies here.

511

:

And, but with that being said, it's.

512

:

They're gonna come in and get the

cute ones first and that's, just the

513

:

way it is with any animal, and if

the cute ones are available, they're

514

:

gonna go first, while the other plain

little bunnies are just gonna sit

515

:

there, just like your plain dogs at

the shelter and they just sit here,

516

:

and, but we don't euthanize anything.

517

:

We're we're no kill rescue.

518

:

If it comes into the rescue,

it'll stay with me before,

519

:

anything will happen to it.

520

:

If it don't get adopted, it's mine.

521

:

It stays with us.

522

:

And we hope to get them adopted,

but of course it's not going to

523

:

happen with everybody we rescued.

524

:

And we're not just going to pass a

bunny by on the streets because it's

525

:

just a plain bunny and it's sick and

needs help to go down the road and wait

526

:

for a I'm going to rescue and save.

527

:

Everybody that I see out there that

needs it, no matter what it looks like.

528

:

If it stays with me, so be it.

529

:

That's what the rescue for it.

530

:

We don't pick and choose.

531

:

We're there to help the bunnies out

there and I'm all help everyone I can.

532

:

Philip: Well, I know when we

adopt kittens, we try to tell

533

:

people to adopt them in pairs.

534

:

So would that be the same

thing for a bunny or can a solo

535

:

bunny survive or to get lonely?

536

:

James: Yep, people have solo bunnies,

but they're social animals and bunnies

537

:

live in a warren they live in a group.

538

:

Usually a female is like the is

over the warren over the group.

539

:

So they like to be in pairs.

540

:

So we try to tell people that You

know having one bunny or having

541

:

two bunnies is There's nothing any

different other than going to the

542

:

vet you use one litter pan one water

bowl one feed bowl The same space and

543

:

they just and they get along better.

544

:

They're less destructive.

545

:

They're not as bored as

they are by themselves.

546

:

So we preach trying to get

them to bond to get a pair.

547

:

And and they just do better in pairs.

548

:

They groom each other.

549

:

They're just like cats.

550

:

Of course they, have

their digestive system.

551

:

They have to continuously.

552

:

Use the bathroom because when they

groom, they just like a cat and they

553

:

groom, but a cat gets a hairball.

554

:

He can throw up a hairball

bunnies can't throw up.

555

:

So anything that goes in the

front has to come out the back.

556

:

So that's the digestive track is

a major issue with the bunnies.

557

:

. They lay together just like a couple.

558

:

If one passes away, the other one grieves

just like doves and you almost have to

559

:

go get another bunny within a few days.

560

:

Because sometimes the second bunny

will pass away just from sadness.

561

:

And so But yes, having a pair is

a lot better than having singles.

562

:

Some people can't afford

to have two, I get it.

563

:

And we adopt out singles, but we, while

they're here, we do, try to tell them

564

:

that it's going to be better with a pair.

565

:

They chew less, they're less bored.

566

:

They have a companion to run around with.

567

:

And overall, just like you said

with the kittens, it's just better.

568

:

They just have a companion that,

that they can hang out with.

569

:

It's not a human, don't have to

rely on a human for the affection.

570

:

They have their own kind to

do it when the humans are.

571

:

Off at work or wherever.

572

:

Dixie: One thing that I'm always

seeing, especially with cats, is people

573

:

want to rehome their cats because

they're not home during the day.

574

:

They're worried about

their cats being lonely.

575

:

And for a cat, it's not the same as a dog.

576

:

I mean, a dog needs to have somebody home.

577

:

They need that companionship all day,

but cats are usually fine by themselves.

578

:

So what about bunnies?

579

:

Do bunnies require you to be home a lot

of the time, or are they just happy to

580

:

see you after you get home from work?

581

:

James: They are.

582

:

So I have one inside.

583

:

It's by herself.

584

:

We hadn't found somebody that we can

put with her because she's kind of mean.

585

:

So, when I come in, she'll run up beside

me, just like the little dog does.

586

:

So, They do But having a pair

keep some company while you are

587

:

at work they're not like a dog.

588

:

Like you said a dog is needs somebody

there The bunnies are like the

589

:

cats, they sleep during the day.

590

:

They're more active at dusk and dawn So

during the day, they're mostly sleeping

591

:

when you're at work So if you have a

pair on they just you know They're just

592

:

laying there and keeping each other

company and sleeping mostly during the

593

:

day So they don't need somebody there

all day with them You know and we tell

594

:

people a lot of times to just have a

big pen have a big area But when you go

595

:

to work Lock them up have a little area

where you can lock them up so they don't

596

:

Jump out or go chew on some cords or do

something destructive while you're gone.

597

:

Dixie: I do have a question for, people

that would be new time rabbit owners.

598

:

What should they know first going into

it, and are there, any particular

599

:

signs of illness or anything

that they should look out for?

600

:

James: Well, the first thing

they should do is go on the

601

:

internet and educate themselves,

if they're going to get a bunny.

602

:

So bunnies are quite expensive

that they have issues at the vet.

603

:

So that's one thing.

604

:

They're quite expensive

to be spayed or neutered.

605

:

So going to a rescue saves you a lot

of money getting a bunny that's already

606

:

been vet checked and spayed and neutered.

607

:

They can't have a lot of things it's not

like bugs bunny, carrots, Can be deadly

608

:

to bunnies carrots are nothing but sugar

and bunnies can't process sugar very well

609

:

So carrots are a treat, just a piece of

carrot, every you know a couple times a

610

:

week but 80 percent hay 20 pellets and

Some greens, you know throughout the day

611

:

And they'll be good but As far as illness

bunnies hide it really well new bunny

612

:

owners kind of have a hard time knowing

what's going on So we tell people Have a

613

:

have some treats have some oxbow have some

good treats that you can order get online

614

:

And give them a treat every morning.

615

:

If you have food bunnies

are going to come to you.

616

:

So Every morning, you know you do a treat

if the bunny don't come to you and it's in

617

:

a corner all Like a little loaf of bread

all you know, just sitting there and not

618

:

moving something's wrong with the bunny so

they hide their illnesses and until people

619

:

kind of have one And see how it acts.

620

:

It's hard to tell even for us sometimes.

621

:

We don't know when the

bunnies are ill or not.

622

:

It's, they hide it really good.

623

:

But but for new owners, just get it from a

rescue that's already spayed or neutered.

624

:

Don't go to a breeder where you know

that the bunny's gonna have issues.

625

:

You know from being raised or interbred

or just Already in feces in its own

626

:

urine and it's going to pass away on

you, you know just look There's a lot of

627

:

stuff out there with on the internet now

that they can educate themselves with

628

:

that or they can you know come to us.

629

:

We help people we tell them even if they

don't get one from us We can educate

630

:

them what they need to do and no matter

where they get it from I don't care

631

:

where They rescue the bunny from or adopt

it from as long as they adopt a bunny.

632

:

They don't have to come for

me but yeah, but other than

633

:

that, I mean, they're delicate.

634

:

They can't be manhandled They're not

really a small child's pet the child

635

:

needs to be older 12 14, you know Where

they can be trustworthy with the animal

636

:

when the parents are gone And but

other than that, I mean they do good.

637

:

They don't like to be picked up You know

because they're prey they don't like to

638

:

be off the ground So you kind of need

to get on the ground and get at their

639

:

level to get them to trust you more but

they have to be picked up, of course

640

:

for different things But they don't

like to be picked up and held like a

641

:

lot of people think they do Especially

as they get older the babies don't mind

642

:

it as much but as they get older and

at four months They're a teenager and

643

:

they kind of start the hormones kicking

in and they just don't like it And

644

:

they may nibble or scratch your claw

because they don't want to be picked

645

:

up anymore But they're a good pet.

646

:

They live a long time.

647

:

A lot of people have them quite a while

and it don't take a lot to keep them.

648

:

If you know what to give them or

what not to give them, if you just

649

:

give them cilantro and green leaf

lettuce, hay, and some good quality

650

:

pellets, that's all you really need.

651

:

You don't need to get

more extreme than that.

652

:

And they'll live a long time

and and can be a good pet.

653

:

They just like a little dog.

654

:

They play with toys.

655

:

They come running to you, and of course we

got a hundred bunnies, so we, we love the

656

:

ones we got and we love doing what we do.

657

:

Dixie: Yeah, I can imagine

if you have that many bunnies

658

:

it's wonderful work you do too.

659

:

Cause like I said, it's one

of those overlooked animals.

660

:

You don't hear a lot about bunny rescues.

661

:

James: No.

662

:

And they're the third most dumped

animal behind cats and dogs.

663

:

And I would think they may be catching

up, and it, and people don't realize

664

:

that either, but people just see 'em and

they think that they see a bunny, that

665

:

it's wild, but, wild bunnies are brown.

666

:

Any other colored bunnies?

667

:

are domesticated.

668

:

There is no other color wild bunny other

than the brown with the white cotton tail.

669

:

Any other color, any with fluffy

hair, they're domesticated bunnies

670

:

and they don't belong outside.

671

:

So if whoever's listening to this,

if you see a bunny that's just

672

:

not brown, it's domesticated.

673

:

And there's even bunnies that look

just like the one we've got three

674

:

or four here that look just like the

wild bunnies that's domesticated.

675

:

So sometimes you can't even

tell if a bunny comes up to you.

676

:

It's domesticated.

677

:

You will never have a wild cottontail

or one of the cane cutter or swamp

678

:

bunnies in Louisiana come up to you.

679

:

You can't get within, 20 foot

and they're shoot like a jet.

680

:

So if a bunny ever walks up

to you and goes to your feet,

681

:

comes to you, it's domesticated.

682

:

So alert somebody or, catch it or bring

it home or take it to the shelter.

683

:

But people just don't know

that, they think it's a bunny

684

:

can survive in the wild.

685

:

And they dump it and off they go.

686

:

Dixie: Before we end this

episode, is there anything else

687

:

that you would like to add?

688

:

James: Well, we have a lot of bunnies.

689

:

We do transport.

690

:

We have people that would transport.

691

:

So if they, see bunnies we post,

they're more than welcome to contact us.

692

:

But we have a lot of bunnies.

693

:

We definitely need people to

come out and see the bunnies.

694

:

And we definitely need to adopt some.

695

:

We can't.

696

:

take more in until we adopt some out.

697

:

So right now we're fully maxed.

698

:

So we, we need as many people we can to

adopt a bunny and people who have bunnies,

699

:

if they need, help with their bunny,

something's wrong with it, we can help.

700

:

Sherry bonds bunnies.

701

:

So if people has the one bunny and

they want to get another one, Sherry

702

:

will bond the bunnies for them.

703

:

She does nail clippings and we don't

do grooming, but you know, we check the

704

:

bunnies over and we do nail clippings,

we bond the bunnies and even if it's

705

:

not our bunnies and they already have

a pair of bunnies and they fight.

706

:

And they can't get them to bond.

707

:

We do that too.

708

:

But but adoption is the

biggest thing right now for us.

709

:

And we just, hope that

it will get out there.

710

:

And then I'm not sure where the podcast,

how far it goes out or whatever, but,

711

:

like I said, whoever hears it and,

if they want to contact us and look

712

:

into adopt, we're more than welcome

to talk to them and and help them.

713

:

Dixie: And I'll include the link

too, to your Facebook group.

714

:

James: Okay.

715

:

Yeah, that'll be fine.

716

:

And like I said I should

have we do have pet finder.

717

:

It's under the same name.

718

:

So we do have bunnies posted there.

719

:

We have a lady in Huntsville, Miss Ruth

was the Huntsville Friends of Rabbits.

720

:

She kind of runs the pet finder

page and it kind of stays updated.

721

:

We have more bunnies here at the

rescue than we do on the pet finder

722

:

page because they're always coming in.

723

:

Of course so, If you want to list that

at the bottom because pet finder most

724

:

people are pretty good with pet finder

They just punch in the rescue name and

725

:

it pops right up with all the bunnies But

if you want to mention that too or post

726

:

that Lola and Friends Bunny Rescue on pet

finder That's a pretty simple find also

727

:

Dixie: Yeah, I can certainly do that.

728

:

I'll go grab that link and

include that as well for you.

729

:

James: And but yeah, if people, especially

in Louisiana if they have bunnies and they

730

:

need to have the bunny checked, the Avian

Exotic Animal Hospital of Louisiana is

731

:

probably the best exotic anywhere along

the southern states that we know of.

732

:

We rescue and mobile rescue along

the coast of Mississippi, Louisiana.

733

:

We go north to Hattiesburg, sometimes

to Jackson and, but we just tend

734

:

to stay along the coast here.

735

:

There's enough bunnies

down here for us to rescue.

736

:

Then we don't need to go anywhere else.

737

:

It would make a pretty good show.

738

:

We've actually talked with some of

the producers my daughter worked with

739

:

a crew in New Orleans when they'd run

the EMS show and We thought it would

740

:

be a pretty good show to have and but

we didn't have nowhere It was after we

741

:

had caught most of the bunnies at the

parks and know where to take the bunnies

742

:

That we would catch so it was okay.

743

:

Well We need to think about this

more than just, filming, catching

744

:

the bunnies, because it was,

it would have been easy to do.

745

:

Maybe one day in the future,

something like that can happen.

746

:

But there just needs to be more

awareness out there with the bunnies.

747

:

There's a lot of rescues that rescue

bunnies, but still people are not.

748

:

They don't know about the bunnies.

749

:

They don't know that they make good

house pets and especially a lot of your

750

:

rural areas think that bunnies just

belong in the backyard in a cage and

751

:

They're raised for meat and that's way

beyond what they're they can be they

752

:

can be a really good companion animal.

753

:

They can be a Therapy animal we

have a friend that has two bunnies.

754

:

That's therapy animals She

takes them to the senior citizen

755

:

homes and they're big hit.

756

:

So they're more than just a just a

little animal, you stick in a cage in

757

:

the backyard and and raise for meat.

758

:

They can be a whole lot more than that.

759

:

And that's what we try to

educate people that, that they

760

:

can be a really good house pet.

761

:

Dixie: Well, thank you for taking

the time to speak with us today.

762

:

I really enjoyed our conversation.

763

:

It was some things that I didn't know.

764

:

And hopefully we can get you to reach

a few more people and maybe get you

765

:

some more homes for your bunnies too.

766

:

James: And that'll be good.

767

:

And one last thing, within Jefferson

Parish there, and if people in that

768

:

area has bunnies that they catch or

see, they can, they have a program,

769

:

the Fix A Rabbit program that's in

Jefferson Parish, the SPCA promotes that.

770

:

So that's a good thing that they have

over there to try to cut back and cut

771

:

down on the population of the bunnies.

772

:

So if anybody's listening

in that area that.

773

:

That has a bunny or catches one in that

area that just remember the SPCA the

774

:

Jefferson SPCA has a fix a rabbit program

with a spay and neuter your pet and of

775

:

course like any dog or cat or any other

animal You know spay and neuter is the

776

:

biggest issue out there So, you know

if you have a bunny you get one, please

777

:

spay and neuter, females catch uterine

cancer 85 over the age of two catch it.

778

:

So, spay and neuter is a big deal.

779

:

Have it done

780

:

Dixie: Yep spay and

neuter is a very big deal.

781

:

Thank you so much.

782

:

I'm so glad we got to speak with you

783

:

James: Yes, ma'am.

784

:

And that's was the bunnies

are just a thumping.

785

:

I don't know if that's what you hear

786

:

They can hear your voices cuz I

got you here on speakerphone and

787

:

they're just thumping And they

want to warn all the other ones.

788

:

We always

789

:

Philip: have a cat run

around the background.

790

:

So I'm sure people are hearing cats.

791

:

. So it's, we

792

:

Dixie: just had some meowing, so I don't

know if you could hear it, but we're

793

:

like, Oh no, so it happens animal rescue.

794

:

James: Well, the cat, I mean, the bunnies,

that might've been what they heard.

795

:

I didn't hear it.

796

:

I might've been talking, but then

797

:

Dixie: Maybe so that's funny.

798

:

That's funny.

799

:

James: But well, thank you so much.

800

:

I'll be glad to, any other time, you need

to, I'll be glad to come back anytime.

801

:

I appreciate y'all reaching out and

hopefully it, helps some people and

802

:

educate some people and it does some good.

803

:

Dixie: Definitely.

804

:

We would love to have you back.

805

:

Thanks.

806

:

James: Thanks.

807

:

Yes, ma'am.

808

:

Dixie: All right.

809

:

Bye.

810

:

Dixie: And that's all the time

we have for today's episode.

811

:

If you are in animal rescue, or if

you know someone that has a story that

812

:

should be told, please contact us.

813

:

We would love to have

you or them on the show

814

:

.

Thanks for listening, and please join us next week as we continue to

815

:

explore the world of animal rescue.

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About the Podcast

Animal Posse
A look inside the world of animal rescue
Dive deep into the world of animal rescue with heartwarming stories, expert interviews, and behind-the-scenes insights. From heartwarming adoptions to daring rescues, we'll explore the incredible bond between humans and animals.
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