We hope that everyone had an amazing Thanksgiving yesterday.
We now got our sights set on this upcoming Tuesday, November 29, 2022. #GivingTuesday is a universal day of giving, whether that be donations, time, or items to the organization of your choice. Giving Tuesday is House Rabbit Resource Network‘s second biggest fundraiser of the year, next to Amplify Austin in the spring. This year, we’re focusing on raising funds for Rojo’s Medical Fund. This fund saves hundreds of rabbits each year here at HRRN. This fund allows us to help rabbits like Antonio Bunderas, who you may already be familiar with as we posted his intake here at the beginning of November.
Meet Antonio Bunderas: https://youtube.com/shorts/e1Ecd8xCGAM?feature=share
Antonio Bunderas was found as a stray and taken to Austin Animal Center, where the staff there immediately knew something was very wrong due to his head being severely tilted. So they called us and we got him into our care and to our rabbit-savvy veterinarian asap.
Antonio Bunderas has ear infections in both ears—which caused the severe Head Tilt. The infection is being treated with medicated ear drops and oral antibiotics. The eye that faces downwards is red, so we’re treating that with extra eyedrops that will help soothe and heal it and keep it lubricated.
He is also getting medicine that helps him with dizziness. When Head Tilt is as severe as Antonio’s, the rabbit’s balance is entirely thrown off, making it hard to stand or even lay without rolling. Along with dizziness medication, he’s also getting supportive care with fluids, as ensuring hydration is essential.
In his cage, we’ve set pool noodles all around the sides so that if he does have a dizzy spell and falls over, he won’t hurt himself on the hard walls of the cage. Right now, getting in and out of a litter box is still too difficult, so he’s got a washable pee-pad on top of a soft padded cage liner, and the pee-pad gets changed twice a day.
In the last few weeks that Antonio Bunderas has been in our care, he’s made tremendous improvement. He’s eating his pellets and hay by himself now (the video below shows his adorableness), and he even gave our shelter manager thank-you kisses on Saturday night.
Even with everything this poor bunny has been through in his short life, he loves interacting with all the shelter volunteers and he’s so interested in everything going on around him—he stands up to say hello anytime someone comes to his cage. He’s also started grooming himself now (a very good sign because this requires a good amount of muscle strength and balance). Antonio will most likely always see the world from a slightly different angle than the rest of us. Still, due to his daily improvements in balance and mobility, we have high hopes he’ll make a full recovery from the infections, and go on to be a great forever bunny for someone.
All this said, you can see where public shelters aren’t able to give this level of care to the individual animals that go through their doors. It takes a lot of man-hours and funds to provide each medical rabbit in our care this level and length of care—which we wouldn’t trade for the world. It’s what we are here for, to give the rabbits of Central Texas a second chance. To rescue, rehabilitate, and adopt out to wonderful forever homes. But we couldn’t achieve this mission without the help of our incredible volunteers, adopters, and supporters. So if you are able to give something this Giving Tuesday, we hope you consider donating to Rojo’s Medical Fund, the fund that allows us to save the lives of so many rabbits like Antonio Bunderas here.
To Donate, visit: https://cutt.ly/GivingTuesdayHRRN2022
Youtube Video Link: https://youtube.com/shorts/e1Ecd8xCGAM?feature=share
Tags: ##GivingTuesday