My Weekend, Rootbeer, Meriden, Steiff Bear Show

Hello to all! Well, again, I'll have to add pictures later! On Friday, I had the wonderful time of bringing Michelle Letizia along with me for a ride. It was a pretty quick/easy day. I went to Petco to get crickets for the bearded dragon and seed for the cockatiels and dove. We then went over to Stratford Animal Control to pick up a couple of carriers and saw all the dogs looking for homes including a beautiful Pit Mix with a very scarred face, it's believed he/she was used as a "bait dog." There are also 5 beautiful mix-breed puppies, look like they have some min-pin in them, eyes still closed. All will be looking for homes, along with all the other doggies there. Afterwards we went to my house to unload and then went to a friends house to pick up her two rabbits (one with severe urine scald as it has been unable to walk since having a large cancerous tumor removed - I have picked up meds and am trying to control the situation) and her Shepard I'll be watching for the next 20 days. Thanks for the company Michelle!

Saturday - blur... What did I do Saturday? I know I cleaned the bunnies, did laundry, house-work - but anything exciting?

Sunday... Chris and I actually slept until 10 which is not like us at all! Got up, did bunny meds,
met a Shepard Mix at my house that will be looking for a new home (4 years old, beautiful!) then went to the Meriden Humane Society where I picked up a bunny (Meriden), a hamster, and 7 of the most beautiful spotted gerbils I have ever seen! I have never seen Gerbils of these colors! I then went to Ansonia to pick up some cat supplies off Freecycle, Shelton to pick up a dog-crate, Stratford to pick up a rabbit cage, then went to the Hollow to drop off the cage and do a bunny swap. Then I went home, set up new cages, took out old ones, and re-arranged a bit in the basement while cleaning cages. It was a busy day.
Jed and Martin will go in for their neuters tomorrow. Both are doing really, really well. Shadow and Bugsy just got neutered and went to the Hollow. Bugsy may go to live with the people who found him in Bpt. They have called religiously to check up on him! Rootbeer went to his new home yesterday. I think he's going to do really, really well!

A note from our courageous leader (come on, she puts her hand in Evie's cage!):

Just a quick update on some Hollow stuff....First I'd like to thank Loftex Industries of New York City for their more than generous donation of towels for the bunnies. A huge box, filled to the top with thick, soft towels arrived yesterday and it's so very appreciated! Comfortable, warm for the bunnies and pretty to look at for the volunteers! Thanks Loftex!I sent out tons of publicity releases for the upcoming Teddy Bear Show and I'd like you all to see one. It explains a little more about the show specifics. If anyone would like me to email you a copy of the actual release to post where they work or play please drop me an email at hopalonghollow@aol.com. The more publicity the better! Here it is.....
October is when the leaves start to turn and the bears and animals come out to play at the 23rd Annual Bristol Teddy Bear and Doll Show on October 14, 2007
Bear Artist Sarah Forrest has taken the show to a new level of excellence. This show will feature some of the best artists in the world of teddy bears and soft sculpture art. There will also be retailers with manufactured and artist pieces, a Steiff event, and appraisals will be available for your antique animals or dolls.
To keep pace with the show’s growth it will now be at the Clarion Hotel in Bristol, Connecticut. This new venue will give collectors and artists a new more comfortable setting to call home. There’s something else new in this year’s show. It will also be a benefit for Hop-A-Long Hollow, a rescue group for homeless rabbits in Norwalk, Connecticut. A soft sculpture collector and benefactor of Hop-A-Long Hollow generously donated a portion of her collection to the shelter. There will be a silent auction of these artist creations, with 100% of the proceeds benefiting the Hollow. There is also the “Bunny Challenge”; all exhibitors are invited to create a bunny for the event with ten percent of the adoption fee benefiting the Hollow.
For more information about the show go to www.bruinmischief.com
For more information about the Hop A Long Hollow go to www.hopalonghollow.org


Bristol, CT - Clarion Hotel23nd Annual Bristol Teddy Bear and Doll Show 42 Century Drive, Bristol, CT 06010 10am-3pm October 14, 2007Bruin Mischief 860-665-1322www.bruinmischief.com/shows/bristol/2007/bristol.htmsarah@bruinmischief.com

Assuming everyone still wants to ..... I plan on booking some rooms at the hotel for the night before the show, I believe there is a hotel room pre-party for the " big spenders " and artists in Sarah's room and you are all invited. Please let me know if you are planning on going and if you will be willing to be a driver. I assume you all agree it's best to car pool. We will be working hard the day of the show but hopefully we will also be having a lot of fun and making a lot of money for the Hollow! For those of us who are not in the know about Teddy Bear Collecting the fact that this is a Steiff Event means it could be a very, very good fundraiser. Steiff is the best known name in stuffed toys, very pricey and extremely well known world wide. By being designated a Steiff event it gives the show a special ambiance and attracts many, many collectors to the show. Steiff actually sends a representative to work the show. I believe there may even be a special Steiff bear dedicated to the show. Sarah has worked very long hours putting the show together and I'd like to take time to THANK her VERY MUCH! And to add a very special THANK YOU to our generous benefactors Paula and Barry, who donated the bears we are auctioning off at the show. I am not sure if they want their last name mentioned so I won't but you know who you are and thank you from the bottoms of our hearts! Their warmth and support toward the shelter was brought about in part by their love of the bunnies they adopted from the Hollow.
Brandee did still another happy bonding this week. Gussie who has been living on Long Island with Greer for the last several months now has a live in friend! Greer adopted Elvis and it was love at first sight with all three parties involved! Greer, Gussie and Elvis will now live happily ever after along with Greer's three kitties. Miracle is rapidly adjusting to living in the house with Angel (and Harvey and I!) and actually left his cage on his own the other day. That's a huge step for a very timid and terrified bunny. Angel is working wonders with him that we humans just couldn't do. She has taught him that humans are just bunny slaves and nothing to be afraid of!Tennessee Jed is rapidly taking over the house. He and Jessie seem to be becoming good friends though I have kept it thru the cage bars. Jessie discovered the other day that if she curls her tongue enough she can steal all Jed's food right out of his dish right thru the cage bars. Jed is less than thrilled. I'm very sorry to say that Dr. Amanda Cronin has left the South Wilton Vet Group practice. She has moved back to her home town and family. Losing her compassion, gentle touch and rabbit knowledge is a big loss for the bunnies and humans of the Hollow. Thankfully Dr Barbara Mangold has been working with us treating the bunnies and Dr. Claire Fahey and Dr Nick Satinas are also available so we have great doctors working with us. Dr Pieper in Stratford has been cutting back his practice a bit so he is a bit more difficult to get an appointment with. That is also a big loss for the Hollow.After three years in rabbit rescue with neither Brandee or I ever seeing a broken leg on a bunny we have had three in three weeks! First came Jeddie who I think may have had a broken leg that had healed without medical care. One rear is splayed out but he manages quite nicely using it for balance. He was adopted by Harvey and I and has a permanent home at our house.
Martin our little amputee bunny had his surgery several weeks ago and is tearing around on three legs lke it's totally normal. Dr Mangold removed the one horribly damaged hind leg and he was amazing in his recovery. He manages to stand on one hind leg balancing himself against an object with his two front feet! Amazing! He has a permanent home at Brandee's. The third bunny is named Snowy and he was brought to Brandees on a weekend when no vet was available by a desperate owner who found him with the leg broken. Snowy's leg had the bone crushed but on x-ray it appeared heal able so he has spent the last two weeks visiting at my house while he has his leg splinted and wrapped with bandages. It appears to be healing nicely and Snowy will be able to return to his home when the healing progresses a bit more. A huge Thank you to FACT the Ferret Association out of Hartford who kindly donated a big portion of the funds for Snowy's treatment. Their donation shows the wonderful spirit of cooperation we are finding with all the local animal rescue groups.

Thank you kindly for the updates Linda!
Pictures to follow!
Brandee :o)