RATS!! HELP! Snowy's Broken Leg, Cockatiels and GP's Need Homes NOW!

Hello to all!

No pictures tonight, though a new Martin Video will surface soon, but we have great need this week for foster or forever homes! Two male cockatiels ages about 4-6 need homes, supposedly chatty though their current foster mom has not yet heard them speak. I had a couple of calls on rats this week, several from one woman that took some in, and also some guy in Colchester released about 100, 70 of which have been caught, all looking for homes. I guess after the rats are caught charges will be pressed, but we are in need of foster homes now for the ones trapped including many solids, hoodeds and PEW's. Rats are charming and intelligent pets! PLEASE HELP IF YOU CAN!! We also had a call in from a woman today looking to place 3 Guinea Pigs, I think 2 females and an altered male, but son is really allergic and can't go into that part of the house. Let me know directly what you can help with. FYI If you are afraid of rats, step down from it, they are AWESOME pets! Look them up online! We do have 3 hamsters that are all social and sweet, approximately 8 weeks old up for adoption as well. Please contact me with what you can help with ASAP at brandeesbunch@aol.com and let me know in the subject line what you are looking to foster/keep forever.

On another hand... Snowy (brothers and sister are Indiana, Colorado and Carolina) was brought to me on Sunday with a shattered leg from it getting caught (we believe) in a cage bar. He has to have surgery to fix it, possibly our second amputation this month, and the second in the Hollow history. There was blood and a limp foot... I had him here Sunday, and it stinks not having an exotic vet on call on Sundays... It's Linda and myself... Lucky us... If anyone is willing to make donations to help with the surgery you can make them through Paypal at hopalonghollow@aol.com or make a direct donation to South Wilton Veterinary group. The family who owns him could use all help! Thanks to all who have helped us this month (and prior months as well) we very much appreciate your support! I promise to put more clips of Martin, our new 3-legged rabbit up soon! He is doing AWESOME - thanks to all our support!

Brandee :o)

Martins Amputation, Welcome Hannah, Elvis possible bond to Gussie!

This is Martin's Leg prior to yesterday's very successful amputation. It appears it was stripped of all skin and just started rotting away. He has had it like this for so long, that having it removed has been a great thing for him, it is no longer hitting things and in the way. We picked him up from South Wilton Veterinary (Thank you so much for the wonderful job Dr. Mangold!) today and already he is eager to come out and play. I have limited his time out, as I don't want him to hurt himself and he needs to have his healing time. He did not get neutered during this surgery as the Doc felt it too much at once, and he is already happily trying to mount my feet and mark his territory... Oh well, another day! As long as he is safe, happy and alive, that is what we fought for! We raised enough money in donations to help not only have his leg amputated, but to have him also get neutered. Thank you so much every body for all your support once again. We can always count on you all when the going gets really tough, and it is also what keeps Linda and myself going... All our wonderful volunteers and wonderful contributors!

Hannah was dropped two days ago, another Red-eyed white bunny, and another coming in tomorrow. We have received so many phone calls in the past several weeks, it is hard to get to them all promptly. Elvis is getting neutered on the 14th a long with Flash, and both will more than likely be going to their new homes... Elvis to Greer with Gussie and Flash to Ali and Lumar with Scout and Alex. Wish them luck!

I had a pretty good day today, I had a new volunteer, Chelsea, come over this morning and help me bust through cleaning the cages, we were done in under an hour I think, maybe about an hour. She helped with litter boxes, feeding and the water bottles - huge help, THANK YOU CHELSEA!

Please visit You-Tube to see an awesome Video of Martin! Visit at:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aOcTofpyDLM

Excuse my lisp which Chris keeps making fun of me for, I wear a night guard a bit for my stressful clinching of the teeth and have worn it all this week, and am over compensating for it!

Thank you all again!

Brandee

Holly passes away, Martin's dead leg, Bob

We have some terrible news. Holly went in for her spay today and died during surgery. We have had 2 major hits this week with Holly's passing and the passing of Ivan, and they have dumb-struck us. Holly had severe scarring on her lungs. I am sorry to Linda & Chelsea for the loss. She was a cranky little cutie that was to be bonded to their lop after she was spayed. We took in 11 baby hamsters yesterday that were in less-than desirable condition and they will be picked up by Claudie this week and possibly transported to Jessica at the New York Hamster House. They look like European Black Bears and Syrians and they are all so sweet, I know, I handled them!

Yesterday morning Bob (an Ivory look-a-like) was dropped off. A woman had taken him in from neighbors and her son had severe allergies. She has been trying to find Bob a home for months, I also got a call for a bunny that will be dropped later this evening that sounds like a NZW (New Zealand White).

Our news of the day is that yesterday a bunny named Martin came in. He was found last Thursday in Stratford, same area several other bunnies have been found. He has a dead back left leg that will more than likely be amputated today. Please say a special prayer for Martin, we know no back ground on him. It pains me to see how people leave there animals to suffer and then just toss them out at their own convenience. I will add pictures as I get to it. His leg is black and looks like petrified wood and just gets in the way. The surgery is going to cost the Hollow over $500. Any donations are much appreciated!

Brandee

Update from our Hollow President - Linda

Hi All: I am delighted to tell everyone we had a stellar day at the Hollow! Little Milo, the gray, head tilt bunny has left for his new home in New Jersey with a lovely family. They were so thrilled with Milo and the work we are doing they paid a double adoption fee of $150 as a thank you. Then another gal came with her bunny Peter and Peter and his human mom Emily fell in love with little, black Silky! Silky and Peter are spending a couple of nights at Brandee's getting to know each other and being bonded then they will go to their home in New Haven. We had still a third family visit who fell in love with Indiana and they want a friend for him. The family is vacationing the first two weeks of August so Indiana will be with us a while longer but they seemed pretty certain he was their choice. They are still debating who will be leaving with him as they want a bonded pair. I still have to do a reference check and get an adoption application from them but they seemed like nice folks and I think the adoption will go through fine.Thank you to Michelle & Rob who had taken Indiana home with them and done some intensive attitude adjustments on him the last couple of weeks. He is now a sweet bunny and I think will make a wonderful pet. They now have their hands full working with Thumper and Pom Pom who are a soon to be bonded pair of problem children dwarf bunnies who hopefully will learn to behave and get into the shelter soon. They are adorable but naughty!Ali - who's family has been fostering Leenie has returned Leenie to Brandees. Leenie is now spayed and will be coming down to the shelter when there is an open cage. They will be taking on another "problem" bun who needs special treatment in her place. April has recovered from her virus and is now back in the shelter. We now have a tiny Oreo look alike who joined us on Friday. For now she is called Moonbeam and she seems to be adjusting rapidly to the good life. She was caught running free in Redding and from her appearance has been running wild for a while. What a lucky bun to have survived.We currently have a have a Hav a heart trap out trying to catch a bun loose near Rt 7 in Wilton. Hopefully she will be in safety soon.Please welcome our latest Volunteer Amanda and add her to your volunteer distro lists. Amanda is only with us while on Summer vacation but she will continue to volunteer with us during her college vacations. (meemee816@aol.com) Amanda's family adopted Rain some months ago and I am hearing tales of a very happy bunny who shares a bed with her doggie friend!I know you have all read about Ivan and I just want to tell Brandee one more time how sorry I am. Brandee worked tirelessly to keep Ivan happy, clean and comfortable, making him feel loved and giving him every chance to recover. We were so completely shocked by his passing today. He has seemed to be holding his own. With these delicate creatures you just don't know. Anyway, Brandee, since Ivan couldn't ever say thank you let me say it for him. He loved you dearly and I feel privileged to have had him for a night two weeks ago. He had a dynamite personality who never gave up. I'm so glad that he had found love and got to experience some comfort before he died. Enough for now. Have a good week everyone......

Ode to a Bunny - Read the Next Blog Down

We watch you come in, sometimes aggressive

We have you altered to make you less obsessive

People let you go without giving you a chance

Their own ignorance to not understand

is sadly your circumstance

Breeders and pet stores looking to make a quick buck

Your new owners ignorance is not your luck

We see you get sick

We sometimes watch you die

We are supposed to be strong

But still we cry

A home we wait for

The best we can hope

Some just don't get how you too must cope

All the hours at the vets and cleaning your cages

You all have histories, some many pages

When one of you gets a home

How happy we are

To see what you've been through

And how you have come so far

Best of luck to our buns

Angels in disguise

One day we hope the world

Will come to realize

That all that is good

Can be found in a rabbits eyes.

Brandee McBride-LaCava

The Loss of Ivan. Bondings and Adoptions Update

This morning when I got finished talking with Linda about Ivan and other bunnies, I went down to give Ivan his morning meds, and he didn't get up to greet me, he'll never get up again. Ivan has gone to the Rainbow Bridge. Ivan came in via an animal auction to another rescue group that brought him to me. He came in in February and was diagnosed with an inner ear abscess on his brain stem. It got better for a week or two, than he slowly started tilting the other way. He had been treated with medication including Chloremphenical BID, Otic ear drops, and even tried Bicillin for a while. Most recently he went in for a second opinion and got the same diagnosis, that was last week. I will miss him, as will all who came across his sweetness.

Ivan was an amazing bunny, and like all the wonderful rabbits we have that come in and never find homes before passing, he is a Hollow bunny, and we are happy to have had him here rather than where he could have been. Ivan will be cremated and put into my lettuce garden along with Rosie and Atilla. Today, and I believe Ivan had a hand in it, our Trumbull Animal Control bunny that came in with head-tilt and still has it slightly, Milo, got adopted out to a wonderful home in New Jersey. We are so happy for him, and hope they come back for a friend for him.

Indiana was adopted today, and his new family will pick a new friend for him as well. We got to meet Peter Rabbit today, belonging to Emily, who brought him in to do a bonding - Peter has no front teeth due to complications, and he is now in my living room in front of me and a good episode of Stargate bonding with Silky. Punky and Simon Peter are being bonded in the computer room. It is a house of craziness right now, but I happy, and all is good.

I got to meet the family of Rodelli the rat I will be taking in today. They brought Rodelli up to meet me and will drop her off for good here next Thursday. They are moving to England and the quarantine is 6 months, which is a huge chunk of a rats life. Rodelli will stay here with us and be Chris' new computer companion. She is a very sweet rattie girl!

How many animals can you count in this picture? Rodelli is meeting some of her new family, Major, our Shepard, really seemed to like grooming Rodelli, she was soaked upon leaving!

I trapped a rabbit named Radish a couple of weeks ago. She has eyes of an old soul, they are like no other bunny eyes I have ever seen before. They are filled with feeling. I had gotten a phone call from a woman who had a rabbit eating her garden, mainly the radishes, and asked us to take it away. There was poison on the plants (the white powder that is not dangerous to humans once we wash the vegetables).

Bonding Bunnies:

Punky & Simon Peter
















Peter and Silky:









Newly bonded Munchkin & Timmy:












Well, lots of good things are happening here. We have partnered with Petco in Norwalk, and more than likely Milford as well, to keep adoptable bunnies in the stores and keep sales of rabbits out. The Petco foundation has been very helpful in our endeavors. We hope that the bonding of the Hollow with Petco will help us to both open a facility in the future and continue working with Petco. We will more than likely have our kickoff in September when it becomes a little cooler in the store.


Oh, Fudge and Truffles went to their new home this past week as well, the last two animals that owner was diagnosed with cancer. All animals from her have found homes now, thanks be to God!


Ali hosted both Jess and myself last weekend to a tag-sale to benefit the Hollow and we raised $314.o8! It was great! We have had over 65 spays and nueters done since January 1st of this year! We are constantly growing and educating the rabbit community. It has been a great year for us, and we have many other wonderful rescue groups and foster homes working with us.

Thank you everyone for your support to us, we can not do it without you! Also, thank you to all the volunteers that come and clean cages, it's a huge thing to us. Jim - I warned you how many bunnies there are, and you still took it on, thank you so very kindly for the day off!

Brandee :o)

Updates from Linda...

Once again a busy week. Sunny the Bronx Zoo Bunny and Butterscotch the single bunny belonging to the lady who is dying of cancer both found loving homes this week. I was finally able to remove the Elizabethan collar from Tuckers today and he is no longer tearing at his stitches. He managed to remove 4 sets of stitches in 4 weeks and I had given up hopes of ever getting the collar off him! He has worn the collar for three weeks now and has been very unhappy the entire time. Michelle Malones bunny, Jingles, had a horrible accident where he managed somehow to quite literally neuter himself on a sharp edge of a baby gate that he chewed his way thorough. I picked him up in Fairfield on Friday with his testicles and part of his intestine quite literally hanging out of his body and we all thought there was no hope. I am so happy to say that 3 days later he is back here with me, all sewn up and seemingly quite happy! Dr Cronin did a wonderful job putting him back together and now we just have to hope that the antibiotics are strong enough to prevent peritonitis. So far so good and Jingles appears happy and well on his way to being healthy again! A lady in Bridgeport rescued a bunny in a park and called us desperate for help. She had been feeding him oranges so we took him in fast! She dropped the poor bunny off at Brandee's only for us to discover that he has head tilt. So Brandee now has three head tilt bunnies in her care, it's off to Dr. Pieper Monday. Cinnamon2 must need a tooth trim as he is once again in stasis. I started him on treatment and will get him to the vets on Monday to get those teeth looked at. Carmie is breathing heavier and I suspect that his time with us may be ending soon. He has a large either abscess or tumor pressing against his trachea. I am watching him closely and I'm afraid he may be going to the bridge very soon. I sure hope I'm wrong on that. Between Brandee and I it feels like we have a hospital. We have several bunnies returning to the Hollow for visits while their owners are on vacation. Brandee is taking in Marley and Phoebe and I have Momma Cookie returning with her companion bunny. I suspect Bryne is the only one who will remember Momma Cookie, she was adopted out in 2005, but if memory serves me correctly Cookie had the hollow's very first set of babies born to us. I can't wait to see her now two years later. Tinkerbelles owners contacted us to say how happy they are with Tinkerbell now known as Belle.

Last, the petters are in at PETCO Norwalk. I have hopes of getting a bunny into PETCO on Monday or Tuesday. Exciting!!!!