Comments on: Q&A: Kate Kunath, New York http://www.featureshoot.com/2008/12/kate-kunath-new-york/ Photographers on the rise Fri, 12 Mar 2010 16:30:31 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 By: Opal http://www.featureshoot.com/2008/12/kate-kunath-new-york/comment-page-1/#comment-34 Opal Mon, 19 Jan 2009 15:11:52 +0000 http://www.featureshoot.com/?p=367#comment-34 Culling does not necessarily mean killing or selling to a pet store. This misconception is what gives breeders a bad name among pet rabbit enthusiasts. Culling simply means to remove from the breeding herd. This can be as simple as neutering a male and keeping him as a house rabbit, which I have done. The majority of rabbit breeders do not kill their culls, though of course, some do. Many of us cannot stomach the idea. One of my best rabbit breeder friends is a vegetarian, and the very thought of eating one of her rabbits is enough to make her sick. She has (and I had) national winning rabbits, and this with having never killed a cull (other than euthanizing a rabbit that was beyond medical help, as any loving pet owner would do) or selling to a pet shop. Rabbits make amazing companion animals. They are social, loving, and very intelligent. I raised and showed rabbits for over a decade, and every single one had a name. They all have their own personalities, likes, and dislikes. Different breeds have different normal personalities. Himalayans tend to be extremely calm rabbits, but they are delicate in build so do not make good pets for young children. Havanas, while more plain-looking, are generally both calm and relatively sturdy. Please, if interested in a rabbit, do your research. They make just as good a companion as a dog or cat (better, in my opinion), but you have to give them a chance to be a companion, not just a caged animal. Research to find out what breed will best suit your family. Then adopt a rabbit from a shelter or rescue (they often come already spayed or neutered, which saves you the time, hassle, and money of getting it done yourself) or from a reputable breeder. You simply cannot be sure of the history or healthy of a pet store rabbit. A reputable rescue or breeder can help you find the perfect rabbit for your family, as different rabbits will do best in different situations. A pet store, in general, is just out to sell, sell, sell and move stock along as quickly as possible. Even in the best of situations, this particular setting does not favor the buyer getting the ideal rabbit or getting the information and lifetime resource that a rescue or breeder can provide. Culling does not necessarily mean killing or selling to a pet store. This misconception is what gives breeders a bad name among pet rabbit enthusiasts. Culling simply means to remove from the breeding herd. This can be as simple as neutering a male and keeping him as a house rabbit, which I have done. The majority of rabbit breeders do not kill their culls, though of course, some do. Many of us cannot stomach the idea. One of my best rabbit breeder friends is a vegetarian, and the very thought of eating one of her rabbits is enough to make her sick. She has (and I had) national winning rabbits, and this with having never killed a cull (other than euthanizing a rabbit that was beyond medical help, as any loving pet owner would do) or selling to a pet shop.

Rabbits make amazing companion animals. They are social, loving, and very intelligent. I raised and showed rabbits for over a decade, and every single one had a name. They all have their own personalities, likes, and dislikes. Different breeds have different normal personalities. Himalayans tend to be extremely calm rabbits, but they are delicate in build so do not make good pets for young children. Havanas, while more plain-looking, are generally both calm and relatively sturdy.

Please, if interested in a rabbit, do your research. They make just as good a companion as a dog or cat (better, in my opinion), but you have to give them a chance to be a companion, not just a caged animal. Research to find out what breed will best suit your family. Then adopt a rabbit from a shelter or rescue (they often come already spayed or neutered, which saves you the time, hassle, and money of getting it done yourself) or from a reputable breeder. You simply cannot be sure of the history or healthy of a pet store rabbit. A reputable rescue or breeder can help you find the perfect rabbit for your family, as different rabbits will do best in different situations. A pet store, in general, is just out to sell, sell, sell and move stock along as quickly as possible. Even in the best of situations, this particular setting does not favor the buyer getting the ideal rabbit or getting the information and lifetime resource that a rescue or breeder can provide.

]]>