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Today's Letters: Adopt rabbit only after research

By LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Published April 8, 2007

Re: Hippity hoppin' April 1

This letter is in regard to the story about real bunnies vs. chocolate bunnies for Easter. The article suggested readers choose the real thing for their children over chocolate candy.

As an animal lover and rabbit enthusiast, I am shocked at the lack of research for this article. Local organizations such as the SPCA, Humane Society and the Tampa Bay House Rabbit Society recommend rabbit adoption only after careful consideration.

As with any pet adoption, rabbit adoption requires a certain responsibility. However, most individuals who adopt see the animal as cute, cuddly and irresistible (as do their children), but fail to realize owning a rabbit can require a 10-year commitment. Often, parents adopt these creatures for their children during Easter season, only to have the child become bored with it in the weeks following. The rabbits are then dumped at a local shelter, if they are lucky. Many are released into the wild to "survive" on their own.

Domesticated rabbits are different from wild ones, and cannot survive on their own outdoors. You wouldn't release a dog into the wild if it was unwanted.

I urge you to contact the SPCA or Tampa Bay House Rabbit Society for more information, and to print a correction with the facts on rabbit adoption.

Rabbits make wonderful pets, but only if you are committed to caring for them.

Christina Tischner, Palm Harbor

Rabbits aren't for Easter gifts 

Re: Hippity hoppin' April 1

I volunteer at my local Humane Society shelter, and one of my duties is to care for the rabbits there. I am appalled by your article suggesting that your readers purchase a live rabbit instead of a chocolate one for Easter.

The vast majority of rabbits purchased as gifts for Easter are dead within a few months, with a "lucky" few winding up in animal shelters like ours. I am very surprised that a newspaper of your caliber would allow such an irresponsible suggestion to be printed.

If your reporter would have done a bare minimum of research, she would have come across www.rabbit.org or countless other Web sites, and quickly learned that giving a live rabbit as an Easter gift, especially to a child, is a terribly irresponsible act.

Ray Katkish, Daytona Beach

Install bumps on parkway side road

On April 3, after spending the day at Clearwater Beach, my 14-year-old son and I were on our way back to Lakeland. As usual, we stopped on the Courtney Campbell Parkway to enjoy the view of the bay. We watched the sunset at the beach, so it was just before 8:30 in the evening.

Many people were on the little side road that parallels the parkway. We had just pulled over to the side and I was still next to my truck when a car flew by us at about 60 or 70 mph without its headlights on.

My son had already gotten out of the car and was crossing the side road. This idiot almost killed my son!

This scared the heck out of me. I was shook up the rest of the way home. My fear turned to anger and now I am furious.

The speed limit on the side road on the causeway is only 15 mph. It should be impossible for anybody to drive at that speed through there.

I hate speed bumps, but if any place should have them, it is at this location. The road on both sides of the causeway in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties should be made safe for people to enjoy.

I cannot in good conscience let this go without a followup. Somebody is going to get killed there if it has not already happened. The state of Florida has to do something about this. I have already contacted my congressman, Adam Putman, and Sen. Bill Nelson concerning this issue. They may be of help.

However, people need to know how dangerous it is in an area that is meant for relaxing.

Please help me get people involved trying to solve this problem.

Weldon L. Poling, Lakeland

Your voice counts

You may submit a letter to the editor for possible publication through our Web site at www.tampabay.com/letters, or by faxing it to (727) 445-4119, or by mailing it to Letters, 710 Court St., Clearwater, FL 33756. You must include your name, address and phone number. Letters may be edited for clarity, taste and length.

[Last modified April 7, 2007, 22:43:05]