Meet the rabbits
Click on image to read individual stories.
Meet and Greet. Clarabelle Cottontail.
Statistics show that one in every five households acquired a pet since the beginning of Covid, but the stats do not show how many had to subsequently give them up. Those surrendered lives are yet another tragedy during these unprecedented times but thankfully we were able to make a difference for these three delightful creatures and their past owners.
Rabbits are the third most frequently euthanized and abandoned pets and we are grateful that the owners of Clarabelle, Wilfred and Sebastian searched for an alternative that did not include abandonment, euthanasia or adding to the number of the more than 8 million pounds of rabbit meat consumed in the U.S. per year.
Their welcome would not have been possible without you.
When we were asked to help a local family who was forced to relocate (and hence, re-home their beloved pets) due to Covid-19, we once again said "yes" with fingers crossed that we would find a way. We know what you might be thinking: "It's only three rabbits, how hard can it be?". But what you may not realize is the expense and effort it took to keep these three together as a family and provide them with the appropriate infrastructure that would keep them safe and happy for the rest of their days. Such is the everyday behind-the-scenes activities at Tomten Farm and Sanctuary as together we create a haven where every animal's dreams come true.
Yes, we have had rabbits in hutches before but we knew, and we are sure you do too, that despite living rent-free in their multi-level condos, they deserved better. What rabbit, after all, wouldn't instead prefer space to run and roam, to dig and stretch out and graze and sleep with others of their kind?? When we decided to leap (or should we say "hop up?") and welcome these three littermates, we knew we would need a large in-and-out rabbit area and we set our sites in creating a safe place where they would not feel exposed and vulnerable, could live as bunnies wish to do and could be admired by all who met them. This additional piece of infrastructure would not only help them but we hoped it would eventually help others too.
They arrived one day in August of 2020, a spayed female and two males who were just 8 months old. The owners had not initially intended to purchase three but when they learned that the second male was slated to go for meat, they reconsidered and brought home all three with promises they would stay together for life. Here at Tomten, we will continue to honor that promise.
These Flemish Giant rabbits had received excellent care and would mature to be approximately 10-15 pounds! Enormous, right? A utility breed that despite their popularity as pets is still bred for fur and meat, the demand for these bunnies as food is high. When their owners could not find a home that sat right with them and time began to run short, they turned to Tomten in an effort to guarantee their safety. We were not only able to offer the rabbits the gifts of peace, protection and possibility, we gifted their owners with the comfort of a bit of peace of mind during hard times.
First things first, we temporarily housed these gentle giants in a room in the barn, had the two males neutered and began to plan for their future. Finally, earlier this fall, they moved to a home of their own in our recently added Bunny Bungalow. This very special area would not have been possible without a treasured gift from Anne K. Donahue. We hope that she is looking down from above, holding the childhood rabbit that she loved and is smiling. Her memory will forever live on in this treasured space and her gift will make a difference to years to come.
Just what is the "Bunny Bungalow"? An 8' x10' year-round shed complete with a 20' x 60' covered and dig-proof outside area that has a lovely hill for digging and is surrounded by a picket fence and what will soon become the "Foo Foo Flower and Friendship Garden." While it is not entirely done yet, there is no doubt these rabbits are already on their way to dreams come true. Watching them hop and play, it's obvious that they already cannot believe their good fortune.
Limited resources mean that no matter how much we may want to, we cannot always perform the magic necessary to pull a rabbit out of a hat (or in this case, out of an at-risk situation), and answer every need.
At Tomten we are committed to making a difference for animals and humans alike and we push ourselves every day to be more, do more and give more. It means taking the extra time to not only care for the lives we rescue but to find ways to create living areas that provide for their mental and physical comfort too. Even something as "small" as creating our Bunny Bungalow and Foo Foo Flower and Friendship Garden necessitate hiring an excavator, a contractor, a shed and fencing company and ultimately a volunteer gardener to do it all right. It's been no small feat to accommodate those twelve small furry feet but they're worth it! And when all is said and done it will eventually allow us to open our arms to embrace even more needy hopalongs.
For now, Clarabelle Cottontail, Wilfred Whitewhisker and Sebastian SilverHare are very busy in their new home. When the sun is shining and the wind is quiet they have the option to go in and out at their leisure. Their inside area is full of hay and straw and beds and benches and they can often be seen leaping and jumping and twisting and dancing as if their joy knows no bounds. That makes us happy, them happy and we hope it makes you happy too.
Thank you for believing, big or small, all life matters.
Clarabelle Cottontail
Meet and Greet. Sebastian Silverhair.
Statistics show that one in every five households acquired a pet since the beginning of Covid, but the stats do not show how many had to subsequently give them up. Those surrendered lives are yet another tragedy during these unprecedented times but thankfully we were able to make a difference for these three delightful creatures and their past owners.
Rabbits are the third most frequently euthanized and abandoned pets and we are grateful that the owners of Clarabelle, Wilfred and Sebastian searched for an alternative that did not include abandonment, euthanasia or adding to the number of the more than 8 million pounds of rabbit meat consumed in the U.S. per year.
Their welcome would not have been possible without you.
When we were asked to help a local family who was forced to relocate (and hence, re-home their beloved pets) due to Covid-19, we once again said "yes" with fingers crossed that we would find a way. We know what you might be thinking: "It's only three rabbits, how hard can it be?". But what you may not realize is the expense and effort it took to keep these three together as a family and provide them with the appropriate infrastructure that would keep them safe and happy for the rest of their days. Such is the everyday behind-the-scenes activities at Tomten Farm and Sanctuary as together we create a haven where every animal's dreams come true.
Yes, we have had rabbits in hutches before but we knew, and we are sure you do too, that despite living rent-free in their multi-level condos, they deserved better. What rabbit, after all, wouldn't instead prefer space to run and roam, to dig and stretch out and graze and sleep with others of their kind?? When we decided to leap (or should we say "hop up?") and welcome these three littermates, we knew we would need a large in-and-out rabbit area and we set our sites in creating a safe place where they would not feel exposed and vulnerable, could live as bunnies wish to do and could be admired by all who met them. This additional piece of infrastructure would not only help them but we hoped it would eventually help others too.
They arrived one day in August of 2020, a spayed female and two males who were just 8 months old. The owners had not initially intended to purchase three but when they learned that the second male was slated to go for meat, they reconsidered and brought home all three with promises they would stay together for life. Here at Tomten, we will continue to honor that promise.
These Flemish Giant rabbits had received excellent care and would mature to be approximately 10-15 pounds! Enormous, right? A utility breed that despite their popularity as pets is still bred for fur and meat, the demand for these bunnies as food is high. When their owners could not find a home that sat right with them and time began to run short, they turned to Tomten in an effort to guarantee their safety. We were not only able to offer the rabbits the gifts of peace, protection and possibility, we gifted their owners with the comfort of a bit of peace of mind during hard times.
First things first, we temporarily housed these gentle giants in a room in the barn, had the two males neutered and began to plan for their future. Finally, earlier this fall, they moved to a home of their own in our recently added Bunny Bungalow. This very special area would not have been possible without a treasured gift from Anne K. Donahue. We hope that she is looking down from above, holding the childhood rabbit that she loved and is smiling. Her memory will forever live on in this treasured space and her gift will make a difference to years to come.
Just what is the "Bunny Bungalow"? An 8' x10' year-round shed complete with a 20' x 60' covered and dig-proof outside area that has a lovely hill for digging and is surrounded by a picket fence and what will soon become the "Foo Foo Flower and Friendship Garden." While it is not entirely done yet, there is no doubt these rabbits are already on their way to dreams come true. Watching them hop and play, it's obvious that they already cannot believe their good fortune.
Limited resources mean that no matter how much we may want to, we cannot always perform the magic necessary to pull a rabbit out of a hat (or in this case, out of an at-risk situation), and answer every need.
At Tomten we are committed to making a difference for animals and humans alike and we push ourselves every day to be more, do more and give more. It means taking the extra time to not only care for the lives we rescue but to find ways to create living areas that provide for their mental and physical comfort too. Even something as "small" as creating our Bunny Bungalow and Foo Foo Flower and Friendship Garden necessitate hiring an excavator, a contractor, a shed and fencing company and ultimately a volunteer gardener to do it all right. It's been no small feat to accommodate those twelve small furry feet but they're worth it! And when all is said and done it will eventually allow us to open our arms to embrace even more needy hopalongs.
For now, Clarabelle Cottontail, Wilfred Whitewhisker and Sebastian SilverHare are very busy in their new home. When the sun is shining and the wind is quiet they have the option to go in and out at their leisure. Their inside area is full of hay and straw and beds and benches and they can often be seen leaping and jumping and twisting and dancing as if their joy knows no bounds. That makes us happy, them happy and we hope it makes you happy too.
Thank you for believing, big or small, all life matters.
Sebastian Silverhair
Meet and Greet: Wilfred Whitewhisker
Statistics show that one in every five households acquired a pet since the beginning of Covid, but the stats do not show how many had to subsequently give them up. Those surrendered lives are yet another tragedy during these unprecedented times but thankfully we were able to make a difference for these three delightful creatures and their past owners.
Rabbits are the third most frequently euthanized and abandoned pets and we are grateful that the owners of Clarabelle, Wilfred and Sebastian searched for an alternative that did not include abandonment, euthanasia or adding to the number of the more than 8 million pounds of rabbit meat consumed in the U.S. per year.
Their welcome would not have been possible without you.
When we were asked to help a local family who was forced to relocate (and hence, re-home their beloved pets) due to Covid-19, we once again said "yes" with fingers crossed that we would find a way. We know what you might be thinking: "It's only three rabbits, how hard can it be?". But what you may not realize is the expense and effort it took to keep these three together as a family and provide them with the appropriate infrastructure that would keep them safe and happy for the rest of their days. Such is the everyday behind-the-scenes activities at Tomten Farm and Sanctuary as together we create a haven where every animal's dreams come true.
Yes, we have had rabbits in hutches before but we knew, and we are sure you do too, that despite living rent-free in their multi-level condos, they deserved better. What rabbit, after all, wouldn't instead prefer space to run and roam, to dig and stretch out and graze and sleep with others of their kind?? When we decided to leap (or should we say "hop up?") and welcome these three littermates, we knew we would need a large in-and-out rabbit area and we set our sites in creating a safe place where they would not feel exposed and vulnerable, could live as bunnies wish to do and could be admired by all who met them. This additional piece of infrastructure would not only help them but we hoped it would eventually help others too.
They arrived one day in August of 2020, a spayed female and two males who were just 8 months old. The owners had not initially intended to purchase three but when they learned that the second male was slated to go for meat, they reconsidered and brought home all three with promises they would stay together for life. Here at Tomten, we will continue to honor that promise.
These Flemish Giant rabbits had received excellent care and would mature to be approximately 10-15 pounds! Enormous, right? A utility breed that despite their popularity as pets is still bred for fur and meat, the demand for these bunnies as food is high. When their owners could not find a home that sat right with them and time began to run short, they turned to Tomten in an effort to guarantee their safety. We were not only able to offer the rabbits the gifts of peace, protection and possibility, we gifted their owners with the comfort of a bit of peace of mind during hard times.
First things first, we temporarily housed these gentle giants in a room in the barn, had the two males neutered and began to plan for their future. Finally, earlier this fall, they moved to a home of their own in our recently added Bunny Bungalow. This very special area would not have been possible without a treasured gift from Anne K. Donahue. We hope that she is looking down from above, holding the childhood rabbit that she loved and is smiling. Her memory will forever live on in this treasured space and her gift will make a difference to years to come.
Just what is the "Bunny Bungalow"? An 8' x10' year-round shed complete with a 20' x 60' covered and dig-proof outside area that has a lovely hill for digging and is surrounded by a picket fence and what will soon become the "Foo Foo Flower and Friendship Garden." While it is not entirely done yet, there is no doubt these rabbits are already on their way to dreams come true. Watching them hop and play, it's obvious that they already cannot believe their good fortune.
Limited resources mean that no matter how much we may want to, we cannot always perform the magic necessary to pull a rabbit out of a hat (or in this case, out of an at-risk situation), and answer every need.
At Tomten we are committed to making a difference for animals and humans alike and we push ourselves every day to be more, do more and give more. It means taking the extra time to not only care for the lives we rescue but to find ways to create living areas that provide for their mental and physical comfort too. Even something as "small" as creating our Bunny Bungalow and Foo Foo Flower and Friendship Garden necessitate hiring an excavator, a contractor, a shed and fencing company and ultimately a volunteer gardener to do it all right. It's been no small feat to accommodate those twelve small furry feet but they're worth it! And when all is said and done it will eventually allow us to open our arms to embrace even more needy hopalongs.
For now, Clarabelle Cottontail, Wilfred Whitewhisker and Sebastian SilverHare are very busy in their new home. When the sun is shining and the wind is quiet they have the option to go in and out at their leisure. Their inside area is full of hay and straw and beds and benches and they can often be seen leaping and jumping and twisting and dancing as if their joy knows no bounds. That makes us happy, them happy and we hope it makes you happy too.
Thank you for believing, big or small, all life matters.
Wilfred Whitewhisker
Facts about rabbits
Coming soon...
