Super excited to share that "Rock the Park" on ABC TV showcased their hosts "island hopping" on the Mississippi River down to Peacebunny Island again this weekend.
Hope you'll tell friends and introduce us but sharing the video
This is our main summer site for comfort rabbits training. Our 4 month old "kinderbunnies" and rescues visit the island but have a year-round home at Peacebunny Cottage. Visiting the island is their first stage in their training to become therapy animals. I just watched the show and thought I'd answer some frequently asked questions and give you some insight behind the scenes. Thanks for watching and sharing. As with any show there are things we wished to share that didn't make the final cut, but we were so thrilled to have that much time on the show to introduce what we do. To ensure the sustainability of the islands and the safety of the animals & youth, the main island is not open to the public; it isn't our intention to make them a tourist destination, but we are working on a pilot program. And we face additional challenges with COVID and RHDV2 as well, so we are working on plans but want everything to remain safe and sustainable. To let us know you're interested in learning more about visiting us and island hopping when we're ready, fill out this form.
1) What are some of the breeds showcased?
American Chinchilla - "Chinnook" a very rare breed with 5 colors on each fur strand
Harlequin - "Bandit" who stole our heart
Lionhead - 2 1/2 week baby - "Darcy." Her mom "Delaney" was surrendered to us the day the unexpected litter was born. They have a mane around the face.
Creme d'Argent - "Peaches" & Champagne d'Argent - "Poppy" black with silver tips
Americans (red eye white, blue and black) - endangered Flemish Giant - large black doe that jumped on Colton's lap. Our Continental Giants are even bigger! French Angora - "Periwinkle" who grows 1 inch of hair every month and get gentle haircuts 2) Where are the islands? Peacebunny is the 22 acre island Mississippi River, mile mark 832 just south of St. Paul, Minnesota. Kinderbunny Island and Whiskers are the unofficial names of the small islands where we can spend more time with our "Kinderbunnies" that are under 4 months old. Hope and Hoppiness Islands are located another mile downstream, near the Swing Bridge in Inver Grove Heights. We're currently working on rolling out a pilot program to bring guests to those two southern most islands. 3) Are the rabbits roaming free on the islands? Are the bunnies safe?
No they aren't just out there roaming unattended. Yes they are safe. They are always closely supervised by our volunteers, and the rabbits come and leave with our group, never left alone. When the water is fast and high we're not out on the river and we remain committed to finding what will work best, adapting based on what we're learning. After two summers of activities out on the islands, we have found that predators stay away and if there are predators out there first, we just go to one of our different islands instead -- We have several to choose from which gives us options. The eagles stay away from us and therefore the rabbits. With plenty of fish in the river the eagles don't need to go chase a rabbit through the woods. And even the humans haven't found a tick out there! Each rabbit has a wellness check before and after each trip, as well as a daily checkup to catch any potential problems early. We're blessed to have had a lot of experts to help to craft and adapt our safety and risk management plan. We're also extremely thankful for the vet techs, veterinarians and volunteers!
4) How does someone visit? We're excited that you're excited to visit. But we can't bring out everyone even if we weren't dealing with COVID public health issues. We're committed to keeping the rabbits, volunteers, and guests safe while ensuring that our island project sustainable. That being said, here are some options... PILOT PROJECT: We're about to launch an exclusive pilot project, testing how to safely and sustainable bring visitors to go "island hopping" with us and then interacting with the rabbits on Hope and Hoppiness. Fill out the form on our site and we'll let you know details of the program as we get closer to finalizing.
CONTESTS: We have periodic contests to "win" a trip, but we don't envision making this a tourist destination because that could potentially harm the fragile ecosystem, and distract from our vision. If you purchase any merchandise between today and March 20, you're automatically registered. Starting then we will resume our regular contests, so check back on Tuesdays this spring and summer to find out how to win a trip.
5) Do you have public events to play with rabbits?
Absolutely! However, this year is obviously different. We're currently regrouping and trying to find ways to share in person again. We are excited about the online events and videos we've been making. For in person opportunities, check our site for event dates/times/locations heading into mid-July. We are normally booked all summer long at community events and camps so we have more time to work on web-based meetings. Hopefully we can start accepting invitations again for some of our rabbits to come share your special day. Stay tuned...
I'm so glad you're on this journey with us --
Have a Hoppy Day!
Caleb