Today we’d like to introduce you to Vicki Anderholt.
Vicki, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
One day I fell in love with a baby rabbit that someone forced me to take. I got bunny fever. I decided I had to keep it. It became almost an addiction. The more I learned about rabbits and found how delicate and fragile they were the more I felt I had to help them and help others to understand them. I kept taking in more rabbits that needed help. One day I had 30 and a month later, I had 63. (Three females had 33 babies btw them in one month) It’s a long story. It’s crazy. And it’s amazing. Because bunnies are amazing. Now I’m a rescue, a sanctuary, and more. And one day, an author. If I live long enough.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Struggles? Oh, my goodness!
Caring for little things that are ALIVE is so much work, no matter how much you do, there is always more to do. But it’s good work. I love this work.
Struggles? Yes!
Talking to people about rabbits is so frustrating……there is so much to say and people mostly know nothing…..and I can’t tell them all I need to tell them in one fell swoop….so I get sad. and frustrated.
Struggles…. always more struggles….new ones keep popping up.
Money!…they are very expensive to take to the vet….very very expensive. I have learned to fundraise, but have always had great difficulty asking for money.
Struggles? Fire!
We’ve been evacuated twice. A story in and of itself.
Struggles…..?
Trying to end the problem of overbreeding is impossible without governmental help…we euthanize 3 million bunnies yearly………GASP!!! Unbelievable! If only I had some connections…but not having been born or raised in this country…I have no connections, sadly.
Struggles? There are so so many. and more arrive daily…weekly, monthly…….
AdoptABunnyRabbit.Inc. (AABR) – what should we know? What do you do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
I am most proud of the animals I have been able to help with just myself and a very small volunteer staff. I can’t believe I’ve even been able to do it. I don’t know how I did it or do it……I really don’t. It started out small. I have no work or business background. I was a mom. Somehow I became a 501c3 and have been able to help a lot of rabbits. Hallelujah. I do all the work…I do everything…..and I have volunteers who come alongside and help me do everything. I am not good at everything, but we get it all done. Somehow. Not always well done. But the rabbits get the best. The paperwork leaves a lot to be desired.
I am known as the bunnygroomer or bunny lady or bunny whisperer……there had never been bunny groomers before. No one even knew a bunny needed grooming until a decade ago….. That’s one of the reasons bunnies have died and still die at young ages like 4, 5 or 6 when their lifespan is 8-12 years. I have a 14 years old here right now, But people today still think of a bunny like a guinea pig or hamster….no no no….they are much more like a horse, or cow…in miniature…..not like rodents at all except that their teeth grow!
We also board bunnies for people on vacation….bunnies cannot be left alone for a weekend…they can die! So boarding for bunnies is something we need more of…and not in cages but boarding in pens at least 4×4 to 4 x 8 pens.
We are different because we are small and precise. We teach as much as we adopt….we stay in touch with our clients forever if they want our help. We are available by text to all our hundreds of clients. We adore our bunnies and pray they will be loved and cared for well when they leave here. We get pictures of our adopted bunnies from our clients for years.
The “beginning” of my story and my dream for the future of bunnies can be found here: www.bunnygroomer.com/MyStory, www.bunnygroomer.com/MyDream.
What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment for me was when I went from just doing rescue to doing it as a nonprofit.
Also, those times when I was able to give disabled bunnies a long term home and the love they needed where they could live happily. (Anya, Carmy, Junebug, Wonky, Princess Flippy-Bella, Chester to name a few. )
Pricing:
- Our adoption fee of $100 does not even covers our spay fee. We make no money on our adoptions.
- Our grooming fee varies from $50-$100
- Our boarding fees vary (by amount of bunnies) from $15-$50 dollars a night.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.adoptabunnyrabbit.org
- Phone: 818 225 7367 or 818 425 7115 cell
- Email: [email protected]
- Other: www.bunnygroomer.com
Image Credit:
Vicki Anderholt
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