“Hey - let's go to Texas with 60 bunnies in a Van”
It had to be one of the amazing experiences in my life but at the same time – one of the most grueling. It seemed crazy to be traveling during one of the worst snowstorms to hit the United States in fifty years, but according to the permit it was absolutely necessary, so off we went. Laura Leah Shaw has to be one of the most courageous and gutsy women I know. She doesn't know the word “impossible.” and she just doesn't take “no” for an answer. Unfortunately I don't drive (a fear that I've never conquered ), so basically she had to be responsible for all the driving. However to go alone on a 46 hour drive in 4 days could be potentially dangerous, so I came along to keep her company, help navigate and care for the bunnies.
Stacking and placing 60 bunnies in carriers in a van is a precarious skill which Ms. Shaw also has a talent for, so we managed to get all rabbits comfortably into carriers and placed accordingly with good ventilation and comfort. Normally a shorter route could be taken but given the weather conditions, a much longer route had to planned to go down the west coast and then over to Texas via Arizona, and New Mexico.
Although a day was needed to get the packing properly done, another delay came in the form of “Mother Nature.” After the first day we made it to the end of Washington State and at this point, there was only rainy weather, so it was fairly smooth going. However, the next day through Oregon, there were rumours of the snow-bound “Grant's Pass” at the top near Northern California. Strangely enough right up to Grant's pass and a little bit beyond, there wasn't even a hint of snow, but after about 5:00 p.m. when the sun went down, suddenly steep graded hills and a blinding snowstorm forced us to stop early at a small town where we were informed the highway was now officially closed. It proved to be a good time to refresh the cages and to get a well needed rest to forge ahead. Luckily the next day proved to be a contrast as the pass opened up, the sun came out, and the rest of Northern California was sunny, mild and beautiful. Lush forested areas turned into soft reddish-coloured deserts with bright blue skies and this continued on to be a long but pleasant drive into the next state of Arizona. The last part of the journey was the most challenging, as we had a 16 hour drive across deserts and then back into mountains that finally got us in late at night into the sparkling lit city of Albuquerque, where there I unfortunately had to end my journey and fly back to Victoria
The miraculous part of the whole journey seemed to be those hardy UVic rabbits that took all of this in stride. The rabbits at the back of the van came to the front of their carriers with seeming curiosity as they too watched the changes in terrain and weather as we crisscrossed the country. A few of them got a little bit angry if they didn't get their treats on time and threw their dishes around, but overall they were eating and drinking like horses, and for the most part only looking a bit inquisitive about their surroundings. To me this was astonishing that these animals could adapt so readily and easily. These poor fellows when you think about it, are yanked out of a home they have had for years, sent for surgery, given a a bit of time for recovery, and then off they are to a new home thousands of miles away. Yet here they are happily munching on lettuce leaves in their carriers, looking pretty complacent and happy. This alone makes the entire experience worthwhile.
And then there were the Americans. Every motel had a pet friendly policy and seemed so receptive to our cause. Every passerbyer wanted to know the story and seemed fascinated by it. One man who had just rescued a dog from a shelter, honked his horn and yelled “God Bless” as he drove away. It was such a relief not to hear any nasty comments such as “why don't you feed them to the homeless.” One little girl asked us how she could volunteer and countless other people seemed interested in trying to help in anyway they could. However, what really saved the day for us was the House Bunny Society in New Mexico and a volunteer Iris who offered to replace me and also drive for the exhausted Laura Leah for the remainder of the journey. (I unfortunately had to return home due to work obligations and I also had contacted a wicked flu.) In addition, other people readily offered their homes to us to stay for the night and one man brought us much need hay to replenish the carriers This trip if anything restored my faith in human kindness and made us feel that there were many others who too cared about these rabbits and their well being.
So in conclusion, it was an exhausting, challenging trip to travel such long hours through such terrible weather conditions – on average we were driving for 14 hours and then 4 hours of feeding and providing water to the rabbits. If you asked me would I do it again I would say - “Yes” - in a heartbeat, and actually I will probably be doing it again this month. It is all a worthwhile experience when you can see a beautiful country, meet kind people and know that it is all too possible for the UVic rabbits to get the life they deserve in their new sanctuary paradise in Texas.
