Promote and Support The Rabbit & Cavy Industry!

Promoting rabbits and cavies is important for our future growth and progress! There are many different ways YOU can support our rabbit and cavy business AND help get our youth and new breeders involved!

Educate, Promote and Get The Word Out!

If you are an seasoned breeder of rabbits or cavies - your knowledge and advice can really help our inexperienced youth and new breeders:

-volunteer a few hours to your local 4-H club and give an informative seminar on anything rabbit or cavy related; an ideal seminar before fair time would be one on breed and color identification for both rabbits and cavies, and help with, or teaching how to tattoo or ear-tag! Other helpful subjects that come to mind; showmanship, how to condition for show, and grooming.

-gather a few other breeders from your club and put on an informative seminar for others in your club or even neighboring clubs. Many interesting subjects come to mind; preparing your rabbit for shows, conditioning/grooming tips, breeding tips, tattooing with an electric pen, etc.

-write an article for your state or breed club website or handbook - you would not believe how much we relied on other breeders' advice and articles when we were starting out.

-contact your local feed mill/rabbit supply store to see if you can drop off info to put on display; brochures, posters and handouts on raising rabbits and cavies.....and of course mention their products in your written information! Perhaps they will even co-sponsor and help advertise a rabbit seminar?

-fur and wool breeders can offer classes on fur and wool processing, spinning and learning how to use these natural products.

-make a terrific rabbit dish to pass at social gatherings and offer pre-printed recipe cards to go along with....and of course list how they can obtain more rabbit meat to make this same delicious dish and more!

-if you are a big breeder or have developed a name for yourself in the rabbit industry - don't forget what it was like when you started out! Beginners have many questions, and to them, they are not dumb questions! Take the time to answer questions and help out, treating all people with the same respect that you feel you should be treated with! New breeders often contact established breeders for help and advice - Don't snub them by refusing to answer questions or emails.

In our own experience, back as brand-new breeders dealing with the frustrations that came with trying to breed Hollands, I emailed several breeders for help and advice. Very few responded, with most just trying to sell me their rabbits or inviting me to see to visit their websites- despite their websites not having the answers to my questions!. Only one person actually responded to my request for help - and this person (who I found out later is also an ARBA judge) sent me a personal and very encouraging response for which I was grateful! I think back to that person's response when things become difficult and it helps. I hold this person in highest regard for taking the time out of his busy schedule to encourage and help a new, unknown Holland breeder.

-think outside the box - what other avenues can you use to promote this wonderful hobby? Do you have any breeder-friendly pet stores where you could help educate customers? Is your local humane society open to your advice? Schools? Vet offices? FFA clubs? Keep thinking........and be persistent.....you will eventually make a difference!

Anyone, Experienced or Not, Can Help:

-Join The American Rabbit Breeders Association and maintain your membership to show your support!

-support your local and state rabbit clubs by joining and maintaining your membership! The cost is usually minimal and even 'silent' membership is important to the survival of these clubs.

-volunteer to help with a rabbit show or youth fair - this is a lot of work, but it is also a lot of fun! After you help with even one show, you will appreciate the efforts of all clubs that put on rabbit and cavy shows.

-if you are a youth, join 4-H! This world-wide club offers a great start for the rabbit or cavy enthusiast! If you are an adult, you can still become involved in 4-H by volunteering to become a project leader or even a club leader - YOU can make a difference in the lives of our future rabbit and cavy breeders!

-help make our rabbit and cavy presence on the web a strong one - make your personal site the best you can and offer helpful and accurate rabbit and cavy info on it. All our ARBA members should do what they can to promote rabbits and cavies by listing links and info on ARBA and other clubs! Exchange lots of links with other rabbit breeders' websites to help develop a solid network of information and to secure high search ratings for all of our breeders' websites.

Promote The Rabbit and Cavy Breeds You Raise:

-join and maintain your membership in your breed specialty club!

-Manage your rabbitry or caviary in a way that you know you can be proud of; maintain a clean, safe and humane environment for your animals, breed only to improve your stock, and develop your business ethics so that others think of you with respect and integrity. Remember, all your actions are representative of our rabbit and cavy breeder's community.

-promote your breed by exhibiting at rabbit and cavy shows and then by offering quality stock, and your help, to others interested in your breed.

-if you are selling to a new or inexperienced breeder - sell them some nice quality stock to get started with! We want to encourage new breeders - not disappoint them or turn them away! Don't sell them your worst cast-offs just so you can get rid of them! Help them get a good foothold in your breed-they will come back for more.

-if you raise a rare rabbit or cavy breed, get the word out! Join and support your breed specialty club (if there is one). Please come to your local rabbit or cavy show and exhibit your better stock, offer brochures and promotional info on the breed, and be available to answer questions from persons interested in your breed! Sell some quality animals and then be sure to encourage them to show also.

-keep the rabbit and cavy show atmosphere enjoyable and inviting for all! Even though competition is intense and the show day can be long-remember, this is supposed to be fun! Practice great sportsmanship habits and set an example for new and youth breeders; congratulate the winner every time, even the little-known breeder who just beat your top rabbit - don't make that person feel like their accomplishment wasn't worth anything by walking away and grumbling loudly 'that judge wouldn't know a winner even if it hit him in the face!' Be sure to thank the judge for standing on his or her feet all day, handling hundreds of, squirming, nipping and urinating rabbits, trying to chose the one that best represents its breed! And don't forget to thank the show committee for all the hard work they've done to put the show on!

You can see that there are many different ways you can become involved in promoting rabbit and cavy breeding! If everyone pitches in, even a little bit, our future will be stronger!

For the politically-minded persons, and even if you are not politically minded - you can always help by staying attune to the political goings-on affecting the breeding community - find out what bills other groups are trying to pass, and become involved in making sure our rights/future is not compromised by passage of these bills - the squeaky wheel gets the grease - be vocal - as I am sure these opposing groups are.

Oppose the Paws Bill!