‘The truth is not always beautiful, nor beautiful words the truth.’
— Lao Tzu, ancient Chinese Taoist philosopher
With the Lunar New Year just about a fortnight away, pictures of rabbits are everywhere. You see them on the Chinese New Year “ang pow” (red packet) envelopes, T-shirts and decorations, on the 2023 calendars and even Coca Cola tins.
This year, Chinese New Year falls on Jan 22 and the obsession with rabbits is understandable because it is the Year of the Rabbit. To be more specific, it is the Year of the Water Rabbit following the Chinese calendar which rotates in 60-year cycles based on 12 earthly branches, each represented by an animal year, and five heavenly stems — wood, fire, earth, metal and water.
The Consumers’ Assocation of Penang (CAP) has advised members of the public who are tempted to get rabbits to coincide with the zodiac animal for the year to acquire toy rabbits or figurines instead.
CAP president Mohideen Abdul Kader explained that some people felt a need for a rabbit to symbolise good fortune.
He is worried about the public conception that rabbits are low maintenance pets. He feared this plus the high sales pitch by pet retailers, petting zoos and animal farms might lead to a brisk demand for the cute creatures in the run-up to the Chinese New Year.
Mohideen pointed out that very often rabbits bought from pet stores were confined in cages simply because their new owners were unaware the pets needed space to exercise and that they were social creatures which needed social stimulation.
Rabbits, he added, were often seen in tiny hutches without proper food or no food and some dirty water.
Mohideen added that most rabbit owners also did not know the correct diet for their pets.
They feed their pets pellets the whole year round when the rabbits should be fed with hay, grass and fresh greens. A lack of these greens can lead to dental problems.
Mohideen said rabbits were among the most neglected animals that humans had domesticated.
So, my friends, if you know anyone who is thinking of buying a real bunny, please try to convince him/her not to do so.
Please help change his/her thought about keeping rabbits just because it will be the Year of the Water Rabbit soon.
My family has kept mostly dogs and cats as pets. Many years ago, my family and I helped to look after a nephew’s bunny. Big and white in colour, it was called Tommy.
My nephew said he and his family were too busy to look after Tommy. So he just left it at my house.
We fed it mostly pellets and sometimes carrots. Once in a while, we let it out of its cage and let it hop around the car porch.
One day, my nephew came and suddenly took Tommy back because his kids wanted to play with it.
By then, my family and I had become quite attached to the bunny. So naturally, we missed it.
Not long after that, I learnt that Tommy had died. Maybe it missed my family as well.
Anyway, Tommy was the first and last rabbit for my family.
Yes, as pointed out by Mohideen, a rabbit is not a low maintenance pet. You need to clean its cage everyday, feed it and change its drinking water. You need to play with it and let it hop around outside the cage.
Dogs and cats are also not low maintenance pets. Believe me because I have two dogs at home; one is over 10 years old while the other is below one year old.
When my old female cat died not so long ago, my old male dog was broken hearted and refused to eat for a few days. So I had to search high and low for a puppy to take the place of the old cat.
Luckily, one of my nephews managed to find a puppy. It was given to him by a friend, Never mind, if it was a female puppy. When the time comes, I will bring it to the veterinary clinic for spaying.
Now my old dog is not broken hearted anymore and everyday, it plays with the puppy.
Every day, I have to feed the dogs and pat them. Every week, I have to bathe them.
Thank God, I don’t have a bunny and do not intend to get one at all this year or in the years to come. I have no plans, too, to acquire a toy rabbit or figurine.
I am happy with the rabbits on the Chinese New Year “ang pow” envelopes and decorations.
