[Lorna ramble] Why I am not currently involved in rescue.

I've been asked a few times as we head towards Easter why I haven't been posting about bunnies. I've been asked a few times why I'm no longer involved in any rabbit groups. I've been asked why I'm currently not even involved in any rescue and the answer is simply the attitudes.

The biggest problem with any volunteer organization is there's people who get the "more volunteer than thou" attitudes. While almost fifteen years ago, I've had this one myself! I thought "I bend my back for this organization, I deserve more recognition and rights than someone who volunteers 1/10th my time!" And I was WRONG. We all volunteer what we can, we do what we can, we offer and give what we can. No one volunteer is better than any other. However, I run into this all the time, the attitude of entitlement, the attitude of superiority, the attitude of higher rank and right. This leads to in-fighting and politics and frankly, I just don't want to deal with any of it any more. If you want to wear a crown because you help, more power to you, but I'm not kissing your ring. Sure, there's people who know more, who have more experience and who we look up to for advice and help when we're lost, but I've yet to meet any of these leaders who have the attitude!

Another I run into is the "Holier than Thou"s who believe their way is the only way. "Oh, I just want to HELP" they say as they busily tell you how you're feeding your pet wrong, you're giving them exercise wrong, or you're not doing something else. The bottom line, to me, in pet care 'Is the pet happy, healthy, and having it's needs met?' If yes, I shut my yap. A great example in rabbit care is the controversy about pellets. Some pellets are horribly bad for them, some are okay, some are fine. Some rabbits can be trusted to be free fed some will go piggy. However, in the minds of the self-designed experts all pellets are bad, no bunnies should ever be trusted to free feed and anyone who does so is an idiot. They're not shy about telling you you're an idiot either. There's no multiple ways to the same destination, it's their way or the highway. They talk down to you, they try to make you feel small, they treat you like the rawest recruit with the brains of a guppy and they often use aggressive words. I don't need that in my life. I didn't need it in my life even when I was in rabbit rescue but I thought it for the better good and just tried to water off a duck's back. Funny thing, I didn't run into nearly as many of them in cat rescue and there's just as many discussions about 'proper feeding' in catland.

I'm also no longer on the backside of a mountain where rabbits tend to get dumped. So I'm not seeing those rabbits who need to be fished out of the bush and brought to a rescue. I've moved a few times, my number has changed countless times, I'm probably a lot harder to track down and for people to say "Lorna, we found a rabbit in.." or "Lorna, I think there's a rabbit.." Hopefully these people have found others to call or call the BCSPCA.

I'm not saying all people in rescue are bad or full of attitude, far from it! I have met some truly wonderful people in rescue and some of them, I hope!, will be life long friends. For the most part, the average volunteer is a giving, wonderful person, who is a joy to be around. However, I just can't stomach the bad apples in the barrels anymore. I have enough crap in my life, I just don't to add more to it. Maybe when my load lightens again, I'll take on volunteering once more, but till then, I just try to support those who do!