SDHRS: First take us back to your first bunny.

Alison with some of her star bunnies.

Alison: My family had companion rabbits before I was even born, and as I was growing up I’d hear fun stories about my older siblings’ bunnies, and always wanted one of my own. When I was a teenager I finally got my own first bunny, Apollonia. That was back in the 80′s before HRS existed! She passed away around the time I graduated from college. Then I moved out of my parents’ house and into my first apartment and got my first dog. I didn’t think I could have both a dog and a bunny, so I didn’t have any bunnies for quite awhile after that. Fast-forward many years… I learned of HRS, and that dogs and rabbits CAN live peacefully together, so I adopted my second bunny, and then my third… and that was the start of my rabbit habit! This time, thanks to HRS, I had the resources to give my new companion rabbits the best care, and I’m very happy to have bunnies in my life again. And I found my bunnies and my dog did indeed co-exist very happily together.

One of Alison's birthday greeting cards.

SDHRS: You’ve been involved with SDHRS for a long time. What sorts of activities are you involved in?

Alison: My first volunteer job through HRS was to update the San Diego shelter pages on the Cats and Rabbits and More website. I also served on the SDHRS Board of Directors for several years, and I regularly foster rabbits. But most of my volunteer work involves graphics and photography. I design and layout our newsletter, The Rabbit Reader, and I put together our information books, ads, flyers, signage, postcards, etc. I photograph events (http://sdhrs.shutterfly.com/) and foster bunnies for the HRS website and promotional materials, and provide photos and graphics for articles, t-shirts, etc. I also assist at education and fundraising events, and last summer I did a presentation for one of SDHRS’s Speaker Series called, “Playing Games with Your Bunny,” where I demonstrated clicker training with one of my talented bunnies, Domino.

SDHRS: So how did your develop your photography skills?

Alison: I took many photography classes in college and I even had my own darkroom. (Of course, this was back in the days of film cameras!) Over the years I have continued to take photography and Photoshop classes, always seeking to improve my skills.

Another birthday card staring Baxter and Scooter.

SDHRS: What inspired the idea of making your own cards? When was that?

Alison: When I adopted my first bunnies, B.B. and Buddy, I found them to be so adorable that I was often taking photos of them. I’d share my photos with friends and fellow volunteers, and several people said that my photos were so cute that I could sell them. So, I thought, “Why not?” I was having fun learning Photoshop at the time, so I created a line of greeting cards featuring photos of B.B. and Buddy. And of course, over the years, I adopted many more “stars,”, including Scooter, whom many have deemed “the World’s Cutest Bunny.” (He is extremely photogenic and a total ham!)

SDHRS: How do people get a hold of your cards?

Alison: I have a website  (http://www.alisongiese.com) where people can order my cards, and they are available at the SDHRS Bunny Store. I also opened an online shop on Cafe Press  (http://www.cafepress.com/alisongiese). I have calendars, t-shirts, mugs and other printed products featuring my photos, as well as my cards. Cards are typically $4 each, or less if ordered in quantity.

SDHRS: What makes your cards unique or better than other similar products?

Alison: My photos are all of rescued animals (my own and fosters). And for the most part, the photos depict rabbits doing what they do naturally, although I confess I do occasionally pose them with holiday props. I also have a variety of styles… some cards are basically untouched photos, and others are highly Photoshopped, with “talk bubbles” and other digital modifications.

SDHRS: How many rabbits/pets do you have now?

Alison: Over the years of volunteering for SDHRS, I have faced a lot of temptation! I now have 10 rabbits and two dogs (both of them are really great with the bunnies) and three foster bunnies. And if that wasn’t enough, I also have a bunny-sitting business (which is my primary income), so there are always lots of bunnies in my home. I am home all day, so they all get lots of attention. And I’m a bit of a neat freak, so I’m very fortunate that my wonderfully supportive husband, George, helps me with the daily cleaning. He loves the bunnies, too.

SDHRS: There are so many card options out there. Why should people shop locally or from you?

Alison: Because indirectly, they are helping rabbit rescue efforts. A little more than five years ago I resigned from my job of nine years which enabled me to spend a lot more time volunteering for SDHRS and taking in more homeless rabbits (in the form of both adoptions and fostering). I started bunny-sitting and designing greeting cards to earn enough money to cover my expenses. If I didn’t have this income, I’d have to go back to back to working full-time for someone else, which would force me to cut back significantly on the volunteer work I do for SDHRS. So that’s how people are also helping SDHRS by buying my products and boarding their bunnies with me. Oh, and also, they get the cutest bunny greeting cards around.

With enough votes, Rabbitats Canada will get $25,000 from Pepsi to get started. 

Go to http://www.refresheverything.ca/rabbitatscanada You can find the Rabbitat proposal by searching for “Rabbitat” in the search spot at the top of the page.  Read through the proposal.

There are thousands of feral rabbits whose lives will depend on this including the ongoing rescue of rabbits from the University of Victoria grounds (see www.uvicrabbitrescue.com).

Large numbers of homeless feral/domestic rabbits can be safely, securely and happily housed in outdoor ‘rabbitats’ built in conjunction with animal shelters, pet rescues, institutions or on private land under the care of responsible citizens.  Instead of municipalities paying to ‘exterminate’ the rabbits, they can humanely use the funds to contribute to their containment and control.

Support Rabbitats Canada in the Pepsi Refresh Canada contest.  All you have to do is vote EVERY DAY.

If you bring in your pet between 12-5pm, you get a free photo of your pet from Hans Hallgren Photography.

AND you get 20% of your entire purchase.

Let’s show those cats and dogs that plenty of rabbits live in San Diego and appreciate hardware, too! Cord covers, anyone?

Ace Hardware at Hillcrest is a fun, old-fashioned hardware store and housewares shop with much more than just nuts and bolts. Spread over two stories, you’re sure to find something.

This is a great opportunity to spread the word about rabbits as house pets, and stock up on household items, too.

Hillcrest Hardware is located at 1007 University Avenue.

Happy New Year!

Step 1. Get a Ralph’s Rewards card at any Ralph’s store.

Step 2. Register your Ralph’s Rewards card online here. Click on the Rewards card icon in the upper right of the home page. It will prompt you to create an account.

(Note: Even if you already have a Ralph’s Rewards card, you’ll need to register it online in order to link it to SDHRS)

Step 3. Link your Rewards card to SDHRS. Go to this link and search for us under our legal name, “San Diego Companion Rabbit Society, Inc.” Follow the prompts to save our organization, linking it to your Rewards card.

Step 4: Swipe your Rewards card every time you shop and earn money to directly help rabbits in our care!

Individual purchases will begin counting towards our organization within 72 hours of registering the individual rewards Cards on-line.

If you do not have access to the online sign-up method, please call  1-800-443-4438 to learn about the alternative sign-up method.

What We Earn

Ralphs will pay each organization on a quarterly basis based on the following monthly qualifying purchases per household:

Up to $200                           1%
Between $200.01 and $350   2%
Between $350.01 and $500   3%
Over $500                           4%