4H/FFA students exhibit rabbits they raised as school projects while ARBA judges officiate competition.
Some rabbits are sold for meat,
others as breeding stock.
When the fair becomes a furnace
It is unfair to force suffering in the name of competition. The mission is to empower the youth by teaching leadership skills and animal husbandry, but on a hot summer day the project becomes a test on their physiological ability to survive. while on display.
Are we allowing tradition to override basic welfare needs?
Are we teaching future agricultural leaders that science stops when profit starts?
Rabbits cannot sweat, so fans have limited effectiveness
and the on-site vet''s use of frozen water bottles = risk acknowledgement. Probably better to be proactive, rather than reactive, when it comes to preventing illness.
Panting is the cardinal sign of heat stroke,
as noted by these experts
Rabbits in heat distress at the Sonoma County Fair
DEMAND
FOOT REST MANDATE
Require the use of plastic foot rests in all enclosures that utilize wire mesh flooring.
HEAT CANCELLATION POLICY
Mandate the cancellation of rabbit exhibits whenever the forecasted high temperature reaches or exceeds 85°F.
NEW
POLICIES
Honorable Mention
