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Crossbred Rabbits

22 11:27:32

Question
In my county fair we have a few people that are wanting to get rid of the Crossbred Category.  This means that it would take out almost a third of our show.  I am going to the fair board meeting and protesting this.  I am going to give a speech about this but see, no one not even the person who wants them to go can give me a justifiable reason for them to leave.  I have called the ARNB i think it is... something like that and they said that they dont reconize them and they dont like them.  I am an expert in the swine category and we PROMOTE crossbred, because of the merits that they have.  Most crossbreds will beat a purebred!  Can you explain why they dont like Crossbreds? Please responds as soon as you can we have the meeting tonite and maybe i can understand this better,  Thank you!

Answer
I wouldn't subject any rabbit--crossbred or purebred--to the stress of a county fair or rabbit show.  If the committee does decide to do away with the "crossbreed" category, the real winners will be the hybrid rabbits, who will not have to sit for hours in a cage while lots of strange people parade by, poking at them.

Hybrid rabbits are generally healthier than purebreds, and the reason some breeders don't want them in the show is because they don't have any set "standards" for judging.  But because they are not as inbred as purebred rabbits, they don't conform to a particular size, color, or shape.  You'll have to ask the breeders why they object to that.

But I hope you'll have a change of heart and not subject *any* of your bunnies to being in a show.  Rabbits are highly intelligent, social with their families, but wary of strangers because they are a prey species.  Strange surroundings are very stressful to all but the most unusual bunny.

For more information on the proper care of your rabbit friends, please visit www.rabbit.org and join the many people who want to educate the public about the *real* nature of rabbits--not just their value as "livestock."

Hope that helps.

Dana