Meet Beans
Exciting news, folks! Maddie and I have a new addition to our little vegan family:
Meet Beans, the wonder rabbit. Beans is an English angora rabbit with a sweet personality that is loved by all, especially our littlest kitty Olive. We adopted her from my mom, who had a litter of baby bunnies on her hands after breeding 2 of her own fluffy babies. There were 5 babies in all, and the other 4 (all males) went to 2 of my mom’s friends.
Beans in her infancy, in a nest of fluff.
The only doe and last bunny to get a new home was Beans, who came to our little bungalow this past weekend. So far she’s enjoyed hopping around the house and screened porch, eating raw kale and carrots, (a girl after my own heart, let me tell ya) and cuddling with the kitties. Olive is kind of obsessed with her new baby sister, and crawls in the cage to sit with Beans every chance she gets.
Getting Beans has been a great reminder of why Maddie and I are vegan. I’ve had rabbits all of my life, and I feel a strong connection with them. They’re my spirit animal for sure, and having Beans around has given our little world a whole new feel and energy. It’s also brought up some pretty charged vegan issues for the 4 of us:
Being ethical moms. Lately, Maddie and I have been searching for ethical cat food to feed Olive and Fini. We simply can’t go to bed feeling good about ourselves each night if we’re buying a bag of cat food that isn’t good for our babies or for the planet, let alone other beings living on it. We’re in search of ethical cat foods, and if you know of any hit me up!
Animal testing. Rabbits are often the animals used for product testing. This breaks my heart, especially since they have this beautiful angelic quality surrounding them. There is not a more innocent creature, and the fact that people treat them cruelly in labs and product trials breaks my heart. So Beans serves as a good reminder to not only eat ethically but also to buy ethically. Look for the “cruelty free” symbol on the products that you buy at the store, and think of my little Beans when you shop! Bunnies are the poster pets for veganism, for a reason!
The politics behind my lifestyle. Having a traditional “fiber animal” has reaffirmed several of my vegan lifestyle choices, including the consumption and exploitation of animals’ bodies for the sake of fashion. Maddie and I don’t purchase leather, wool, silk, or any other type of animal-based product. Instead, we go for eco friendly vegan options made from cotton, bamboo, or even better THRIFTED!!! I keep thinking of little Beans being used as a wool source, and it makes me sad! Angoras are usually “plucked” (their fur literally pulled out) or shaved to “harvest” their fiber. Instead, I’m brushing Beans everyday so her fur doesn’t get matted or tangled.
Our two kitties are wonderful reminders of the beauty of animals, but little Beansy has added a new dimension. Stay tuned for even cuter Beans photos when my hard drive is fully up and running! What keeps you stuck like glue to your beliefs?
Bisous!
Rachel
I am equally torn about the ethical cat food dilemma. *sigh*
Adorable pictures of the newest addition to your happy family!
Thank you so much! We love Beans a LOT! The cat food thing is really tough and I’m pretty conflicted about it all… ideas? thoughts? Help??
Hi, Beans!! You lucked out, little bunny, by living with Maddie, Rachel and your kitty siblings! Rachel, Have you visited the blog The Vegan Elder on Blogspot? He has a house rabbit as well and I love reading his stories about her.
Ooohhh… no I haven’t but I surely will! And you’re about to get a double dose of house rabbit stories, Ann!!!
Nice! Bring ‘em on!
Awwwwwwwwe! ♥
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