RabbitWise®'s Bunderground Railroad is intended to function as a tool to help rabbit rescuers, rescue organizations, shelters, and sanctuaries communicate with each other and coordinate services when the need arises to make emergency plans for large numbers of rabbits who are in a life threatening situation. This happens when too many rabbits enter a shelter or organization all at once and quickly overwhelm the agency's available resources. The rabbits in this situation are at risk of being killed. To spare their lives, the BGRR transports them to other temporary or permanent situations where resources are available to them.

THE BGRR IS NOT INTENDED FOR MEMBERS OF THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO TRANSPORT SINGLE OR SEVERAL RABBITS AROUND THE COUNTRY FOR WHATEVER REASON.

THE BUNDERGROUND EXPRESS

HOW TO ACTIVATE THE BUNDERGROUND

A member or agency of the rabbit rescue community activates the Bunderground by e-mailing the coordinator of his/her home state. The e-mail address link to the State Coordinator is found at the top of the corresponding state's page in the Rescues & Sanctuaries section. If there is no SC for that state, e-mail the Head State Coordinator by clicking on the e-mail link that follows. The e-mail must contain the following information:

CONDUCTOR RABBIT

The State Coordinator will respond to the rescuer/agency and make an assessment of the situation. If finding resources and transportation to those resources around the state or around the country is indicated, the coordinator will notify the BGRR Conductor and State Coordinator Group. The group then mobilizes to find the type of emergency resources requested. These plans are done in accordance with the BGRR's policies and procedures (please see the "Principles and Resources," the "User Agreement," and the "Traveling With Rabbits" pages in this web site) and are coordinated with the requesting rescuer. It is expected that the rescuer/agency is an active participate in helping find resources and transportation and keeps the SC advised of their availability so that they may be incorporated into the rescue plan that the BGRR is devising.

PLEASE NOTE: RabbitWise®, RW's BGRR, the State Coordinators, and the Conductors do not automatically supply food, supplies, carriers, etc. for transporting rabbits. Most have their personal carriers, litter boxes, etc. for use with the BGRR but these details are worked out with the agency requesting services in the development of the rescue plan. RabbitWise and RW's BGRR do not reimburse anyone for expenditures incurred.

THE ROLE OF THE STATE COORDINATOR In accordance with the policies and procedures of RabbitWise®'s Bunderground Railroad, the State Coordinator (SC) is responsible for being familiar with the statewide resources available to rabbits: shelters, rescue organizations, sanctuaries, etc. The SC is responsible for frequently checking the postings on the BGRR SC and Conductor group to identify emerging acute situations posted by other group members and to offer assistance where applicable. When a request comes in to activate the BGRR, the SC is responsible for responding to the request by assessing the situation and collecting the information about the type of assistance requested, information about the rabbits, and information about the requesting rescuer/agency as outlined above in How to Activate the Bunderground. After making an assessment, the SC decides whether or not the rabbits are in an urgent or emergent situation. If so, s/he will activate the BGRR by posting a message asking for help on the BGRR SC and Conductor group. The post will include the above assessment information. Led by the SC, the group, in conjunction with the agency requesting BGRR services, will formulate and coordinate the specifics of the rescue plan: collecting, transporting, and tracking the rabbits to safety.   The SC will act as the administrative contact for reporting of the rescue plan. The actual plan is carried out by the conductors who are receiving and transporting the rabbits and report the status of the rescue plan to the SC. The SC will inform the rescuer/agency who requested assistance that the BGRR has been activated and provide the requester with periodic updates about the status of the rescue plan. When the rabbits are secure, the conductor will report their status to the SC. At this point the BGRR will be deactivated and the agencies that accepted the rabbits will make further plans for them.       THE ROLE OF THE CONDUCTOR In accordance with the guidelines of RabbitWise®'s BGRR, the Conductors are responsible for receiving the endangered rabbits and transporting them to a designated safe destination or on one leg toward that destination. Upon initial contact, the Conductor will assess the rabbit(s) for signs of stress, disease, and any acute medical needs. Steps should be taken by the requesting agency to ameliorate these conditions. The Conductor will make recommendations, if necessary, about preparing the rabbit(s) for travel. The Conductor will ensure that documentation of these issues and steps taken to relieve them, are put in writing and accompany the corresponding rabbit(s) to his/her destination. If the rabbit has been seen by a vet, documentation of the vet exam and recommended treatments must be obtained for each rabbit. Any known history of an individual rabbit is to be recorded and accompany each rabbit to his/her destination. The Conductor will collect these records to travel with the corresponding rabbit. Known cases of infectious disease (EC for example), insect and/or parasite infestation must be kept isolated from healthy rabbits. Intact rabbits (not spayed or neutered) must be kept separated. The Conductor will arrange travel accommodations to the extent possible to accommodate for these situations. The Conductor will inform the State Coordinator (SC) when the rabbits have been received from the organization, when they are being transported, and when they reach their destination. The Conductors will make specific plans with the SCs, other Conductors, rescuers, and organizations for transporting and receiving the rabbits THAT ARE WITHIN THE CONFINES OF THE ASSISTANCE REQUESTED. This will be done within the BGRR SC & Conductor group. The SC, if not already involved, will be informed once a plan is formulated and implemented.