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An Open Letter To Tractor Supply Company NOTE: The following letter was written by Marlene Richardson, Vice-President of Bunny Rescue of Tennessee, and sent to Tractor Supply Company, a farm and ranch retail store located in forty states, to attempt to end their sales of rabbits as Easter souvenirs. Read Bunny Rescue President Laurie Montgomery's letter here. We are asking our members in those areas where Tractor Supply Company stores are located to contact the company and request that they stop selling rabbits--at Easter or any other time. Email them at customerservice@tractorsupply.comMr. Jim Wright Chief Executive Officer Tractor Supply Company 200 Powell Place Brentwood, TN 37027 Dear Mr. Wright: "Share information. " "Value different viewpoints." "Learn from each other." "Use good judgment." "Do the right thing." I'm sure you recognize these statements from your company "Values" which are published on your website and in your marketing materials. My name is Marlene Richardson, and I am the Vice President of Bunny Rescue (www.bunnyrescue.net), a local rabbit rescue here in middle Tennessee, and part of the National House Rabbit Society (www.rabbit.org). In light of your TSC core values, I hope you will value my viewpoint, learn from me, use good judgment, and, most importantly, do the right thing. Every year, we rescue hundreds of rabbits that were originally purchased at various Tractor Supply stores. On behalf of Bunny Rescue, I ask you to PLEASE DISCONTINUE YOUR PRACTICE OF SELLING LIVE RABBITS. Through the sale of rabbits and other small animals, TSC is choosing to contribute to the animal overpopulation problems we see every day. I am asking you to immediately change your policy on this matter. Until this happens, I intend to boycott your stores and will not spend another penny in any TSC. I also intend to advise my network of co-workers, family and friends to do the same. Members of Bunny Rescue and members of our national network, the House Rabbit Society (www.rabbit.org), will not patronize a company that exploits rabbits for profit. According to the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), rabbits are the third most frequently relinquished animals at shelters in America today! Most people are unaware of this fact, and of how many thousands are surrendered, and euthanized, after the Easter holiday - when the novelty of the seasonal gift wears off. Several years ago, I saved a malnourished, lop rabbit from certain death at the hands of his human family. They had purchased two "Easter bunnies" at TSC, and had already allowed one to die in the dirty, outdoor hutch. They were planning to turn this rabbit out into the woods because they had grown bored with it. I have learned, first hand, so many of these TSC Easter "gifts" meet this same fate, or much worse, every year. Why can't we all be on the same team, working together? If you will put an end to this horrible seasonal practice, new and productive relationships between the 8,000+ rabbit rescue organizations and 900+ TSC stores across the country would flourish, and you would be part of the solution, not the problem. Together, we could host rabbit education days in your stores, which could build customer traffic and repeat sales in rabbit-related products. Compared to the one-time $10 sale of a live rabbit, which, statistics indicate will die or be surrendered, TSC would actually profit MORE from selling maintenance supplies (pellets, hay, treats, toys, litter, etc) that would require dedicated rabbit owners to return to your store again and again. Rescue organizations across the country would proudly recommend TSC to their adopters as a "rabbit-friendly" retailer in which to feel good about purchasing pet supplies. The House Rabbit Society, of which Bunny Rescue is a member, has grown to more than 8,000 members, receives over two million website hits each month, and continues to educate pet owners, veterinarians, other rescue groups, and the general public. As of 2010, HRS volunteers have saved and rehabilitated well over 20,000 rabbits. Imagine this large, national, non-profit organization commending and recommending Tractor Supply Company for valuing our viewpoint, learning from us, using good judgment and doing the right thing. Please, Mr. Wright, DO THE RIGHT THING. Sincerely, Marlene Richardson Vice President Bunny Rescue |
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 House Rabbit Society is a non-profit rescue and education group. We welcome your feedback and appreciate your donations. Please join today! |