Cumming Fair

[Caroline Hess]

I just got a call from a woman who says they are giving away rabbits and ducks as prizes at the Cumming Fair. I wasn't aware of that, but we should expect phone calls from folks with kids who have won bunnies. I don't think we can do much about it this year since the Fair will be over on Sunday, but this lady is going to call me back with a phone number and the name of a Fair administrator. She already called and complained to them and she also complained to the USDA, but, of course, they said it was perfectly legitimate. The administrator said they require parents to sign a waiver so the kids can win the animals, but according to this woman, a friend of hers has a granddaughter who won a rabbit and she didn't think there were any waivers signed.

 

I'll e-mail the number of the Fair administrator when she sends it to me. Not sure how you would want to proceed, but it's something to talk about.

 

Caroline

 

 

 

[Caroline Hess]

The name of the Director of the Cumming Fair is Dave Horton and his number is 770-781-3491. Rose contacted the Atlanta Dept of Agriculture at 404-656-4914 and let them know. She was told that it is illegal for fairs to do this, so we should all probably make a phone call to make our complaints known. (Ronda Lawrence is the woman who called me with the original information).

 

Caroline

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[Johna]

Well, this is upsetting. Thanks for gathering the info Caroline.

Will the DOA be following up in this do you know?

And who do we need to contact and lodge complaints with? The DOA or the fair director?

Johna

Sent from my iPhone 

[Caroline Hess]

Both. I put the numbers on our facebook page for all of our friends. This is happening this weekend, so calling today would be best. I don't know if we can stop them from continuing this weekend, but we should at least try.

 

Caroline

[ellen.s...@yahoo.com]

Yes, this is very upsetting!  There is a Facebook group called stop Rabbit scrambles, which has had a lot of good information about fairs that give away rabbits and how illegal it is. I also have a friend who just started working for the department of agriculture, and she's also a bunny owner. I can contact her and let her know. I don't know what area she works in, but it might help.  Is there anything else we can do?

Also, my friend just told me about a pumpkin patch right off the highway at Hamilton Mill and I-85, where they are selling a lot of rabbits with cages for $50.  I guess this is not illegal, but I don't like seeing that impulse kind of selling.  Kids are coming to get pumpkins and going home with impulse bunnies.  

Ellen

[Johna]

I don't know? Is it legal for people to be selling rabbits?

I believe this was the loophole we used with jelly stone park! I think you have to be a licensed business to sell animals

This reminds me of a suggestion I wanted to make at our meeting and have floated previously....

I think we need a new division of the org. One that handles laws and legislation.

Part of our mission statement is to advocate and make rabbits as respected and protects as dogs and cats. I'm order to do this, we need to work on the laws within our state and fight for change. 

This could be a whole new division with a new department chair. Perhaps we can get some volunteers from local colleges or people who have retired but used to work for the state or counties to help

I really do believe this is an area we desperately need to develop, even if it's slowly 

J

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[Rose Doyle]

I spoke with Darlene from the DOA and she that the fair can give away free bunnies as prizes if they have a license.  Darlene also said that someone from the DOA is looking into this matter to make sure that they do indeed have a license. 

Rose Doyle
Shelter Manager - GHRS

 

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CC: cara...@comcast.net; GHRS-bunny-com...@googlegroups.com
From: email...@yahoo.com
Subject: Re: Cumming Fair
Date: Fri, 11 Oct 2013 15:36:23 -0400
To: ellen.s...@yahoo.com

[Johna]

I spoke with Edie and the pumpkin patch selling rabbits is likely illegally doing so.

In order to sell or adopt animals in Georgia, one must have a license. 

If someone has details on where this patch is, we can make complaints about this and the DOA could investigate and shut them down.

If you have more specifics about This place in Hamilton mill, please pass them on :)

Sent from my iPhone 

[ellen.s...@yahoo.com]

I'm going to see if I can look it up, but I was told it was right off the Hamilton Mill exit.  She said you can't miss it.  Let me google it. 

[Caroline Hess]

I spoke to Dave Horton (Director of the Cumming Fair) and he said he had also heard from the GA Dept of Ag about this. Apparently, they  have been getting some calls from rabbit people. Good! He was told that it is legal as long as the vendors have licenses. I asked him to please consider the lives of the rabbits and ducks that were being sold or given away to unaware families and told him that treating animals as commodities did not set a good example for our children. He said that he would consider my points when they discuss plans for next year. The more he hears our concerns, the better chance of getting this gimmick removed from future Fairs.

[Johna]

Wonderful start! I do hope he takes it into consideration. 

Perhaps this is a future project....literature that can be sent or handed to fair directors that expressly deal with the consequences of handing out bunnies

People do not act on that which they don't know...or something to that effect

They might not at all realize what happens to some of these animals, that they suffer or die or that it strains our shelter.

Making them aware can be the deciding factor here. 

Thanks for looking into this 

Johna
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