(This page updated 6/22/2013)
Jason's Hollands Testimonials
Hello again friends,
Many of you have been sharing some very cool, interesting stories with me in regard to exciting things that have been happening that involve a Jason's Hollands bunny. I cannot tell you all how flattered, happy and thrilled I am to hear that together we are all making quite a difference in people's lives with bunnies. With that said, I have created a brand new testimonial page that will allow me to have an outlet to share your stories with anyone who wants to take a few moments to read through them.
I just love to hear that my bunnies are making so many people smile, be a little happier and possibly save or improve someone's life down the road. I never ever thought that I would ever feel this passionate about something in all my life. I have been blessed with this truly awesome gift of bunnies, friendship and love and I cannot say how much it means to me.
Most importantly though....we can learn from eachothers's experiences......and become the best rabbit owners we can be.
So, thanks Paul and thanks friends for all of your support and please send those testimonials soon. Thanks!
Fondly,
Jason
Jason holding Heion
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Dear Jason,
I've been telling friends and family this story lately, and I realized I need to share this with you.
I thank you so much for the gift of Charlie. Charlie is 6 1/2 months old now and he is the perfect addition to my family. He is super spunky and full of life. With hesitation and careful excitement, I emailed with you on January 27, 2013, inquiring about this one little bun you had left in the ones you were selling. I could not imagine or comprehend how wonderful it would be to bring this new baby bun home, after having just lost one of my other buns, Cooper (who was almost 3 years old), only 8 days before that. Charlie has brought so much joy to me, my parents, and my other bun, Sam (who is now 9 years old). There were so many emotions happening at the same time; I'm grateful because God has really used Charlie in helping to heal all of our hearts (Sam too- Wow, to see how he responded in losing Cooper, and then introducing Charlie was amazing!)
I miss Cooper so much; Charlie has gotten to hear wonderful stories of his older, binkying, snuggle-bun brother that he never got to meet. They would've had a blast together!
Charlie is extremely social, and everyone who meets him, loves him! He is rock solid, loves to run fast around the house, snuggle on whoever is holding him, climb on his brother's cage, launch himself like a torpedo behind my couch & commando crawl under furniture, and the list goes on. He is incredibly healthy and I love him so much (as do my parents & friends).
Thank you so much Jason! Charlie is such a gift in more ways I can ever describe or imagine.
Love,
Vicki
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Dear Jason,
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for doing what you do!!! You raise gorgeous bunnies with even more amazing personalities!
My husband and I drove 4 hrs. to get one of your bunnies and it was so worth it! It was so great to visit you and see all your bunnies on your website in person. You were so warm and welcoming. I have never met bunnies that were so friendly, happy and comfortable around people. It is so obvious that they are this way from the way you raise them. In fact, JP allows us to pick him up and trim his nails because of the way you raised him. And on top of all that, you were so wonderful explaining everything we need to do to keep JP happy and healthy.
Thank you for being so genuinely caring and helpful. Your follow-up to us really showed us how much you cared once we took him home.
When we first brought JP home, we couldn’t take our eyes off of him. He is just that adorable. And when I took him to the Bunny Vet to have him neutered, he said, “Wow, he is the most beautiful bunny I have ever seen.”
But the best part is that JP is also just as sweet as he is good looking. He runs up to me and gives me bunny kisses and then curls up next to me for some petting. Because of the way you raised him he is not afraid of loud noises. He is very comfortable to just stretch out in the middle of the floor while you walk around him.
Jason, Thank you for being a great loving breeder that is also willing to help others take care of and enjoy your wonderful bunnies. That is what makes you and your bunnies the absolute best!
Best Regards,
Elizabeth Passy
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Hey Jason!
I realize Emily has already probably e-mailed about this, but it looks like
the snow overnight is inconsequential so if 10:00am is what works for you
tomorrow then that is what works for us!
On that note, I wanted to send something so as to not totally embarrass my
children tomorrow (although honestly, they would deserve it!), and make sure
I didn't forget to say something:
Thank you very much for how you have handled communicating with
a 12yo girl - she tends to e-mail like that's all anyone would want to do
with their time, not realizing us grown-ups also have jobs and other commitments!
I purposely kept a hands off role in this to assess her level of maturity
and responsibility to make sure she was commited to owning a real-living-breathing
creature. You were very tolerant and attentive, so again, thanks.
Although she was very quiet during our visit (you'll have to take my word
that there is usually much more 'noise' coming from her!), we had a nice talk
about you and our visit with you on our ride home. Early on in our visit you
reminded me of my alpaca farm friend / mentor; your devotion to your animals
and their welfare while still trying your best to understand and match a customer's
wishes was just what I want from a breeder - no lip service. You educated
us at length with patience; you talked with us to help everyone mutually understand
what all the options are with honesty; you were genuinely interested in continuing
the relationship to ensure the best interests of the rabbit and rabbit owner
were met. I value these attributes highly.
While you don't know my mentor, please take my word for it that I mean it
as a high compliment. I am delighted to say that as I hope to continue to
bring animals into my life, I have 2 breeders / mentors whose gold standard
of care must be matched.
As I re-read my note, it sort of sounds sappy and mushy. But, I also believe
that people don't often hear the good about themselves from others; as a society
we are usually quick to judge and criticize, not necessarily speak kindly.
Over the past couple of years I have tried to make sure that if someone has
touched me (or my family) in some way (with kindness, patience, concern etc),
that I let them know that I not only recognize their effort, but also much
appreciate it. So, I guess you just have to put up with being a little mushed!
(I also made sure to tell my friend about you and how I found myself recognizing
in you what valuable qualities I found / find in her.)
Yep, never would have made it through this in person!
Emily is over the top excited and is ready to get up before
dawn to make sure we are ready to go (a mean feat for a pre-teen!) - see you
tomorrow!
Sarah
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Hi Jason,
I just wanted to send you a note to let you know how much we LOVE our 2 Holland
Lops! We purchased these cute little guys from you in June. We have named
them Mario and Nemo. Nemo is SUPER sweet!!! Mario is too, but Mario is still
a bit shy. Although, that said, he seems to become a bit more curious everyday
of his surroundings!
Nemo LOVES to get out of his cage and explore!! They live on our enclosed
Porch. We leave the door to the house open with only a baby gate up to keep
him on the porch. Porch is "bunny" proofed...so there is nothing
he can get into or chew that can hurt him. Mario rarely ventures out of his
cage...he prefers to stay in and watch the action from inside. Although he
has ventured out on occasion! Our dogs have grown attached to the bunnies
and check on them everyday. Nemo greets them at the gate when we let him out
and they sniff noses. Our golden is so nurturing and sometimes I think he
believes Nemo and Mario are his to take care of! He seems to watch out for
them when they are hopping around. I let him on the porch every morning when
feeding the bunnies...he gives them kisses through the cage! Very sweet to
watch.
My kids love their new buddies!!
Oh, and Nemo...he is now beginning (with food as an incentive ) to climb up
on our chests if we lay down on the floor. He will stay for a brief period...sniff
us...sometimes lick our face and hop off!!
As I hope you can tell...we LOVE them and thank you for helping us find great
additions to our family!!
Holly Horton
Officially adopted by my sister Lori O'Brien AKA...best Auntie ever!! : )
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Hi Jason, We bought two litter mates from you in June, a female
and a male opal pair. I just wanted to let you know how wonderful they are
doing and how much we are enjoying them. Orginally we were going to house
them in a hutch outside, I think that lasted all of a few days. I then went
and purchased an indoor cage that we put in our playroom that is air conditioned
and they have been inside ever since!! We bought them for our daughters 10th
birthday but they have weasled their way into all our hearts. Everyday they
come out to "hang" with the family, including 2 cats and 2 shih
tzu's. I dont think any of our animals realize they are of different breed,
they all co exist wonderfully. I am so excited that santa is bringing them
a little fenced area for them so that when they are in our kitchen they wont
get lost!
At first it took us a while to tell them apart, and still by looking at them
we might get them confused, but as soon as we interact with them you know
exactly which on is ollie and which one is opal because they clearly have
different personalities! The bunnies even made our christmas card this year!!
They are just bringing so much joy to our lives and we wanted to thank you
and let you know that they are well cared for and very loved!! I attached
a few pics of the grandchildren! We would recommend you and your services
to anybody. Hope you are doing well and enjoying all your bunnies!!!
Sincerely, Karen, Todd, and Olivia Smith
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Hi Jason!
I just wanted to let you know how Merlin is doing =). I had some issues at first in getting him to stay quiet through the night (he would shred the paper I use to line the bottom of his cage), but covering his cage with a blanket solved that problem! Other than that, Merlin is an incredibly well behaved rabbit! He doesn't chew ANYTHING! I've heard horror stories from other rabbit owners, but he's perfectly happy (as am I) to stick to his food and toys. He also doesn't leave poops outside of his cage, which is amazing... It was a little harder to get him to urinate INSIDE his litter box rather than on the floor of his cage, but 3 litter boxes later, we've nailed that too (we tried a high-back box and a corner box, but ultimately he likes a $2.95 cat litter box LOL). He transitioned well to the Bunny 16 pellets, and I've got enough to last him his entire life! I got him a water bottle to attach to the side of his cage, but he prefers to drink out of a bowl... go figure.
He has full run of the communal areas of the apartment, and loves to run around. I don't know what noises I expected him to make, but I was surprised at how quiet he can be! We got him a collar and bell after we kept losing him under the couch, and now we have an easier time figuring out where he is. He has just learned to jump up on things, but so far he's staying relatively low to the ground. I give him a selection of at least 3 types of veggies a week, and his favorites are Parsley and Basil which give him the best-smelling breath! Not a big fan of Cilantro or Kale though lol... Sometimes he climbs in the grocery bags to get to the herbs before I can put them out for him!
We're still working on getting him to come when called, but we'll get there eventually (I hope). His color is changing, he has a light, light brown diamond on his back end, a dark grey ring above his tail, and the cutest brown spots up on his body. I used newspaper to line his cage while I waited for the roll of brown Kraft paper I ordered to come, and the ink (Soy-based, I called to make sure it was non-toxic) rubbed off on his feet, turning them a dark grey. They're finally starting to fade back to the vanilla color they were before.
I love this little guy SO MUCH and I'm so happy that I found you... he's everything I hoped he would be! Thank you!
Lauren Holland
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Jason-
I feel like we have had Stanley for so long now, and yet it's only been a
few months. He was the perfect addition to our family. Kristian is more attached
to Stan than I ever thought he would be. Our baby has grown so much and yet
he is still super mellow and very loving. He is definitely spoiled rotten!!!
He roams around like a little prince all day, thankfully he is very consistent
with his litter box! He is a little shy, but very loving towards Kris and
I. At first Kris and I were keeping him in his "kennel" when we
weren't home and also at night while we were sleeping. After about a week,
little Stanley would chew on his bars to be let out at night, and of all people
to give in, daddy Kristian got up and put Stan in bed with us (spoiled- I
know). Ever since that night Stan has been able to roam the house as he pleases.
Funny as it may be Stanley's favorite toy is a "black box" box of
wine that is simply cut at either end. Stan is a very curious little boy,
as most rabbits are, but he has yet to get into trouble. He is actually quite
a lazy little boy! He loves to sprawl out on the floor and snooze for hours
and when he does get up he likes to find mom and dad for a good petting and
then eats and goes back to sleep. We couldn't have asked for a better pet.
Kristian's brother has a beautiful husky named Kira and we were very concerned
that Ms Kira would come over and think Stanley was a snack, or give our baby
a heart attack! We have successfully introduced the two and Stanley loves
Kira. It's so cute! He licks her paws as she just sits and watches him. We
tried to get some pictures but none have come out good so far..boo. Thank
you so much Jason, Kristian and I are blessed to have found you! You have
a wonderful brood of beautiful rabbits that are clearly very loved. Your home
is adorable, and the kids room is so organized and clean. Mind you, you were
so concerned that you wouldn't be able to sweep up and such before we arrived
to look at Stan because you were in the middle of disassembling your HUGE
saltwater fish tank, and yet the place was immaculate! I am so happy that
Stanley has been able to affect Kristian as much as my rabbits had effected
me over the years. I noticed that I couldn't directly add a testimonial to
your page but we have lots of pictures and would love to tell everyone about
our positive experience! Also, Kristian sparked this email this evening when
he said that he would really like another bunny. It was so sweet. So of course
I was SOOOO excited!!!! We would really love another little boy that could
possibly be a playmate for Stanley. I noticed that you have some new litters
so if its possible I think we would really love to have another baby soon.
Honestly we are going to be the damn bunny couple of the neighborhood, forget
the crazy cat lady! Thank you again for everything, and we look forward to
hearing from you soon! Also, I have never owned multiple rabbits at a time
so if you could give some insight on what we should do please, please tell
me everything!
Melissa, Kristian & Stanley
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Dear Jason,
Thank you so very much for our bunny, Melanic. She is absolutely the sweetest
little bunny and we adore her. My daughter, Meghan had joined the 4-H club
and was interested in getting a bunny that she could show, though the first
priority was to find a bunny that would be a wonderful pet. And Melanic has
made such an awesome pet, not only for Meghan, but for the whole family. Even
my husband has tried to beat us to the cage cleaning, and while he claims
he “just wants to help out”, we all know it’s because he
loves spending time with Melanic. Did I mention how absolutely sweet she is?
Meghan, who is 7 years old, could not be happier. Melanic’s sweet and
mellow personality made her the perfect choice for Meghan and we are grateful
to you for helping us choose the perfect bunny.
After deciding that we wanted a Holland Lop, we spent a lot of time researching
breeders. As I had no recommendations from others to go by, I knew I’d
be taking a chance in finding a good breeder. First, it was your website that
caught my attention. Your bunnies looked so happy and healthy, and it was
apparent that you took a lot of pride in raising them and loving them. Next,
after contacting you, you responded right away, answering any and all questions
I had, and in such a friendly manner. I was also impressed by the fact that
your bunnies are litter box trained. I don’t know how important this
detail is, but to me it showed that despite raising lots of bunnies, you obviously
give much time and attention to them all. I also got the impression that who
you give your bunnies to is important. Again, this shows your commitment and
dedication to ensuring the health and happiness of your “kids”.
Lastly, when we arrived at your house to pick out a bunny, we could not have
been more impressed with your home, especially the bunnies room. It was immaculate.
All the bunnies looked healthy, alert and quite content. I had no doubt that
I had chosen the perfect breeder.
And of course, your expert knowledge… Thank you for all the information
you have provided. Despite your busy schedule you have taken the time to answer
all questions I’ve asked, even after we brought Melanic home. We also
greatly appreciated the bunny informational packets you provided. Again, this
attests to your commitment, dedication and love of your “kids”
- that you want to ensure that we who are receiving one of your family will
appropriately care for and love them just as well as you have.
And, rest assured, Melanic is well cared for and loved. She has been a wonderful
addition to our family, especially for Meghan who has been doing such a great
job in taking care of her. Melanic has definitely taken a liking to her as
well and Meghan gets ecstatic at the fact that Melanic leaps right over to
her when she goes by. (Of course, what bunny wouldn’t with an owner
who spends so much time petting, playing and even reading bunny stories to
her). :)
We just can’t thank you enough. In finding any pet, it is so important
to the family, and especially to the animal, to find a responsible, caring
breeder and it is our hope that others interested in getting a Holland Lop
bunny will find their way to you.
With gratitude,
Sharon
P.S. from Meghan: Thank you for Melanic. She is a very,
very good bunny and I love her so much.
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My daughter Jaimie, who is 14, has always been interested in animals. She wants to make a career in breeding or becoming a vet. In the beginning of 2008 she was begging me for a bunny, I let her know that if we were to get one, we would go through a breeder and so we began our CT search. Your website caught my eye. I saw that you had a passion and love for bunnies and we decided to give you a call. When we took the trip to your house, I knew we would be choosing a bunny that would be a great pet. We came to your house in June of 2008 and couldn't resist the smallest male of the litter, who we named Malibu. He has been a great addition to our family and a great joy to all of us. I never knew that a bunny could have a personality and get used to, and enjoy our attention. Everyone that see's him thinks he is so cute and so friendly, I thank you for sharing all your knowledge and providing not just my daughter, but all of us a wonderful pet to enjoy. Thank you so much. We love him, he's been the greatest pet. He loves to play with us and hop around the house and he is so cute. I'm so glad we found you. We are so thankful to have him.
Beth
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Jason, you have made a huge difference in mine
and Jesse’s life. Let me explain why.
In times when people are so uncaring about animals and their needs, you continue
to reach out and open your generous heart. I still can’t get over how
you took home that bunny from the rabbit show you were at a couple of weeks
ago. In the way that you do the best for animals – regardless of how
it tortures you sometimes, gives me hope that there are good, selfless people
in this world that do have their hand on the pulse of the needs of animals
and cares about how they are feeling physically, mentally and emotionally.
For you to take the time last weekend to clear the area under your stairs
in the basement so that they would have more time to run and exercise combats
the animal abusers out there. I know that no matter what situation comes up
and how upset I get about how we need to take care of those lesser able to
take care of themselves, I know you’ll understand it through and through.
I know that when I tell you I’m concerned about one of my babies, that
you empathize with what I’m going through. That means the world to me.
Now, how you’ve changed Jesse’s life – you did it through
Darla. You should see him light up and feel the way we both light up when
we talk about her every single day. She’s one of our favorite subjects
and every single day, I look for another adoring story about her. Yesterday
he told me that the other night, when he came in the house, she was hiding
behind her favorite mirror (it’s a huge floor mirror). He picked up
his acoustic guitar I gave him and started playing. The minute she heard him
strike a string, she bolted out from behind the mirror and came immediately
to his concert. He said she’s his number one fan and she just loves
it when he plays. She doesn’t care when he makes mistakes – she
just loves the music. Told me that when he gets a little wild with a riff,
she’ll scan the room – looking all over the place. Guess it’s
just her way of reacting to his “rock and roll”. It melts Jesse
every time. Without you, there’d be no Darla and without Darla, Jesse’s
life would be so much more bland, empty, and lonely.
So thank you, Dear Heart. Your efforts and the things you’ve done truly
has changed both of our perspectives and lives.
Love you,
C
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It is only fair to the general public
that "Jason's Hollands" website be accompanied by a WARNING: DO
NOT VISIT THIS WEBSITE UNLESS YOU ARE FULLY COMMITTED TO LOVING AND ADOPTING
ONE OF THESE GORGEOUS CREATURES!! THEY ARE FAR TOO ADORABLE TO BE LOOKED AT
AND DISMISSED.
I had been considering a pet for my kindergarten classroom and was smitten
after visiting Jason's website. After sharing the site with my youngest daughter,
Meg, I knew we would be bringing one to our home. (My classroom plan got vetoed
by the principal who has an aversion to "fur and feces")
Once inquiriing about one of Jason's bunnies, we were e-mailed a wealth of
information about the nature and care of his bunnies; this was so very helpful
as we are newbies to the bunny scene.
Jason is a knowledgeable, caring breeder who truly wants the best for each
one of his Lops. When we entered Jason's home I could never have anticipated
that there was a room full of bunnies in it. The cages were clean and well-kept;
Jason referred to it affectionately as "the kid's room". It was
well-equipped with everything these kids could possibly need, want, or desire.
After some deliberation, Meg chose "Thumper", an adorable white/tan/gray
buck who has effortlessly won his way into the hearts of our family and visitors
to our home. Thumper is a wonderful pet! I know that the expertise and knowledge
that Jason shared with us before and while we were at his home made becoming
an adoptive parent to one of his kids an extremely positive and rewarding
experience.
Kristen & Meg McDermott
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Jessica's testimonial:
My daughter wanted a bunny for her birthday. She's 3. We weren't sure how sincere she was, but after 3 months had gone by, and she kept asking "When is it my birthday? My bunny is coming, right?", we supposed she was pretty serious. My daughter (Amelie)'s babysitter had recommended Jason, as they had gotten their bunny from him. They spoke so highly of him and the care he gave each and every one of his little bunnies that my husband and I thought this would be the perfect place to start. After answering so many of my questions, I made arrangements to come down to Jason's home and see the bunnies he had up for sale. First of all, when you walk into Jason's home, you would never know there were so many bunnies living there. Their living arrangements were immaculate and all were happy in their clean, cool environment. I met two little babies first, both were beautiful, but I was waiting for that "This is it!" moment, that I didn't really get with them. Next, I met Thaddeus. This little spitfire was beautiful...all black, except for a brown ring around his neck and a white belly, this rabbit was gorgeous. Immediately, my heart went out for him. Jason showed us a little brown bunny next, but my heart was already taken.
When I asked for Thad to be brought out again, Jason said "Really?"...and I said "Yes...he's beautiful." When he was placed in front of me again, he hopped right over to me and gave me a bunny kiss. He's an absolute doll.
Needless to say, Thaddeus Rex Sunshine Othello has found a forever home. When I brought him home to meet Amelie, she fell in love with him, just as I had. He's a spitfire, that's for sure, but so am I, and our personalities are perfect for each other. He greets me every morning and sits patiently when my daughter brushes him every night. We've had him now for a week, but I feel like he's always been a part of our home. He's so clean and has such a personality, it's amazing. If you have ever thought about owning a bunny, Jason is the perfect place to start. Not only is he incredibly knowledgeable about rabbits, he raises the most beautiful little creatures you've ever seen and takes an honest and heartfelt interest in how his babies are thriving in their new homes.
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Francine's testimonial:
We got a sable point Holland Lop Doe from Jason that we named Rosie.
I had been looking all over for one. I met Jason at a
rabbit show in Storrs, Ct and fell in love with
his little doe. She is a beautiful creamy color
with nice dark points and markings. She is very well typed,
AND she has the best personality. I couldn't be more
pleased with her and Jason. Jason has very nice quality
Hollands. His love and dedication to the breed is
Undeniable! Jason goes above and beyond making his customers
happy!
Francine Sampey
Cowardly Lionheads and Holland lops in MA.
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Testimonial written by Sarah - 8 years old - to Jason..........
My name is Sarah and in November I found out I have Tourettes Syndrome. In December we got a blue tort boy Holland Lop from Jason and it has helped me with my problems. Having Sonny makes me feel that animals love me. When I am holding and hugging Sonny it makes me think more about him than my tics. Having a bunny makes me feel special. Sunny is smart because he knows all about my problems and when he sees me have tics he comes over to me. He licks my face and it makes me feel the lick more than my tics. Then I forget I have Tourettes in the first place. This makes me very happy. I never want him to grow up because he really helps me. He is my best friend. Thank you for giving us Sunny and thank you for all the things you have done for us.
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Testimonial written by Janet, Sarah's mom:
Ever
think that a bunny can strengthen the love in a family and give a child with
a disability hope? You probably never thought about that and who would? We
hear stories of dogs, cats and a few other animals who have helped people
but a rabbit? Probably not! Rabbits are the unsung heroes who end up in shelters
two to three months after Easter. Even vets don’t know much about the
species Lagomorphs. If you find a rabbit savvy vet then you are lucky. Query;
What is the little creature that can come into someone’s life and transform
it? Did I hear “rabbit” ? My answer is in the affirmative. Why
a rabbit? What is it they do? So many questions and possibly a puzzled look
too. Please read on and maybe my story might inspire you to look at rabbits
differently.
We have a very close family. My husband and I have been married for 15 years and we have been blessed with three beautiful children. In November 2007 we found out our middle daughter Sarah has Tourette’s Syndrome. Finally the Neurologist gave us an answer to our question of “what is wrong with our precious daughter”?
We began to look at life differently and having a child with a disability became our new normal. They say finding out you have a child with a disability is like excitedly planning a trip to Italy. You learn all you can with the assistance of Italian guidebooks and maybe even a pick up few Italian phrases. You excitedly board a plane headed for Italy. When the plane lands the captain announces “Welcome to Holland.” Wait stop! Did he just say “Holland’? Oh yes he did. Don’t misunderstand me there is nothing wrong with Holland it’s just my trip was planned for ltaly and so I exclaim “Non capisco Olandese!”
I
wasn’t ready for Holland and although Holland is a lovely place it’s
just different from Italy. I disembarked the plane and quickly obtain a Holland
guidebook. I even learn how to speak Dutch. After the initial shock you do
catch your breath and look around. You begin to see just how beautiful Holland
is. Holland has breathtaking tulips, windmills and Holland Lops! Excuse me.
Did you just say “Holland Lops”? Yes, my trip came complete with
a Holland Lop!
Our family loves animals and we have a cage full of ratties (they are very social and friendly but that is a whole other story) and have had two pet rabbits before. Both were mini lops and wonderful pets. The passing of those rabbits was difficult and we took time before getting a new rabbit. Sarah especially has a close connection with animals. We needed to find the right rabbit because of our daughter’s disability. This new rabbit had to be sweet, hand raised, gentle and comfortable around children. I did some research on rabbits and found many websites singing the praises of the Holland Lop. After my research I began to look for a breeder.
I
interviewed a few breeders and then I found Jason’s Hollands. What a
blessing this was. Jason told me he hand raises his bunnies. This piece of
information is most important because hand raised animals are comfortable
with people and are very friendly. Jason also breeds for personality, good
health and body type. He really impressed me with his care package (I did
thoroughly read it) and his passion toward his animals. He has a true love
of this breed. I asked him many questions and he asked me quite a few also.
We went through a courtship of constant questions and interviews. During this
time I decided that I would work with no other breeder but Jason. He had a
litter that he said would be ready in a ”couple of weeks” and
I was willing to wait. I had seen a picture of this litter on his website
and grew fond of one little bunny. He was hesitant to sell him because he
and Paul were very attached to this baby and after discussing it with Paul
they decided to sell us this bunny. Jason intuitively knew this bunny would
fit in great with my family and I trusted him implicitly. This really showed
us what kind, generous, and giving people they are. I am so grateful everyday
that they sold us this bunny whom we have named Sunny. He is the sunshine
in our life.
The
first time I held Sunny he licked my hand. In that moment I knew this was
the rabbit we were meant to have. He fits into our family like a puzzle piece.
He enjoys being around people and loves us unconditionally. He jumps to the
front of the cage when we come home and when we open his cage door he greets
us with a kiss. He loves to be with all of us and especially likes the children.
All of the kids share a special relationship with him. Rebecca plays a game
with sunny where she lies on the floor and Sunny pulls on the laces on her
hooded shirts and then licks her face. She cracks up laughing. Noah our youngest
gets down on the floor and rolls balls to Sunny. It almost looks like Sunny
tries to roll them back! It is so funny to watch.
Sarah
and Sunny have formed a unique relationship. We see the healing power of this
bunny in her life everyday. She will lie down on the couch and Sunny will
hop into her lap. When she cuddles with Sunny her tics slow down and she becomes
centered. Sunny also helps her focus. She carries his picture with her to
school so when she is having a difficult day with her Tourette’s she
can pull out the picture see him. She also has a picture of sunny taped on
her desk at school so she feels he is next to her. She said it makes her feel
good inside and encourages her to work harder. It must be successful because
she is in a higher level reading and math group and recently got all A’s
with two B’s on her report card.
When
Sarah saw the doctor a month ago I told him about this rabbit helping her.
He had heard of dogs and other animals helping people but never a rabbit.
He wants me to list when the rabbit helps her and at what times. He is interested
in researching this topic and documenting it. One of Jason’s Hollands
could make it into a medical book!
Sunny
also seems to know when my husband or I are down. He will jump into our lap
and lick our face or hand. There is nothing more comforting than laying on
the couch watching TV with a warm soft bunny on you. He is very laid back
and sweet. He also loves to play and is very curious. He enjoys wearing his
harness and going for a walk outside too. When we go to feed the rats he follows
us and plays with the rat cage. The rats run to the front to greet him. He
has even made friends with the ratties. He has brought us so much joy and
happiness. The love of this rabbit has helped our family during a difficult
transition and has brought us closer together. In our family photo you will
see two parents, three children and Sunny the bunny. We are truly one big
happy family!
Jason
and Paul have also become personal friends of ours. These two men are the
most compassionate, wonderful people we know and it is an honor to call them
friends.
A note to Jason and Paul…….Jason and Paul we can’t ever thank you enough for the loving gift of Sunny. It’s as if you hand raised him for us. Your generosity can never be repaid. Just saying “Thank You” seems so small in comparison to all you have done for our family. God bless you and God bless Jason’s Hollands! May Jason’s Hollands continue to prosper and bring others the same joy Sunny has brought to us. We love you both.
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I
was looking to purchase a bunny for my 2 year old daughter. I did a lot of
research online before I found Jason's Hollands. I could feel the knowledge
and warmth just by looking at Jason's website. Once he emailed me he let me
know he had 2 bunnies available that would be good for my daughter. We picked
Zorro and he has been the perfect friend to Olivia. She smothers him with,
what I think is love all the time and he seems to enjoy it! She is learning
at a young age to take care of a pet and I think that will help he when she
gets older. Jason has answered all of our questions and has been so helpful..even
when I email more than once a day:) Thanks you for all your help and patience
and thank you for Zorro!
Sherry
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(Although the below story is not related to a Jason's Hollands bunny.....it brings several points home that we all can learn from- Thanks to Billie for sharing it)
We took Fluffy into Boston to Angell Memorial Hospital, which
is one of the best in the country. She wasn't eating and she didn't jump up
to greet us when we went over to her cage so we knew something was wrong.
We took her in there and they ran tests. She was in Renal Failure
and they discovered she had a tumor in her Uterus and one in a Mammary Gland.
She DEFIED all the Bunny Logic and pulled out of the Renal Failure and then
got strong enough so that they thought she could survive the surgery, which
she did and we brought her home. Chemo does not work with rabbits the way
it does with dogs or cats and they usually die from the side effects - not
the disease. Although they did say that if we wanted, they could give her
one treatment but we just did not want to risk it as she had pulled through
everything when, technically, she should have died from the Renal Failure.
I knew she would pull through because we loved her and she loved us back -
she was more like a child than a rabbit.
The reason she got cancer was because she had not had a litter and had not
been spayed. My husband was too afraid something would happen to her. He now
regrets that he interferred with what I knew we should have done and kept
harping at him about. She was just so precious that he was afraid something
would go wrong - well, unfortunately, it did. He learned a very hard lesson!
Especially since I had had one American Standard Bunny spayed and she was
fine!
The hospital and Oncologist there told us to give her Timothy Pellets-sparingly
and to start to introduce Romaine Lettuce, carrots, parslay and other vegetables
(we got a list) into her diet. The reason for the lettuce was not only that
they (rabbits) should have it as part of their diet, (Romaine ONLY) but also
because it would help to keep her Kidney Values normal. The Pellets are not
that good for them especially any kind that has Alfalfa in it which is almost
all of them!
That was in September and she was doing fine. We were supposed to go Florida
for the winter so they had us bring her in to get checked before we left.
We left her there for the day and when we went back to pick her up, they told
us that the cancer had spread. We cancelled going to Florida for the winter,
did not even celebrate Christmas and, since we own our own business, I was
able to take care of Fluffy, give her meds, etc. I found a lot of Holistic
products in a book called "Beyond Chemotherapy" and I ordered one
in particular that had been proven to reduce, eradicate and/or put tumors
in the lungs into remission. Fluffy had small tumors throughout her body when
they did the xrays and Ultrasound in December. The Holistic capsules that
I ordered did help and also, I found a wonderful Holistic Vet in North Carolina
who sent me different Holistic liquid medicine that had to be alternated every
other day and also Cell Salts which she got every morning and night along
with whatever medicine she was on that day. I have to say that it not only
prolonged her life but, up until the day before she died, she had a very good
quality of life. She was still hopping around a little bit and she had been
sleeping with us not in her cage for several weeks.
So now, all our Bunnies get small leafs of Romaine Lettuce, carrots, Parsley
and their Timothy Pellets and Hay that Fluffy and the rest of them had been
getting regularly.
If you or anyone you know has a rabbit that gets really ill, if you don't
have a highly "cutting edge" Animal Hospital, I would suggest that
they bring they bunny up here to Angell Memorial.
Also, if you or anyone else you know wants to go the way of Holistic Medicine,
I can help them out and/or give them the name of the Vet in North Carolina.
I actually went to a Holistic Vet a few towns away from us and got their input
which, to me, was a little to overwhelming for Fluffy and me - all pills and/or
capsules three times a day. I then had a consultation over the phone with
the Holistic Vet in N.C. and after I told him about Fluffy, he sent me liquid
medicines that I just had to put 6 drops in and add two tablespoons of bottled
water (that is all our rabbits have ever had) and give her 2CC morning and
night with a syringe orally. The Cell Salts were like a powder and she got
1/8 teaspoon with water or it could be mixed with Cream or Half and Half.
BELIEVE ME, IF I HAD NOT GOTTEN FLUFFY ON HOLISTIC MEDICINE, SHE WOULD NOT
HAVE LIVED AS LONG AS SHE DID BUT, MORE IMPORTANTLY, HER QUALITY OF LIFE WOULD
HAVE BEEN A DOWN HILL SLIDE FROM DAY ONE.
Billie
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Two years ago, I met Jesse,
my boyfriend. When I told him that I have three house rabbits, he looked at
me like I was completely crazy. He’d never met someone that kept rabbits
in their house and told me it was cruel that they weren’t living outside
‘where rabbits should be.’ For the life of him, he couldn’t
figure out why I’d have rabbits.
After a year and a half of him
getting to know my rabbits, his love for them grew more than he ever expected.
He started saying things like, “I had no idea they have such strong
personalities, they’d be so much fun, that they really don’t have
to live outside to be happy.”
In September of 2007, a friend
of mine from Texas (Cols) came up to visit me and I took her to my favorite
rabbit show in Goshen, CT. The night before we left to go to the show, I was
talking to Jesse and I said, “The hardest part for me going to this
rabbit show is not bringing one home.” Jesse promptly turned to me and
said, “Get me one!” I went back and forth with him to make sure
that he was serious. The last thing I wanted was to get a rabbit for someone
only to see it neglected when the excitement of having a baby wore off. Jesse
swore up-and-down that he had been wanting a pet for quite some time and a
dog is too high maintenance, he’s not particularly fond of cats, but
after what he’s learned about living with rabbits, he felt that a rabbit
would be a perfect pet for him.
Our next discussion was a breed which would be a good fit for him. I showed
him some rabbit magazines and every rabbit he pointed at and said, “Aww!”
about happened to be a lop. Jesse said he trusted my decision wholeheartedly
as to what breed he should have, he just wanted me to follow two rules: #1
He wanted a Buck – not a Doe, and #2 He would prefer a young rabbit
because he knows the lifespan and felt that he wanted as much time with his
rabbit as he could get. As the discussion went on, he had it all figured out,
his male rabbit would be named The General.
The next day, Cols and I were
getting ready to leave for the rabbit show early in the morning. Jesse called
and said, “Don’t forget to bring my rabbit home! Don’t come
home without The General or I’ll be really ticked.” Cols and I
loaded the car with a cage for The General and off we went. What a wonderful
day this was going to be!!
When we first walked into the
show, my blood was just pumping with excitement. I said to Cols, “Let’s
go find The General! He’s here somewhere!” In my mind, I was thinking
of getting Jesse a Dutch. As we walked into the barn, the first rabbits Cols
and I saw were five of the most beautiful little baby Holland Lops. We walked
right up to them, and I said, “Oh Cols!! Look at these Baaayyybees!”
She smiled and commented on how adorable they really were. As I was cooing
over them, totally forgetting where I was, I heard a gentleman’s voice
say, “Would you like to hold one?” I looked up and saw one of
the most gentle smiles on a man I’ve ever seen. Unknown to me at the
time, that smile was Jason’s. I said, “May I???” He said,
“Absolutely!” Two bunnies out of the five hopped to the door to
greet me. It melted my heart. I held one, and then held the other. I’ve
always picked my animals out by who gives the best hug. It was the second
one that snuggled into my neck and my heart completely left me and went right
into that rabbit. I asked if the rabbit was a male and he said, “No.
I don’t have any males for sale. I only had one male from this litter
and I’m keeping him.” Dogarnit!! I then realized, I can’t
do this. Not the first rabbits I see. I have to look around – after
all, there were hundreds of rabbits for me to pick from. I gave back the little
one in my arms and thanked him for letting me hold her. He introduced me to
Heion, Darla’s father. It was so obvious at that point that Jason had
a special way with rabbits because Heion looked at him like there was no one
else in the world other than him. I couldn’t believe how laid back and
comfortable Heion was with being handled. I thanked him again, impressed to
see the way this gentle man, this very Gentle Man, was with his rabbits. If
ever there was a day that I could see love, it would’ve been at that
moment.
Cols and I continued on our
way to find The General. We saw many beautiful rabbits that day and met their
breeders, but none as beautiful as Jason’s Hollands, and no breeders
as kind, concerned and loving with their babies than Jason was. It was clear
that Jason had put a lot of time into nurturing the babies after seeing the
way other rabbits – young and old – acted with their breeders.
In no time, we found ourselves back at Jason’s Holland’s area.
I thought to myself, ‘Maybe it was just a fluke how relaxed those two
were with me. I should go take another look.’ Cols agreed with me that
Jason had the best looking rabbits in the whole show.
Upon our return to see Jason’s babies, Jason gave me the warmest “Hello!”
I knew that this was a special man and why his rabbits loved him so much.
He was very easy to be around. His calm and loving nature illuminated the
area. Once again, I knelt down to take one out of the cage as Jason opened
it, and this time, one hopped over to me with a leap and a bound. I took the
little one out, she took to me holding her as natural as I had ever seen.
I made up my mind. “I’ll take this one!” Jason smiled and
said, “Okay! She’s yours! I’ll put her aside for you and
when you’re ready to pick her up, just come back.”
Thrilled and knowing that I
had just picked out the best rabbit from the best breeder in the show, I could
hardly contain my excitement. A very close friend of mine that was also showing
her rabbits there was as excited as I was to hear that I found ‘The
Rabbit!’ I did want her to take a look at the rabbit that I had chosen
just in case she saw something that I wouldn’t know about in the way
of body type, etc. I introduced her to Jason and asked Jason if she could
take a look at the one I picked. Without hesitation, he said “Absolutely!”
and handed the baby over to my friend. She squatted down next to one of his
milk crates, looked around, saw a bunch of fresh, clean towels folded near
Jason’s chair, picked one up and said, “May I?” He said,
“Please!”
That girl looked over that rabbit just as an ARBA Judge did. She had her on
her back, made sure she was a girl (as she says that often happens that they’re
not properly sexed) did her examination and didn’t say a word the whole
time. When she was done, she looked me straight in the eye and said, “This
rabbit is a Winner. If I was into Holland Lops, I’d definitely take
this rabbit home. The body type is great, hips are where they should be, teeth
are perfect, fur is beautiful. You picked really well. I can’t find
a thing wrong with this rabbit. Great choice!” She then apologized to
Jason for being so forward with his rabbit, to which he replied, “No!
Please don’t be sorry! I enjoyed watching you. It is clear you know
what to look for.”
That was That. I brought the
cage in for the rabbit and had a small bowl in the cage for water. I didn’t
have an extra water bottle. When I told Jason that, he generously gave me
a water bottle from his own stock – free of charge. The only thing he
made me promise was to keep in touch with him in case I had any questions
or things didn’t work out. We exchanged names and numbers and off we
went to introduce Jesse to his first pet.
As I drove up our driveway,
I honked my horn and Jesse came running downstairs. A neighbor saw that I
had this precious little baby bunny and he was asking me about the rabbit.
Jesse heard me say, “It’s a girl.” Jesse said “A GIRL???!”
I explained to him that there were no boys available, and that I truly felt
in my heart that this was the best rabbit at the show. He said, “Well
that changes everything! If it was a The General, then he could be a Man and
I wouldn’t have to worry so much about him. Now that it’s a Girl,
I have to take extra special care of her.”
We went in my apartment and
the rest of the day was spent looking at this little baby binky and trying
to pick out a name. Jesse finally said, “How about Darla?” Cols
and I both agreed that we liked the name Darla very much. He said, “I
was thinking that she’s my little Darling, and because I love your rabbit
Fauna so much, I want her to have a connection to the name too.” There
we had it, Darla – which has turned into Darla-Boo and Boo Bear.
Jesse’s life was changed that day. When I asked him the other day how
he would describe having her, he said the following:
-“She’s a doll, she’s a Princess, She’s a Queen.”
-“Whenever I have a bad day, I think of her or look at her and I forget
all the bad. I just can’t get over how cute she is.”
-“She’s got ‘tude, but I love that about her.” (He
means that she likes things certain ways and she won’t budge if you
try to convince her differently.) She plays tag with him all the time. He’s
always “It” and she can run up to him, crawl all over him, but
when he goes to pet her, she’s off running like a bolt of lightening.
-“She’s the best
thing that’s ever happened to me besides you.”
-“I sleep on the couch all the time now just to be next to my baby.”
-“I sing to her, play my guitar for her, and she sits there and loves
me for it.”
-“She’s a daughter to me.”
-“I didn’t know it was going to be this touching. She wants to
connect with me.”
-“I just love her so much. She’s my baby.”
-“She’s my mascot. She’s my Everything.”
Since adopting Darla, Jason
and I started exchanging emails. He now has turned into so much more than
Darla’s first dad to us both. We adore him, listen to his words of wisdom,
and never feel that we’re a bother when we have to ask him a question
about Darla. Although we haven’t met Paul yet, we very much look forward
to it as we know that he and Jason are cut from the same cloth. We could not
be more blessed and every day, we find at least one new reason to fall deeper
in love with Darla than the day before.
I thank you, Jason, for changing our lives for the better. We love Darla and
you more than words could ever express.
Love Always,
Carolyn
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