We were contacted by architect Brian Cavanaugh who works through www.TheOnePercent.org. This is an organization that solicits architects to donate 1% of their time to do pro bono work for a non-profit agency. A volunteer, Katherine Lee, posted information about our project (building a permanent shelter on our Redmond Property) he saw our project and contacted us! Yippee!

This is really going to happen! Volunteers Katherine Lee, Chris Stearns and I met for the first time with Brian Friday afternoon. We left, full of excitement and a variety of tasks to do before our next meeting.

We can always use more committee members if you’re interested in this type of volunteer position. We need to find a pro bono or very reasonably priced surveyor, to layout exact property lines, show elevations, tall trees and I don’t know what else.

Contact Katherine at katherine3471@gmail.com if you’re interested in working on this committee.

We also need and appreciate donations for the building fund to make this shelter building a reality!

We got several more pieces of good news recently:

• We have applied for and received tax exempt status for our Redmond Property. This will (currently) save us around $3,700/yr that won't have to come out of our building fund.
• AND we have applied for and received our King County Animal Shelter License!

Enjoy these pictures of our recent progress!

The Official Entrance!
Finally our driveway is gravelled!
The new stairs going into the new store. We're ready to put siding on and then we're all set to open the store!

• Plumbing Experience? The drain is connected and ready to go, but we still need water plumbed for our new water saving washing machine. If someone doesn't volunteer soon Sandi's going to attempt it and we may end up finding out if rabbits can swim!
• Entrance stairs have been installed and now we need to enclose the deck area to set up a small store for basic supplies.
• Gravel has been delivered for the driveway which will keep the mud at bay!

Many thanks to our supporters for helping us with this dream of making a better life for the animals. All donations are greatly appreciated and allow us to continue this important work.

Check back next month for more updates. We will have pictures!

We have a washer/dryer where the oven/counter used to be.
We have a utility sink where the kitchen sink used to be.
The dish cupboard has lost its shelves and has become the storage area for bunny towels & rugs.

The next most daunting project is to actually tap into the sink water lines to get water to the washing machine. The drain is ready to go. We are picturing bunnies trying to swim across the adoption room floor. If there are any plumbers who could tackle that project for us, the non-swimming rabbits would appreciate it!

Our newly created utility room.
A bright and roomy new location for the housing!

NEXT ON THE TO-DO LIST:

• Store area
  Now that the deck is leveled, we need volunteers to help by enclosing the deck to make a small store where adoptors (and others) can pick up supplies.
• Outside Lights
  We need floodlights set up in order for people to come and go in the evenings.
• Plumbing
  We need pipes run a few feet to the washing machine.
• Electrical
  We still need a couple of ceiling lamps installed.
• Dryer Electrical
  There appears to be a disconnected wire somewhere under the shelter because we are only getting 110 instead of 220 to the dryer receptical. (It runs, but doesn't produce heat.)

  Although there’s still a lot of one time set up work to do, the animals have all settled in nicely and are now getting out daily for exercise.

  Daily volunteers: Can you commit to one day a week? One day every other week? One day a month?
  We need about 4 hours cleaning help in the mornings.
  The bunnies need someone to prepare & feed their veggies. This task takes appx. 3 hours each day.

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At the bottom of the page is some more information about the move, our future, and how you can get involved.

Below are some recent photographs of moving day!

Moving the housing from the North Seattle store and former home of our critters.
Are we having fun yet? A much deserved break.
Ready to Roll!

THE MOVE

Although the store will remain in Seattle, we will be moving the Adoption Center to Rabbit Meadows Sanctuary in Redmond. This beautiful 4 1/2 acre property belongs to BLRRFH (and the bank) and has been home to the hundreds of feral rabbits we have rescued over the last ten years.

The property is only seven miles out of Redmond and has recently been rezoned to allow us to have a shelter and adoption center there. Previously, King County zoning restrictions would not allow us to have the shelter there (because of the increased traffic) and so this wasn't an option. Now, we will be able to have both the sanctuary and the shelter in one location!

OUR FUTURE

We plan to soon build a shelter (no dogs or cats) with appropriate sized housing with lots of things to entertain our temporary and permanent critters, a veterinary clinic to allow us to spay/nueter our own animals, an education room, and many other things that we dream of.

GET INVOLVED!

We have almost accomplished the move thanks to all the wonderful volunteers who worked so hard to pull this off. There is still a great need for volunteers for a variety of positions, inluding caring and feeding the animals at the sanctuary, helping out in the retail store, and helping out with the web site and newsletter, and coordinatin volunteers.

If you can volunteer in any way, please contact Sandi at Sandi@RabbitRodentFerret.org. We still need these specific skills for the ongoing construction in Redmond:

Carpentry Skills and Supplies

We are converting the mobile home on the property to a temporary animal shelter. During the month of December we will be building enclosures inside the closets. We need lumber, screws, nails, cage wire and hardware, as well as people with carpentry skills.

Electrical Skills and Supplies

We will be putting up outdoor lighting and need people with electrician skills.

Plumbing Skills and Supplies

We need to purchase and install a water holding tank (due to our increased use of water for the animals and laundry.) We are on a private well. We need the water tank, plumbing supplies, and people with plumbing skills. And we need the following removed: kitchen sink, counter w/drawers and stove. And then we'll be able to install: a utility sink, washer and dryer.

If you can't volunteer your time, please consider making a 2008 tax-deductible donation to help us with this move, and with our ongoing rescue efforts.