February
2001
Alice
Hopper: Activist Bunny
By
Carol Moon
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She
was rescued from a restaurant where the chef promised that he would
kill her in the morning. She spent the next four and a half years in
the home of six cats, two parakeets and an animal rights activist. She
left this conscious world on November 9, 2000 after suffering a possible
heart attack which caused a startled leap from her favorite couch and
a possible massive head trauma.
Alice Hopper, activist bunny, earned her place in history by educating
hundreds of people about the wonder of rabbits and the horrors of their
exploitation. Boldly, she endured childish grabs at her ears, awkward
adult attempts to cradle her body (so unlike their own cat or dog friends),
and the unwelcome sniffing of curious canines. She persevered because
she was part of a team—an informal team of two—formed for
the express purpose of educating those who already had enough empathy
to admire the “cute bunny.”
Rabbits get abuse from all angles—they’re eaten, worn, and
experimented on, as well as hunted. It didn’t take much for the
human activist to start a conversation in the park with one of Alice’s
many inquisitive admirers. Explanations like: “She was rescued
from a restaurant, but she’s safe now because I don’t eat
animals,” or “She eats everything I eat because I’m a
vegan,” always worked for the food angle. Her mere presence demonstrated
how beautiful her fur coat looks on her and not on someone’s ear
muffs. The pictures that sometimes accompanied her showed identical
rabbits with white coats and pink eyes immobilized in stocks awaiting
the incomprehensible torture of the Draize test, where chemicals are
poured into a bunny’s eyes to test for toxicity. While her human
companion may have used words to describe this suffering to members
of the oppressing species, Alice’s patience, beauty and serenity
spoke to their hearts.
Together, Alice Hopper and her human friend gathered over 400 signatures
against Procter & Gamble’s use of animal experimentation simply
by wandering through parks, while Alice wore her red bandana sporting
“Boycott Procter & Gamble!” stickers. They visited numerous
schools and nursing homes, always silently proclaiming the message that
rabbits are amazing beings worthy of respect. For many open-hearted
homo sapiens, she inspired love. The appropriate literature was usually
available so that this love and respect could be transferred to other
rabbits and other species.
Alice’s exit was unexpected and untimely, occurring, as it did,
the morning she was scheduled to visit an elementary school. But Alice
visited that school anyway, in spirit. Her best friend taught the students
that no animal should be used, abused, owned, or disrespected and that
it is OK to cry when one of your animal friends leaves this earth. Alice
loved her job and she will keep doing it with the help of those who
remember and love her.
Speaking as the activist lucky enough to share Alice’s home and
mission, I feel incredibly blessed. Despite the chewed electrical cords,
the demolished couch, and the intensified housekeeping chores, there
was nothing as thrilling as her soft, rabbit tongue licking my hand
as I rubbed her ears or as heartwarming as watching her munch down treats
of pink wafers, apples and peanut butter, or baked tofu (she really
did eat every thing I ate).
Alice Hopper was an ambassador for rabbits and, ultimately, for all
sentient, but voiceless, animals. Her mere presence engendered compassion.
Her strength and gentleness changed lives. In the efforts of all those
who teach compassion for all beings through words or example, Alice
lives on!
Carol Moon is Farm Sanctuary’s Humane Educator and
works in New York City. To learn more about their campaigns or to volunteer,
contact (212) 567-4556 or kids@farmsanctuary.org,
and visit www.farmsanctuary.org.
