"WildBunBunch" Listserv

These are the Bylaws for the WildBunBunch ("WildBunBunch" should be understood to include WildBunBunch and all of it's related publications):

This is the same information as that contained in the regular list posting of the WildBunBunch (WBB) Guidelines.  Please save a copy of this information for your reference as a subscriber to WildBunBunch.  Please refer to the Jackson Family Website Terms of Use for further information pertaining to participation as a subscriber to the WildBunBunch.

The WildBunBunch group is for those bun owners who have taken on the challenge of trying to raise and care for wild rabbits in a domesticated environment.  WildBunBunch's Advisory Committee (WBBAC) suggests that members consider subscribing to the EtherBun list, too.  EtherBun is a rich resource for bun-related information and support.  WildBunBunch is only for those topics referencing wild rabbits that would be inappropriate for EtherBun.  [WildBunBunch is in no way associated with EtherBun, and the EtherBun Advisory Committee (EBAC) does not endorse it.  For information about EtherBun, to review the EB Guidelines, or to link to the EtherBun Archives, please visit the EB home page at <http://www.bio.miami.edu/taulai/etherbun.html>]

The WildBunBunch Advisory Committee (henceforth referred to in this document as "WBBAC") maintains the usual common sense standards for a group.  The members of the WildBunBunch Advisory Committee are:

- Mike Jackson (Listowner)

Welcome to the challenging world of loving and raising wild buns!

Please note that WildBunBunch Bylaws require all subscribers to retain this information in case of a later need to refer to the instructions and policies contained herein.  You should either print this out and store it where you can easily find it later, or save a copy of the monthly posting to WildBunBunch.

General Information:
WildBunBunch Bylaws and Information: <http://www.melas.org/wbb-bylaw.html>
Yahoo! Groups Information: <http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wildbunbunch>
To Post a Message: <WildBunBunch@yahoogroups.com>
To Subscribe: <wildbunbunch-subscribe@yahoogroups.com>
To Unsubscribe: <wildbunbunch-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com>
To Contact the Listowner: <wildbunbunch-owner@yahoogroups.com>

Second and third party subscriptions (someone subscribing for someone else, etc.) are not allowed, and will not be approved.  Subscribing establishes an agreement between the subscriber and WBBAC that the subscriber will adhere to the List Bylaws in their use of WildBunBunch.

WildBunBunch is a "closed" list, which means that users will apply for approval to subscribe to the List.  New subscribers may be placed on "approval" for at least the first two weeks of their subscription.  WBBAC feels that this will help to provide a greater degree of privacy, as well as to help prevent list "lurkers" or "spammers" from becoming a nuisance.

All posts to WildBunBunch shall be considered private and confidential.  No part of WildBunBunch or the whole thereof may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, by posting to an Internet chat or bulletin board or otherwise.  Absent any particular notices, a subscriber may make copies of copyrighted, patented, trademarked, or other proprietary materials posted to the WildBunBunch, provided that the materials are exclusively for personal use and that any notices contained in the materials are maintained.  However, the entire content of WildBunBunch, its Digest, and its related archives are copyrighted as a collective work under the US Copyright laws and copying, redistribution, or publication of any part of the service is prohibited except as otherwise provided.  By submitting posts to WildBunBunch, subscribers grant WBBAC an unrestricted, royalty-free perpetual right and license to use, reproduce, modify, publish, translate and distribute said posts as a permanent part of WildBunBunch and its archives.

(An explanation of that last sentence above: This permission is needed in order to publish your posts as part of the List.  When the listserv sends a copy of your post to the subscribership it's legally considered as "publishing".  As stated below in the "Listserv Policy", Your posts will not be edited.  The "modify" referred to above, refers to the process that the listserv uses to format your post before it sends it to the List subscribership.)

The subscription process does not offer any means of identifying the age of a potential subscriber.  The responsibility of preventing the subscription of a minor child, and of supervising said child's access to the List postings, is the responsibility of the parent or guardian, and not the responsibility of the List membership, the List Administrators, or the listserv host.  Identification of a List member as a minor child, without prior approval of the child's parent or guardian, will result in the immediate termination of the subscription.

Good manners and concern for the feelings of the others on the List will be expected of all List members.  Unkindness, rudeness, threats, lewdness, ethnic or racial prejudice, off-color (sexually-oriented) humor, or harsh, vulgar, or religious-based profanity will not be permitted.  The use of mild profanity, while discouraged, is permitted; though it is suggested that substitutes be used for the actual words (I.e. "damn" = "d__n", "[expletive]" = "@#$%#!&", etc..)  Offenders will be warned, then unsubscribed if their offending behavior persists.

Due to the nature of our common bond, occasional disagreements will naturally occur over many different subjects.  Healthy "discussions" are fine, but "knock 'em down and drag 'em out" arguments will not be allowed.  "Venting" is also permitted, but not when it is directed at the List subscribership.  A note for folks new to the Internet, using all upper case or capitals when you email is generally seen on the Internet as SHOUTING AT THE RECIPIENT(S).  Try using asterisks for emphasis, *example*, or underscores, _example_, instead.

NOTE: While WBBAC has no desire to interfere in the private correspondence of the List subscribership, it is hoped and encouraged that List members will carry the gracious atmosphere of the WildBunBunch over into their private correspondence with other List members.

If you become the victim of a private flame because of something that occurred on WildBunBunch, please send an attached copy of the flame post via email to <wildbunbunch-owner@yahoogroups.com>.  At the discretion of the WildBunBunch Advisory Committee, the perpetrator will be warned and/or deleted from WildBunBunch.

A wonderful reference on "Netiquette" by Randy Ryan is available for your reading pleasure by clicking on the title of his work in this sentence, or on the link below:
"Netiquette"
by Randy Ryan

It is preferred that all posts to WildBunBunch be in "normal" email format (Plain Text/MIME format).  HTML-coded posts virtually double the size of emails, a very real concern to those subscribers who pay by the "piece" or byte for their email service(s).  Another concern is that it is possible for an HTML-coded post to contain malicious coding that could harm a user's computer system.  Posts with attached files and "Forwarded As Attachment" posts will be filtered out by the listserv service.

Off-topic posting to WildBunBunch is strongly discouraged.  "Off-topic" refers to a subject that is not related to the general theme of WildBunBunch, that being the challenge of trying to raise and care for wild rabbits in a domesticated environment.  Birthday greetings, children winning awards, special things in subscriber's lives, etc. are acceptable, but only if they are contained in the body of a longer, on-topic message as a small footnote or postscript ("PS").

Please note that anyone who deliberately posts off topic messages may be removed from the list without further warning or notice.  Please do not post any message to the list unless you are sure it is on topic.  If you are not sure of your post being on topic, please do one of the following:

1. Consult these guidelines, to check criteria for on-topic posts.
   
2. If you are still not sure of your post being on topic, consult one of the members of WBBAC privately.
   

Special Note: "Administrivia" posts (which are a normal function of most listservs, and are almost always off-topic) are exempt from this rule; however, replying to an "Administrivia" post is considered off-topic.  Subscribers are not to use the word "administrivia" in any of their posts to the list.  Replies to "Administrivia" posts, and questions concerning any other aspect of List administration should be addressed to the List Administrator at <wildbunbunch-owner@yahoogroups.com>  These posts should NEVER be sent to the List.  

(NOTE: Posts concerning these subjects will receive no written response if sent to WBBAC by any method other than the email address given above.)

There will be no advertising or "spamming" allowed on WildBunBunch, as both are off-topic.  Surveys, only on subjects related to the List topic, must be approved by WBBAC prior to posting.  One common unfortunate breach of listserv etiquette is the forwarding of a document, announcement, or other large publication by a subscriber who feels that it's of the greatest interest to everyone else on the List.  This is really a form of "spam", and it clogs up the List and some folk's email accounts.  There are several easy ways to avoid this problem:

1. One is to summarize the publication in one or two sentences or in a small paragraph, email the summary to the List, and offer to forward the actual item to any interested subscriber's personal email address.
   
   
2. The other is to offer the publication to a website that will make it available to their visitors.  This will also allow you to just send the website address (URL, http://www.whatever) to the List with a short description of the publication.
   

Using "Carbon Copy" ("Courtesy Copy" in some countries), sometimes called "CC'ing", is permitted, but is discouraged in posts to MitoDragon.  "CC'ing" can add unnecessary size to your posts and inadvertently reveal the addresses of your other correspondents to the list subscribership.

Using more than a few addresses in the "To:" field is also considered improper nettiqette by most list owners.  If a subscriber's use of multiple addresses becomes excessive, it may result in some of the subscriber's messages not posting to the list.

"Culling" of email addresses from List posts or from any WildBunBunch-related publication is strictly forbidden.  There is software available that enables a user to extract, or "cull", email addresses from the email that the user receives.  This is usually done to create mailing lists for bulk mailings.  When this is done with posts from the List it is the same as "stealing" the return addresses from another person's mail.  If a List member is found to have engaged in this practice, using the List membership, they will be immediately unsubscribed from the List.

WildBunBunch subscribers generally consider their wild rabbits to be rehabilitated wildlife and intended for return to their natural habitat.  They are aware that there is a severe domestic rabbit overpopulation problem which results in thousands of rabbits being abandoned/euthanized every year.  Because this is a list devoted to the care, behavior, health and biology of wild rabbits, and not about producing any breed of rabbit for either pleasure or profit, please note that the following subjects are not appropriate for discussion on WildBunBunch:

1. Rabbit breeding (techniques, supplies, birth announcements, etc.).
   
2. Rabbits as food or any other "product."
   

Despite the fact that some breeders may, in their own way, care about their rabbits, we cannot condone rabbit breeding, and therefore any discussion of rabbit breeding on WildBunBunch is strictly prohibited.

Our wild rabbits are beloved, respected members of our environment and, in very rare cases, respected members of our families.  A large number of WildBunBunch subscribers are not only devoted to their wild rabbit rescues/companions, but also are deeply involved in rabbit rescue.  Many WildBunBunch subscribers spend a large portion of their lives and a huge chunk of their annual income rescuing rabbits that were abandoned or dumped when their purchasers grew tired of them.  Almost without exception, those rabbits came from a breeder (either directly, or via a pet dealer) who raises rabbits for fun and/or profit.

If you breed rabbits, do NOT identify yourself as a breeder, or ever talk about your breeding operation in any way.  If you do so, you will be immediately unsubscribed from WildBunBunch.  If you love your rabbits, we hope that reading WildBunBunch posts will enlighten you about how intelligent, sentient and deserving of love all rabbits are, both wild and domestic breeds.  Once you read about how much WildBunBunch subscribers love their rabbit rescues/companions, you might decide to get involved in the rescue efforts yourself.  We welcome you to do that!

Animal rights issues, while important to many of us on WildBunBunch, are not an appropriate topic for WildBunBunch, as they do not directly pertain to the health, care, behavior and biology of wild rabbits.  Animal rights issues tend to elicit intense emotions on both sides, inviting flame wars.  Because of this, we do not allow their discussion on WildBunBunch.

Because WildBunBunch is dedicated to the challenge of trying to raise and care for wild rabbits in a domesticated environment, and because of the legal constraints in some areas that prohibit the adoption/ownership of wild rabbits, we do not allow advertising of any sort for adoptions of wild rabbits.  This guideline does *not* apply to emergency situations in which a rabbit is in imminent danger of death if immediate, temporary housing cannot be found.  Such emergency messages may be posted at any time.

However, WildBunBunch is not intended to be a source for people attempting to abandon their pets!  Do NOT post a message if you are "trying to find a home for your bunny."  Such posts are strictly prohibited and will result in your immediate removal from the list, without further warning.

WildBunBunch is a list about wild rabbits.  Discussions about the care, behavior, health and biology of wild rabbits and how it compares to that of domesticated companion rabbits is acceptable.

Because there are few or no wild rabbit experts on WildBunBunch, WBBAC strongly suggests that subscribers refer to the section at the House Rabbit Society's web site (<http://www.rabbit.org>) on what to do if you find a nest of wild rabbits.  If you need help with wild rabbits or with an orphaned litter of wild baby rabbits, please go to the Wildlife Rehabilitation Information Directory at <http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028>.


The List Bylaws are detailed and lengthy in order to cover the legal aspects of running the listserv, but in actual fact, boil down to just six "ideals":

1. Be nice, even if you're ticked off.
   
   
2. Be willing to accept that someone can have an opinion different from your own, and be gracious enough to allow them to post freely about it.
   
   
3. Share what you've learned, or are learning, at any level that you wish; but remember, there are more potatoes eaten around the world, than there are dishes of "fugu" (pufferfish.) <smile>  (It takes 10 minutes to learn to prepare a potato, 10 years for the "fugu", and some folk still die from eating it!  Keep it simple and folks are more likely to listen to and understand what you write.)
   
   
4. If you have a complaint about something posted on the list, please write to WBBAC at <wildbunbunch-owner@yahoogroups.com>, and not to the list.  The first thing that is read after personal email are the Administrative Inquiries that come in from the listserv.  Not only will WBBAC read your post, but we will try to help you find a solution.
   
   
5. If you want to share a particular list post with someone who is not a list subscriber you must ask for the permission of the person who wrote that post (and the permission of the person who wrote any post quoted in a reply.)  Under no circumstances, print out for distribution or otherwise publish any part of WildBunBunch, or any of its related publications, except for your own personal use.  This is to protect everyone's privacy.  (This includes forwarding said content to someone who is not a subscriber.)
   
   
6. If your posts don't appear on the list, please don't panic or take offense.  It may have been an automatic response from the listserv to something in your post.  Sometimes the problem isn't even with the listserv, but with the Internet or your ISP's mail server, or WBBAC may have set your subscription to review for some reason.  Write WBBAC using the above address, ask, and we will let you know what's up.
   
   "When I want to speak let me think first:
   Is it true?
   Is it kind?
   Is it necessary?
   If not, let it be left unsaid."
   - Maltbie Babcock (1858-1901)
   

WBBAC's Listserv Policy on Information and Opinions Expressed on the WildBunBunch:

WBBAC makes no representations or warranties with respect to any information contained or opinions expressed on WildBunBunch (other than WBBAC's own), and does not endorse, oppose, or edit any opinion expressed by a subscriber or information or material provided by a third party.  Subscribers should exercise care in evaluating such information and opinions.

WBBAC does not guarantee the accuracy or completeness of any information or content, nor its merchant ability or fitness for any particular purpose.  In some instances, the information provided may represent opinion and judgment and/or may have been supplied by a subscriber not in any way under agreement with WBBAC.  Under no circumstances will WBBAC be liable for any consequential or incidental loss, damage or other claims or demands arising out of a subscriber's reliance on information obtained on the WildBunBunch.

WBBAC reserves the right to monitor all posts to WildBunBunch to ensure that online standards are being maintained.  WBBAC reserves the right to disclose any information on records to satisfy any law, regulation or other governmental request and to maintain the WildBunBunch's online standards of conduct.

WBBAC reserves the right to cooperate fully with local, state and/or federal officials in any investigation relating to any Content, including email, posted to this list or the unlawful online activities of any subscriber.  WBBAC also reserves the right to remove any Content that WBBAC deems in its sole discretion to be unacceptable, undesirable, or in violation of these terms and conditions, and to terminate the privileges of any subscriber who misuses or fails to abide by these terms and conditions.

Limitation of Liability and Disclaimer of Warranty:

Subscribers to WildBunBunch expressly agree that use of WildBunBunch is at the subscriber's sole risk.  WBBAC does not warrant that WildBunBunch will be uninterrupted or error free; nor does WBBAC make any warranty as to the results that may be obtained from the use of WildBunBunch, or as to the accuracy, reliability or content of any information, service, or merchandise contained in or provided through the WildBunBunch.  WBBAC reserves the right to update, edit, remove or add content to any part of these bylaws without prior or subsequent notification to subscribers.  Subscribers are responsible for maintaining an accurate and current knowledge of the content of these bylaws.

WildBunBunch is provided on an "as is", "as available" basis without warranties of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to warranties of title or implied warranties of merchant ability or fitness for a particular purpose, other than those warranties which are implied by and incapable of exclusion, restriction or modification under the laws applicable to the terms of service.  No oral advice or written information given by WBBAC shall create a warranty; nor shall subscribers rely on any such information or advice.

Under no circumstances, including negligence, shall WBBAC be liable for any direct, indirect, incidental, special or consequential damages that result from the use of or inability to use WildBunBunch; or that result from mistakes, omissions, interruptions, deletion of files, errors, defects, delays in operation, or transmission, or any failure of performance, whether or not limited to acts of God, communications failure, theft, destruction or unauthorized access to WildBunBunch, to its related publications, or to its archives.  Subscribers hereby acknowledge that this paragraph shall apply to all Content of WildBunBunch.


Copyright © 2001 Michael Jackson
All Rights Reserved



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