Meet Beast and Queen, two dogs recently unchained by volunteers for the North Carolina-based Coalition to Unchain Dogs. We met Beast and Queen the same way we've met most of the 1,300 dogs we've unchained since 2007: Their human, Christina, heard about us from a friend of hers who also received a fence. She contacted us because she wanted them to have a fence where they could be together and be safe. But, as a single mother of five children, she couldn't afford a fence for them.

As with each dog we've unchained, our first step in helping Beast and Queen was taking them to the vet to be vaccinated and spayed/neutered, a requirement for receiving a Coalition fence.

Once their vet appointments were complete, a team of Coalition volunteers arrived on a very chilly Sunday morning, and in just under two hours of work, Beast and Queen had a fenced-in yard that has forever changed their lives, as well as the lives of Christina and her children. See the video from their big day above.

Coalition to Unchain Dogs' founder, Amanda Arrington, and Casey Arrington built their first fence in March 2007, just the two of them. It took three weekends to complete that fence for Flex and Brownie, but they quickly realized the feeling of watching the dogs run and play for the first time was addictive. And they were right! Since then, the Coalition has grown to five chapters in Durham, Raleigh, Orange County, and Charlotte, N.C., and Atlanta, GA, each with dozens of volunteers who participate in fence builds each weekend.

After the jump: The secret to the Coalition's success.

Q: Many years ago our family adopted a beautiful cat we named Tom. My mother fed Tom only tuna and he began to develop a reddish coat. Unfortunately, the cat soon died. Now, 67 years later, I still feel bad about this and wonder if a diet of only tuna was harmful. What do you think? -- E.M., Clearwater, FL

A: "Cats do not do well on a diet of solely tuna, or any one human food source," says Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, chief medical officer for Banfield Pet Hospital in Portland, OR.

Giving your cat a bit of tuna as an occasional treat is one thing. However, as an exclusive diet, tuna lacks significant amounts of vitamin E, potentially leading to a dangerous vitamin E deficiency.

Felines fed too much tuna can develop other nutrient deficiencies, too, because most de-boned fish lacks calcium, sodium, iron, copper and several other vitamins. Mercury, frequently present in tuna, also presents a potential danger.

Bringing a new bunny home is fun and exciting, but it's important to realize that this time can be quite intimidating for a rabbit. In order to keep stress to a minimum, prepare by gathering necessary items, arranging a living space and rabbit-proofing the house. Here are a few key steps to help you prepare for your new friend:

1. Gather the necessities
Before bringing a rabbit home, purchase all necessary items and have everything set up in time for your rabbit's arrival. The first shopping trip is not inexpensive, but once you have the basics, only items such as litter, hay and food need to be purchased regularly.

The New-Bunny Shopping List:

• Puppy exercise pen or dog crate (If you do purchase a rabbit cage, make sure it is roomy and has a flat bottom.)
• A cat litter box or large plastic bin
• Sturdy ceramic bowls for food and water
• Toys, which can be as simple as a cardboard roll or phone book or as complex as a bird toy or cat tunnel
• Rabbit-safe litter (Go for a recycled-paper product such as Yesterday's News or Carefresh.)
• Rabbit pellets (Look for a Timothy hay-based pellet for adult rabbits.)
• Cat nail clippers
• Green, leafy vegetables
• Timothy or other quality grass hays

Of the above items, Timothy hay is the most important. A rabbit's diet should be composed of approximately 70% grass hays to ensure sufficient fiber intake. Hay is important not just for proper digestion, but for dental health too, as chewing on the stalks wears down their continuously growing teeth and even has social and psychological benefits. Because hay is so essential for rabbit health, make extra efforts to ensure the hay you purchase is fresh, dust-free and high quality.

Mary Lempert is the founder of The Rabbit Advocate, where this post originally appeared. She has served as a rabbit behavior and rehabilitation consultant for the House Rabbit Society, House Rabbit Network and the MSPCA in Massachusetts and, most recently, for the Almost Home Humane Society in Lafayette, IN. She lives in West Lafayette, IN, with her rabbits Graysie and Willoughby and any number of foster bunnies.

Rabbits are remarkably affectionate, interactive, and intelligent (check out 10 Reasons Rescue Rabbits Rule). But they are by no means low-maintenance pets. Rabbits can live 12 years or more, so they are long-term, though thoroughly rewarding, commitments. Before you adopt a rabbit for Adopt-A-Rescued Rabbit Month, here are a few things to consider:

Do you have the indoor space for a dog crate or exercise pen? Are you rabbit-proofed? You'll need to hide or cover electrical wires, telephone cords and poisonous plants in at least one room of the house.

Do you have enough time for a rabbit? Rabbits don't require long walks, but they should be let out of their cage for at least an hour a day. Playtime doesn't have to mean dedicated rabbit-watching; it can be incorporated with your everyday activities: Bunnies love lounging on the couch while you read and are happy zooming around your feet as you cook dinner.