Make Some Bunny Happy - Adopt a Rescued Rabbit!

February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month!  I have all kinds of rabbits at my house.  I like to chase them when they come in my yard but Mom scolds me.  She says the rabbits live here too and I need to leave them alone.  I have to admit they are cute.  Almost as cute as guinea pigs!

Maybe that's why so many rabbits wind up in shelters.  They are cute and cuddly looking and people buy them on a whim, especially now - in the months before the Easter season.  But these people may not know how to take care of a rabbit.  And that can lead to problems like chewing.  Now the people are tired of the rabbit and have dropped them off at shelters - or worse, just turned them loose thinking they will survive like wild rabbits.

This month I want to teach everyone about rabbits and help get some already rescued rabbits adopted. 

Rabbits are smart and affectionate.  Mom says they can even be trained to use a litter box like our cats.  But just like puppies, they like to chew and that can be destructive.  Mom says that just like new parents baby-proof their home or new puppy parents puppy-proof their home, new adoptive parents of a rabbit must be willing to rabbit-proof their home.  Rabbits should also be spayed or neutered just like I was.  There are too many rabbits in shelters already.  We don't need more babies to add to the overpopulation problem.

Rabbits are not always good pets for children.  Children often want to us up and carry us.  I don't mind being carried.  I'm old and tired.  But most rabbits don't enjoy it.  When a child realizes that their new pet doesn't want to play with them, they may not want to keep it.  And then another rabbit gets dropped off at the local shelter.
Mom suggests that if you are considering adopting a rabbit, you should read about it first.  The House Rabbit Society is a great place to find out about caring for a pet rabbit.  After you get the facts, if you decide a rabbit is the right pet for you, please consider adoption first.  Contact your local shelter or rescue group, Petfinder, or the House Rabbit Society to find rabbits waiting for homes in your area.