Chris Haack adopted Jasper, his pet rabbit, two years ago from a local animal shelter. “I never really decided on adopting a bun, a bun just kind of hopped in my lap,” he says.
Many Bay Area animal shelters facilitate the adoption process of domesticated rabbits. Like Haack, most people come to animal shelters intending to adopt a dog or cat, unaware that rabbits are adoptable pets as well.
This year, the Mill Valley based rabbit rescue, Save-A-Bunny, found homes for nearly 300 abandoned or neglected rabbits in the Bay Area. Rabbits are ideal pets for apartment dwellers—they are quiet, clean and trainable. They are also engaging pets that bond with their owners.
Recently, volunteers from Save-A-Bunny were at the adoption center at Pets Unlimited in Pacific Heights. “Most people don’t know that bunnies need to feel like they are part of the family,” says Patrick Parker, who volunteers for Save-A-Bunny, “Without proper attention, bunnies get depressed and will die young.”
Save-A-Bunny only adopts to households where the rabbit will live inside the home and not be kept in a cage. “The idea that bunnies can live outside in a hutch, or inside in a cage is false,” says Parker, “they need to move around and get exercise.”
Potential rabbit owners should be prepared for the long-term commitment of pet ownership. The typical rabbit life span is seven to ten years. Like dogs and cats, rabbits require regular check ups by veterinarians who are specially trained in rabbit health care. Adopters should also be aware that a rabbit’s diet is more complex than simply carrots. The most important component of a healthy rabbit’s diet is hay in addition to specific types of lettuce and dry food pellets.
Over time, healthy and well adjusted rabbits become communicative with their owners. “I have been schooled in the art of magnificent bunny communication,” says Haack, “which includes a host of spastic head wiggles, peel-outs, and mid-air kicks.”
To learn more about rabbit care and adoption, meet Save-A-Bunny volunteers at the San Francisco SPCA on June 12th or at the San Jose Adoption and Education Showcase on June 20th.
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