Too many people don’t know that rabbits represent the third most common animal surrendered to animal shelters after cats and dogs. This can lead people to assume that their only option when considering a rabbit as a pet is their local pet store. At the time of this writing, WHS has 5 wonderful bunnies looking for a new home but the reason they are with us is the real story. Like many small animals, rabbits tend to be viewed as a “starter” pet for children when parents want to test out whether or not the child can handle the responsibility of a cat or dog. Thinking that the needs of rabbits are so much less that those of other pets, rabbits are brought into homes, given to children to care for and end up in shelters once the family realizes that rabbits do in fact require the same level of care and attention that other pets do. One of the most common reasons given by families surrendering rabbits to WHS is “cage smell”. This occurs when a rabbit is confined to a cage and not taught to or provided with a litter-box but rather just placed into the cage with shavings or newspaper covering the bottom.
Dena Fitzgerald, the Director of Spay/Neuter Programs here at WHS, has lived with rabbits for the past 23 years and agrees that rabbit care shouldn’t be taken lightly and that they should be treated like every other pet you would want to live with. They should be sterilized to prevent unwanted behaviors like urine spraying and marking and to prevent a host of medical problems similar to those in cats and dogs. Rabbits are very social and affectionate animals. Dena’s rabbits make a game out of playing chase with her cats as they take turns chasing each other around her house. They should never be considered a pet to keep confined to a cage.
If you are considering bringing a rabbit into your family, or know someone who already has a rabbit as part of theirs, education is key to building a long lasting relationship. As part of our ongoing outreach to help our community, the WHS Behavior Learning Center is offering a class to help people understand and care for rabbits in the home. Immediately following the class, you can stay and meet some of the rabbits available for adoption. We’re sure that once you attend this class, the relationship you have with your rabbit will forever change for the better!
Most importantly, if you are thinking about bringing a rabbit home consider adoption first.
For more information on this or otehr classes offered by WHS please visit our web site at www.washhumane.org
So true, we see it all too often. Thanks for agreeing with us on this important issue!
Posted by: Washington Humane Society | March 16, 2011 at 05:37 PM
It is sad to hear of stories like the parent who buys his child a rabbit for Easter with no thought of what the true responsibilities of animal ownership.
Posted by: Cat Games | March 16, 2011 at 05:35 PM