![]() Domestic rabbits lack the survival instincts of their wild cousins, Martin says, and are unable to fight infection, build safe shelters, or adapt to heat and cold. People abandon many rabbits outdoors, likely unaware that this is a death sentence. ![]() In some cities, Las Vegas and Spokane, Washington, for example, public parks and empty lots have become dumping grounds overrun with hundreds of unfixed, unwanted rabbits. Rescuers in local rabbit shelters from California’s Bay Area to rural Georgia to suburban Connecticut all tell National Geographic that although abandonments spike in the weeks and months after Easter, they’re a big problem year-round.Īccording to Martin, about two-thirds of rabbits rescued in Northern California are strays left to fend for themselves. Most individual shelters track how many dogs and cats are found, adopted, or euthanized, but they typically lump rabbits in with birds, reptiles, and small mammals in the “other” category. There isn’t a central organization collecting data, DeMello says. It’s unclear how many rabbits are abandoned in the U.S.-and how many are Easter bunnies. McGee says she’s often met with shock and frustration from parents: “What do you mean I have to spend $200 to fix a $30 rabbit?” ABANDONMENTS: A YEAR-ROUND PROBLEM Others may do a little research and balk at the time and money it takes to change bunny behavior. But many new owners assume that the undesirable behaviors are the sign of a problem rabbit and get rid of it. Proper exercise, litterbox training, and spaying or neutering curbs the problem for most rabbits. Seemingly cute and cuddly, once baby bunnies mature, at between three and six months old, they can become aggressive and even destructive. Rabbits’ complexity means they often face a grim fate when purchased on a whim. “It takes a patient person to become friends with these silent and subtle animals,” says Margo DeMello, president of the House Rabbit Society. They generally don’t like to be picked up by humans they prefer to be in control, their feet on the ground. ![]() They’re also prey animals, and we’re, well, predators. This means they need to learn to use a litterbox (yes, rabbits can be potty trained), which takes patience, just as it does for cats. Rabbits need a lot of exercise and shouldn’t simply be pent up in a cage. Vets and insurance companies consider them exotic pets, so medical care can be more expensive than for a cat or dog. House Rabbit Society chapters in Idaho and Chicago report a more noticeable rise in summer, as “Easter bunnies” hit puberty and reality sets in for owners.Īnd here’s the reality: Although rabbits can make delightful companions, they’re not easy-care pets. But in the six weeks after Easter, the shelter gets three to four calls a day. Jennifer McGee, co-manager of the Georgia chapter of House Rabbit Society, a shelter in the southeastern part of the state, says they normally receive one to two calls a week about abandoned rabbits. This misconception may help drive a glut of baby bunny sales ahead of Easter-and a subsequent rise in rabbit abandonments. Because many people think they’re short-lived, low maintenance, cage-bound animals, rabbits are seen as “starter pets,” akin to goldfish, perfect for kids. This disconnect appears to drive impulse pet rabbit purchases, says Anne Martin, executive director of the House Rabbit Society, the largest rabbit rescue organization in the U.S. People’s understanding of them seems to be out of step with their ubiquity. “One to two years?” “Maybe three?” In fact, with proper care, rabbits live 10 to 12 years. But rabbits? I asked several of my colleagues how long they think domestic rabbits live. Most Americans have a sense of how long cats and dogs live, the kind of care they need, their behaviors. ![]() Rabbits are the third most popular pet in America, after cats and dogs, according to the Humane Society of the United States-and the third most abandoned. All were abandoned outdoors at a young age and adopted from shelters. They're the rescued bunnies of Nat Geo staff members. WATCH: Roger, Penelope, and Kiba mug for the camera in National Geographic's photo studio. ![]()
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