SAN DIEGO — There are dog people and there are cat people. Some say what we really need is more bunny people.
February is Adopt a Rescue Rabbit month, and the San Diego House Rabbit Society is hoping bunnies will hop into their 'ur-ever' home.
“I live in a condo. So, it's really kind of suited me well, because I didn't have to walk a rabbit like a dog,” said Jennifer Lee, executive director of the San Diego House Rabbit Society.
Rabbits are social creatures who want to be a part of the family such as a mini/mix named Lucas, a plush-haired Rex breed now at the San Diego House Rabbit Society.
“Our foster home was saying that he would hop on the couch and hang out with them while they were watching TV,” said Lee.
However, don’t be fooled by their cuteness, bunnies need lots of attention.
“It's the same commitment as if you had a dog and cat, you still need to change the litter boxes, you still have to feed them and you still have to socialize them,” said Lee.
It's not always a 'hoppy' ending, not everyone understands the commitment to raising a rabbit who can live about eight to twelve years.
“Every shelter is overfilled, with animals, that's where we're having a lot of problems,” said Lee.
Volunteers network with shelters and the San Diego Humane Society to make sure that bunnies can be housed.
That's why February’s Adopt a Rescue Rabbit month is important to free up space and make room for neglected bunnies.
“The owner relinquishment calls have been outrageous, so we get maybe five to six a day,” said Lee.
She says bunnies are full of hops, you just need to be patient and you can earn their trust.
“The more you get out of having an animal, the more they're going to give back to you,” said Lee.
She says adoption fees start at $85 and that includes a spay and neuter, litter box trained rabbit, microchip, vaccinated against RHDV2, lifetime support and education and a free wellness exam with the vet, and the initial cost to raise a bunny in a safe environment is about $200-$300. Hay, pellets, and veggies can cost about $30-$40 per month.
To learn more about raising a bunny and adopting one from the San Diego House Rabbit Society in Kearny Mesa click here.