It often starts with a late-night text message, perhaps just a blurry photo and a pin drop or cross streets. Sometimes it’s my name being flagged on a Nextdoor post or a share of a Facebook post, but regardless of where the “lost rabbit” message comes from, the urgency is the same. The clock is ticking for these poor souls as we know that domesticated rabbits have zero ability to survive outside on the loose. They are threatened by predators of all types—from dogs and hawks to cars and horrific treatment by cruel people—but they also struggle to find food and water to sustain themselves while awaiting rescue. 

I’m going to be honest; Reno Rabbit Rescue is a VERY small organization. I organized it in 2019 and do not have a fully functioning board. So, when I got a message from a transporter describing a situation in Lassen County (another county, a different state, and over 1 hour away), I was scared and overwhelmed. After talking to the transporter and then the shelter staff, I was even more concerned for the state and care of the bunnies, and the additional 100 hundred animals involved. 

Come see celebrate how dynamic and diverse the citizens and business of Richmond California are! The second Annual Rich City Day is just around the corner and House Rabbit Society is happy to be part of the action. This event will be hosted at Armistice Brewing Company on Saturday, July 13.

The concept of foraging has been gaining popularity and interest among pet parents, and for great reason. When supported in healthy and meaningful ways, foraging is a beneficial and instinctual activity for all small animals, including rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, rats, hamsters, and so on.

It was a cold afternoon in December 2020 when a good Samaritan called to report two domestic rabbits hopping around a parking lot, almost as if trying to get someone’s attention. As I was making drive to the location, the number of rabbits grew from two to six. By the time we had caught all of them, the number had grown to 20. Miraculously, only one of the rabbits was pregnant—we named her Rowan.

When the bonding process gets difficult, some of us start to wonder if it’s a recipe for disaster instead of love. But anyone who has ever had the privilege of seeing a difficult bonding through to success knows it’s worth it. In fact, the most difficult bonding I did at home became the strongest relationship between rabbits I’ve ever seen. Not only were they inseparable, when one of them became sick, the other was able to provide a level of both physical and emotional care beyond my and my vet’s abilities. My rabbits were also closely bonded to me, but I’m certain they lived happier, more fulfilling lives together than they would have had I not found the courage and patience to work through the challenging dating process with them. 

Research from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found interacting with house plants can help lower a person’s blood pressure, calm their nervous system, and promote a general feeling of well-being. Who doesn’t want that? In recent years, the popularity of growing plants at home has soared. The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) in London has reported a 10-15% year-on-year increase across the industry in houseplants since 2013, driven largely due to the doubling of foliage plant sales. These are those decorative, colorful plants with funky, interesting leaves that you’ve no doubt seen when scrolling through your social media feeds.

As their human, I would do anything for my bunnies. This includes rabbit proofing anything remotely chewable … no matter how unattractive it may look to my friends and family. But just because something needs to be protected from a chew-happy bunny does not mean it has to be an ugly, bulky option; and I have learned sometimes all it takes is a good regimen of distraction techniques.

“We like to use adorable terms when we’re doing things for bunnies,” said then-HRS board member Dana M. Krempels, PhD, presenting at the House Rabbit Society Educators’ Conference in St. Louis (2014). Indeed! Language is a readily available, no-cost tool we use to establish intimacy both within a household of pawrents and furkids and among people with shared values and experiences like those in HRS.

Sunshine flooded the porch on a clear blue mid-December afternoon as Apricot and her brother Peach egressed the house and arrived on the scene. Peach took a quick hop around the enclosed porch, inspected the perimeter, and found two humans. They wore muzzles made of cloth or a strange paper and seemed to be trying to keep away from each other. One of them was Susan, their faithful foster caretaker. But the other was a stranger, smelling of other rabbits, and Peach didn’t recognize him. Still, all seemed well enough.

As their human, I would do anything for my bunnies. This includes rabbit proofing anything remotely chewable … no matter how unattractive it may look to my friends and family. But just because something needs to be protected from a chew-happy bunny does not mean it has to be an ugly, bulky option; and I have learned sometimes all it takes is a good regimen of distraction techniques.

Is there a more rewarding sight than watching a bunny grow, mature, and flourish into a wise, old age? I love senior rabbits—they’re opinionated, affectionate, and often just as inquisitive as younger bunnies. If you’ve shared your life with a senior rabbit before, you know just how special gaining the love of an elder bunny can be; whether you’ve been together for years or rescued each other much more recently. 

Humans who live with rabbits quickly learn the four most important signs of rabbit health – eating, pooping, drinking, and peeing. Despite being wise and resilient little beings, they are also fragile animals who hide illness far too well.  Gastrointestinal distress is a symptom of one such illness.  If the medical crisis is missed, it can even lead to death. It’s a heartbreaking circumstance that can take less than twelve hours to occur.

“When in doubt, go to the vet” is a bunny parent’s mantra. There’s no substitute for seeing a rabbit-savvy veterinarian* and getting your rabbit the professional instruction and care they need, especially in an emergency.

However, due to COVID-19 protocols, staffing shortages, and other challenges at veterinary offices, it may be difficult right now to get an immediate appointment with your vet, or even get to an emergency vet. It’s a good idea to have a first aid kit with emergency supplies on hand in case your rabbit isn’t able to see a vet right away.

What do you know about rabbits?  

I thought I knew a little something. Cute. Soft. Timid. Shy. Calm. Quiet. Cuddly. Hahaha! I look back and laugh about it now. Just like Jon Snow in Game of Thrones, I knew nothing!

Edgar and Fergus came into our lives on a dreary February day in 2018. While scrolling through Facebook one morning, I saw a post from a local rescue asking for help in transporting two rabbits from Delaware to Maryland. By chance, my husband and I were in Delaware that weekend and were available to help with their relocation. Little did I know such a simple task would turn into a complicated and beautiful journey.

I adopted Corey from the House Rabbit Society of Chicago in October 2014. He was a particularly scruffy seven-year-old gent who had been under their care for two years. I had an affinity for older buns, knowing how hard they were to rehome. I asked to meet the oldest residents, who were Corey (7) and Wiley (11). Lovely Wiley was a bit wobbly, and his long-term caregiver later expressed how glad she was that he would stay with her and avoid the added stress of a new home so late in life. Corey hopped all over me, pooped in my lap, and hungrily inhaled herbs. Fast-forward two states, four houses, and five years; and I scattered Corey’s ashes in a quiet clearing in Tilden Regional Park in Berkeley. February 2020 would have marked his thirteenth birthday. 

“Please eat. Please … You need to eat.”

Humans who live with rabbits quickly learn the four most important signs of rabbit health – eating, pooping, drinking, and peeing.

Leaving my rabbits Reese and Mindy with a sitter has always made me a bit uneasy. I worried about disrupting my bunnies’ routines. I worried they would miss me. I also worried about their well-being in general. Now, with the two Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus outbreaks (RHDV1 and RHDV2) and the COVID-19 pandemic, the whole environment of rabbit care has shifted. I have a new set of criteria to make sure my bunnies stay safe and healthy when I can’t be with them.

Two years ago, I was busy. It was the middle of my senior year of high school and I was juggling AP classes and college applications while continuing with extracurriculars. Despite all the busyness, I made time to engage my love for rabbits. Every Saturday, I looked forward to seeing the many bunny faces at House Rabbit Society Headquarters in Richmond, California, where I volunteered. The smell of hay drifted in the air as I walked through the doors, excited to see rabbits newly arrived, and check on those who were still there from the week prior.