As Easter approaches, animal rescue organizations in Southern California and elsewhere are once again urging people to avoid the temptation to buy or adopt bunnies as gifts for children.
They allege that what starts out as a well-meaning gesture often leads to abandoned rabbits when the news wears off and families realize they are not equipped to properly care for the animals.
“The magically appearing Easter bunnies that lay multicolored eggs shown on greeting cards and cartoons are nothing more than a fantasy,” says Lejla Hadzimuratovic, founder and president of the Bunny World Foundation, an organization Los Angeles-based nonprofit that has saved thousands. unwanted rabbits. hostels and delivered by its owner since its foundation in 2008.
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“The reality is that throughout the year, rabbits, which look more like urban chickens, are killed by the millions, slaughtered for food, fur and fur, tortured in laboratory experiments and confined in cages the size of shoeboxes, abandoned and exposed to harsh conditions and high temperatures in commercial breeding enterprises”
Hadzimuratovic adds that despite an ordinance prohibiting the sale and purchase of live animals on the streets of Los Angeles, “the year-round live animal market in the Los Angeles fashion district, particularly Santee Alley , prosperous”.
Normally bought on a whim as a toy for a child, they often lead a desolate life on the corner of a filthy cage with no enrichment until they are abandoned in a shelter or die of neglect.
“Every year we shout loudly that bunnies don’t make good Easter gifts, yet these reminders go unnoticed.”
ABANDONED RABBITS
Bunny World Foundation (BWF) typically sees a surge in abandoned bunnies in the weeks and months after Easter.
To accommodate the large number of rabbits the group rescues from shelters in the city of Los Angeles, some of whom have special medical needs that put them at greater risk, BWF offers a free foster program in which the people they care for the animals, help promote them on social media and take them to weekly adoption events until they find forever homes.
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“Every year, countless rabbits suffer and die because people buy them as living toys for their children,” the LA Rabbit Foundation said in its annual Easter message last week.
“Don’t be part of the problem. Choose chocolate for Easter. And if bunnies are for you, adopt, don’t buy from a breeder or pet store. Please share this message far and wide (in the area )”.
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There LA Rabbit Foundation is a chapter of the House Rabbit Society, an international non-profit organization based in Richmond, California, which provides rabbit education and works to find forever homes for abandoned rabbits.
“The typical ‘Easter bunnies’ sold illegally on the street or in pet stores are tiny babies, separated from their mothers before being properly weaned. Many of these baby bunnies will die shortly after purchase, which is not a fun experience for children,” the organization said in its Easter 2021 message.
“When you adopt a rabbit, you are committing to supporting small, fragile prey for the next 10 to 15 years.”
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Rabbits are not low maintenance pets. They require humane feeding, cleaning, and indoor housing in a rabbit-proof room, and veterinary care can be expensive.
They are also not ideal pets for young children, as they respond best to calm energy and can easily be spooked by a child’s hyperactivity. Most rabbits dislike being grabbed or held, may scratch or bite in an effort to free themselves, and can be seriously injured or even killed if they fall.
For those with children, rescue groups and animal control officials recommend purchasing a stuffed rabbit or chocolate bunny for children’s Easter baskets.
The Little Angels Project targets low-income communities to care for their pets.
The retail sale of rabbits, dogs, and cats is banned in California, but direct sales are still permitted, including online, and illegal street sales occur in urban areas where baby rabbits are sometimes marketed from deceptively like adult “dwarfs”.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals also offers “9 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Buy a Rabbit”. by clicking here.
Animal advocates want them adopted into loving homes, but stress that adoption is a serious commitment that requires a willingness to learn the ropes.
All five shelters in the Los Angeles Animal Services system have rabbits available for adoption, as do other shelters in the city and county of Southland, and private rescue groups offer support and guidance for new rabbit owners.
Adopting a pet brings changes in a home, especially in the family budget.
The House Rabbit Society has resources for more on proper rabbit care, which can be found by clicking here.
RABBIT CARE TIPS
Some basics:
- Domestic rabbits should be kept indoors at all times.
- They should be fed an unlimited diet of timothy hay and a daily serving of leafy greens, plus pellets and alfalfa hay for rabbits under 6 months of age.
- They should never be kept in cages, as they need room to jump and exercise their legs.
- They should be carefully brushed every two to three months to remove excess hair and trim their nails.
- They are aggressive chewers and should be kept away from electrical cords and anything that could be dangerous if swallowed, such as taped or taped boxes.
- Rabbits that stop eating or appear to be in pain need immediate attention from a veterinarian trained in rabbit care. Rabbits that stop eating can die within 36 hours. Not all veterinarians have experience with rabbits, so owners need to find the closest one they can trust in an emergency.