As cute as it would be to have a real-life Easter bunny in a basket on Sunday, the chewed up baseboards and potential allergies are a lot less endearing. It's certainly possible to adopt a rabbit into a happy family, but expert rescuer Kyle Golden suggests taking it slow — and opting for a candy rabbit or a plush toy on the holiday itself.
Golden, a board member of Pflugerville's House Rabbit Resource Network, says the one or two weeks after Easter bring an influx of calls. Some people are surrendering rabbits they got for the holiday, later realizing it wasn't a good fit; Some have found a loose domesticated rabbit in their neighborhood, likely because its new family wanted to return it to nature. (Domesticated rabbits are very different than wild rabbits, and do not do well in the Texas heat or around predators.)
"We recommend that people not get the rabbits during the Easter time holiday, or basically for any gift, during any holiday season," says Golden. "[They should] come in, visit with our adoption coordinator, and learn more about what it takes to have a rabbit as a pet and part of the family."
Pancake is also available for adoption.Photo courtesy of the House Rabbit Resource Network
One of the most common reasons for surrenders, Golden says, is allergies. People may have different reactions to different pets, so living in good health with a dog or a cat does not necessarily mean a rabbit would not trigger allergies. Even if the rabbit itself poses no issue, some people don't realize they're allergic to hay until it's strewn around their house.
Similarly, having a natural affinity with other pets doesn't equate to understanding rabbits, and some adopters are disappointed that it takes their rabbit a long time to get comfortable with human socialization.
"Rabbits are prey animals as opposed to predator animals like a dog or cat," explains Golden. "Many times, people don't understand the psychology behind how a rabbit is going to interact with them. More than likely a rabbit is going to take a much longer period of time to warm up and to gain that trust [with] their human, so they know they're not going to be eaten, or abused, or whatever other danger might come their way."
Other issues, like introducing the rabbit to other pets or mitigating the constant chewing of furniture, cables, or anything else close to the ground, are also possible to address with some preparation. Rabbits should also be kept by families who can afford more expensive vet visits. What may cost $100 for a dog or cat could cost $800 for a rabbit, Golden says, because they are considered an "exotic" pet, which requires specific training that many vets do not have.
The team wants its fluffy friends to find new homes — just once the holiday is over and people are able to invest some time into making the right choices. According to its website, the House Rabbit Resource Network took in 199 rabbits in 2023, and housed 222 — ending the year with fewer than it started.
So is Clover Leaf.Photo courtesy of the House Rabbit Resource Network
If Austinites just want to meet rabbits — not take them home — they can volunteer at the shelter. Jobs include grooming, socializing, cleaning cages, giving food and water, and even creating profiles for the bunnies to help them get adopted. There is also a sort of fostering program for "pairing" bunnies, which entails supervising playtime to see if a pair will bond, and can live together.
Events also help the shelter, which is completely funded by private donations. Fun runs, wine tastings, auctions, and more connect rabbit lovers with each other while raising money for maintaining the rescue operations.
Most important, since rabbits are intelligent, living beings, they're all a little (or a lot) different. That's why adoption coordinators are happy to see people visit a few times before committing to bringing a bunny home.
"Each rabbit has a completely different temperament and personality," says Golden. "So just because somebody might meet one or two rabbits, and it was an awful experience, it doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of other rabbits out there that would be a great match for them. They're very particular to how they are with their human, and you really can't understand it until you've been around a lot of them."
More information, including care resources and profiles for adoptable rabbits, is available at rabbitresource.org.
