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by Suzyn Barron, President of Warwick Valley Humane Society, Inc.
Did you know it’s Adopt a Rabbit Month? Did you also know that rabbits rank five in the list of the 17 most popular pets in the United States? Dogs come in first, followed by cats, followed by fish, followed by birds and then rabbits. They are charming, cute and for some irresistible with their twitching little noses and soft fur, but they do require proper care, diet, exercise and a quiet, calm living environment.
Outdoor hutches are no longer suitable for these creatures as they subject them to loneliness,
wire bottoms that hurt and damage their feet, expose them to extreme temperatures and danger from prey animals who can and do break into the hutches and kill them. Why have a warm blooded pet that you do not spend time with? It’s old-fashioned and inhumane by today’s standards to house rabbits outdoors in hutches. Their dietary needs include fresh leafy greens and certain vegetables daily and good quality hay around the clock. Rabbits are not easy on the pocketbook. And they need space to explore and to do their rabbits “binkies”, their way of showing they are feeling good and enjoying life. A rabbit should be able to hop at least three times in each direction without hitting a wall, and they should be able to stand up on its hind legs without its ears touching the ceiling. Very few, if any, hutches can accommodate a living space of 12 square feet with an exercise area of 32 square feet! The number of stray and unwanted rabbits outnumbered our “HIP HOP” room which forced us to relocate the rabbits to an outbuilding and create individual kennels in place of cages for most of them.
Rabbits enjoy play tunnels and objects to toss around like specific toys made for rabbits because they chew all of the time, especially wood and even plastic and wires. Free roaming inside bunnies need the house to be rabbit proofed. Most rabbits will drink water from a bowl, some others may use a water bottle. Rabbits can be litter boxed trained but expect accidents now and again. Since not all veterinarians treat rabbits, it is important to know of one who will in case of an emergency should the rabbit stop eating or have loose stools or any other noticeable issues. Domestic rabbits have an 8 to 10 year lifespan so factor that in when you choose to adopt a bunny. It is very difficult to determine the age of a rabbit unless you know its birth date.
Last summer three domestic rabbits were caught as unclaimed strays. Two females, one male and within a day, both females gave birth! So of the 13 rabbits in our care, Jasper, Jett, Josie, Jaxx, Josh & Gryphon and all under a year old. Posh and Peace both endured horrible hoarding situations, while Charlotte, Jill, Jackie and Jackalope survived being on the loose before being rescued. Dahlia was surrendered when her family had to move. Rabbits are shorter term commitments but with special care requirements. Hop to Adopt this month!
“The world could use more of the rabbit’s pure-hearted spirit!” – Hannah Lee
Pets of the Week:
Jasper is a 9 month old big blackish male New Zealand, one of 5 born at the shelter in May 2025.
Small Animal Adoption applications are available at wvhumane.org or call 845-986-2473 for more information.
