‘Pets are a commitment’: What to know before adopting a rabbit for Easter

SALT LAKE CITY — Some Utahns might be thinking it’s a good idea to get their family a new floppy-eared friend for Easter. But before doing so, there are some things to think about and prepare for.

Patrick Theobald, Communities Programs Manager at Best Friends Animal Society in Salt Lake City, said there’s a lot to consider when adopting a rabbit for Easter.

“Pets are a commitment,” Theobald said. “Pets are a member of the family; they really shouldn’t be used as a gimmick or a prop for a party or a themed event.”

It’s estimated that 80% to 95% of rabbits don’t survive a full year after Easter, according to an article written by Amy Brown, the lifesaving and care supervisor at Kanab’s Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Bunny House. 

“Many are surrendered to shelters, which contributes to overcrowding and may result in euthanasia due to lack of available homes,” Brown stated. “Others are simply abandoned outdoors where they are unable to fend for themselves and typically die of predation, starvation, or the elements.”

Theobald said animals are surrendered to shelters when people aren’t fully committed to caring for a pet for its entire life.

He said it’s always best for the owner and the pet when people do their research before getting into a commitment with an animal.

Caring for a rabbit

Rabbits are a prey species, according to Theobald. This means they’re easily startled, can become uncomfortable around other larger animals and are more likely to be frightened of direct interaction.

While some rabbits don’t do well around other rabbits, Theobald said they are very social with one another.

“A lot of times, rabbits do best in pairs or groupings where they can have friends around them to help them feel safe,” Theobald said. “So, getting a single rabbit can be really uncomfortable for the animal.”

Brown said it’s a good idea to get a rabbit spayed or neutered to keep them from having unwanted litters and from developing reproductive cancers, something that affects 70% of unsterilized rabbits.

People are likely to find spayed or neutered rabbits at a shelter, Brown added.

Feeding

Rabbits’ teeth grow at least 5 inches every year, meaning they need something to chew on throughout their life. Brown advised giving a rabbit chew toys like wooden blocks or cardboard.

According to Brown, hay makes up around 80% of a rabbit’s diet, and the hay can help with chewing as well.

Housing

Brown said rabbits should be kept in enclosures that don’t have wire bottoms and are six times the size of the animal.

Rabbits should also get some time outside of their enclosure to run around. If allowing a rabbit to wander around a household, Theobald advised people to rabbit-proof the home because rabbits like to chew on things.

“They are notorious for finding things that shouldn’t be chewed on and chewing on things like electrical cords, and furniture, baseboards, and all sorts of things,” Theobald said. “They are definitely chewers.”

Theobald said that if any animal is outside, they should be fully under control. Rabbits should be in a confined hutch and have a place to hide if they feel frightened.

Theobald added that it’s important for Utahns in particular to keep their rabbits separate from any wild rabbits due to serious diseases that can be transmitted between the two.

If the rabbit is housed outdoors, it’s important to make sure the hutch is prepared for Utah’s winter and heat as well. Rabbits are diggers, so they should be supervised to keep them from digging under fences and into places they shouldn’t be.

Adopting a rabbit

After doing the research and knowing you can handle a rabbit, Theobald gave some ideas on how people can prepare their family for the new pet on Easter or before the holiday.

Theobald advised buying some accessories for the pet, like a hutch or food bowl, and wrapping that up for the recipient. Then, head out to a shelter where the recipient can choose the rabbit they want.

“That way they can still get that excitement of unwrapping a present or getting a gift in their Easter basket,” Theobald said. “But it’s not the animal itself, it’s the opportunity for them to go pick out their own animal.”

Ashley Bales, communications and development coordinator with Salt Lake County Animal Services, said the animal service only takes in stray rabbits. That fact didn’t stop rescuers from taking in rabbits last Easter, however.

“Last year, right around Easter time, we had quite a few rabbits,” Bales said. “We didn’t see an increase in adoptions at all. So, they actually went to a rescue.”

This Easter, the shelter didn’t have any rabbits available for adoption, according to Bales. When rabbits are available, it’s common for them and other exotic animals to be overlooked because people don’t realize they’re at shelters, she said.

Many local shelters have rabbits available for adoption. In Utah, that might include the Humane Society of Utah, rabbits at the BFAS Bunny House and many other locations all throughout the state. It’s just a matter of looking into shelters near you, hopping on over to the rabbits and finding that floppy-eared friend.

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