If you’ve been thinking of adopting, summer is the perfect time. If you’re a student you’ve got time off now and can devote plenty of time to the care of a new rabbit companion. Families on summer vacation can turn adoption into a fun family project, by building a custom bunny cage and learning together about the care and needs of rabbits. There’s also plenty of time before school starts to set a routine of daily care and activities with the new family member.
You can find adoptable rabbits through many local sources. The most well known is San Diego House Rabbit Society (SDHRS), a chapter of the international rabbit welfare organization that finds new homes for abandoned rabbits. Their website, www.sandiegorabbits.org, offers great articles and tips on rabbit care, housing, diet and more. It even refers you to the best rabbit-savvy vets to ensure your rabbit gets the best care. SDHRS holds adoption events twice monthly and does a great job of supporting adopters to ensure everyone is happy with their new bunny and the rabbit is thriving in its new home.
Other local rabbit rescues include Wee Companions Small Animal Adoptions, Shelly’s Shelter, and Ferdinand’s Familia. All can be found on local adoption website, www.catsandrabbitsandmore.com, or at Petfinder.com.
Just north of San Diego, in the Temecula Valley, House Rabbit Society satellite group, Lucky Bunny Rabbit Rescue, rescues and adopts out abandoned rabbits from southwest Riverside County. This small group takes in about 100 rabbits a year and does a wonderful job of finding them new homes. See them at www.catsandrabbitsandmore.com/temecula_valley_rabbits__lbrr_.
Local shelters and humane societies also have rabbit adoption programs. Look for your new rabbit companion at any one of three Department of Animal Services shelters in Bonita, San Diego, or Carlsbad. Local humane societies, San Diego Humane, Escondido Humane, and Rancho Coastal Humane Society have many wonderful rabbits for adoption. The city of Chula Vista adopts rabbits from its shelter in the south bay area.
When you adopt from a rabbit rescue or animal shelter, you are getting the benefit of a rabbit who has already been spayed or neutered, is using a litter box, is socialized to live indoors, and has a known medical history. Purchasing from pet stores or a private party brings the risk of unknown medical issues, a rabbit who may be pregnant when you bring it home, and the additional cost of having to get it altered (average $300 or more) plus dealing with all the headaches that come along with these “unknowns.”
If you’re interested in learning more about rabbit adoption, visit the SDHRS website at www.sandiegorabbits.org, email adopt@sandiegorabbits.org or call 858-356-4286.
