The sad truth is, most of those Easter bunnies taken home as gifts for small children will soon be unwelcome guests. It usually happens when adolescence rears its unruly head and the adorable little balls of fluff begin to chew up the furniture, dig holes in the carpeting, and mark their territory with urine and "bunny pellets." A child will quickly lose interest in her furry new playmate when he runs at her approach and stubbornly insists on being fed and cared for regularly. And, contrary to popular belief, those cuddly little critter have very effective claws and teeth to defend themselves against overly aggressive children or adults.
THE PET RABBIT BOOM . . . AND BUST
Rabbits have been growing in popularity as pets as more and more people discover what wonderful companions they make. But, as every animal whose become trendy knows only too well, popularity has its dark side. Many end up being abandoned to shelters, rescue groups, or - worst of all - simply turned loose to fend for themselves in a hostile world. All shelter workers have come to dread the aftermath of the Christmas holidays, when pets who didn't work out come streaming into the local SPCAs and humane societies. For rabbit rescuers, Easter is the dreaded peak season for abandoned bunnies.
Thousands of rabbits have been victims of thoughtless Easter traditions. One Miami, Florida, hotel celebrated Easter by giving away very young bunnies - still too immature to leave their mothers - to children of the guests during the holiday season. Many of these rabbits ended up abandoned or neglected by the families who didn't want them, and the "leftovers" were dumped at a nearby park.
Jazz and Aaden were among the fortunate few who were rescued by a caring park visitor who turned them over to the House Rabbit Society. Though severely dehydrated, covered with mites, and looking pretty scruffy from their experience, they quickly revived and thrived in the hands of experienced rabbit people. You can read their story and see some "before and after" photos.
HOUSE RABBITS
The House Rabbit Society has campaigned for years to educate the public about why rabbits and Easter don't mix (see http://www.rabbit.org/easter/index.html ). The problem with their increasing popularity as pets is that far too many potential owners think of them as the ideal "starter pets" for young kids who aren't yet responsible enough to care for a dog or cat.
