In the summer of 2007, Ralph and Caryl Turner took in 100 domestic rabbits that had been released into public parks in Seattle. The Seattle Parks Department had neutered and spayed the group, and then the rabbits moved into a 1-acre run at Precious Life Animal Sanctuary in Sequim, Washington. Within the predator-proofed, fenced-in area, there are small shelters, and the rabbits have dug several burrows.

There are several cities that have feral rabbit problems, including San Diego, Sacramento, and Vancouver, but many have resorted to euthanasia as a solution. Seattle and Precious Life Animal Sanctuary have taken a humane approach to the issue. And although the bunnies at Precious Life require a lot of space and a lot of care, going through a hundred pounds of feed a week and a bale of hay every other week, the Turners say the rabbits help “keep them young.”

Like many shelters, they rely on donations and volunteers to keep the sanctuary running. Learn more at the Precious Life Animal Sanctuary website and the Peninsula Daily News.

On Feb. 24 the Grayson County Humane Society in Kentucky was broken into. A cash box was taken during the break-in. What is truly horrifying is what else the culprits did. Dogs and cats were beaten and killed. Several weeks prior to this break-in, someone sneaked into the facility and released all of the dogs.

The shelter is looking for any information that may help catch these criminals. They ask that those with tips contact the Leitchfield Police at 207-259-3850.

In addition to information, the shelter is seeking donations and people willing to foster animals during this time.

To help and to read more, visit their website: http://www.graysonhumane.org/.

February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month! So if you or someone you know is interested in becoming a rabbit owner, definitely look to shelters and rescues first. There is an overwhelming number of shelter rabbits looking for a forever homes. You can find a range of different personalities, breeds, and ages in shelters/rescues, and the dedicated volunteers will be able to find a good match for you and your family.

To learn more, check out our article about the Benefits of Adopting a Pet Rabbit.

Find homeless bunnies in your area on Petfinder.

I wrote an article for the local paper here in southeastern CT about the benefits of adopting a rabbit in honor of February being “Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month.”

Here’s an excerpt:

If you are uninitiated to the world of bunnies, you may not realize that February is “Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month.” So in the spirit of spreading awareness, here are a few benefits of adopting a pet rabbit from a rescue or shelter.

But before you get too excited about getting a rabbit, it should be noted that although rabbits make wonderful indoor companions (who can be easily litter trained), they are not low maintenance pets. Rabbits require the same amount of care and attention as cats or dogs, and they can live around 10 years or more. But if you and your family are willing to make the commitment, read on!

Read the full article here >

Well I just came across this story about Midwest Rabbit Re-home, which is located near Ann Arbor, Michigan. Apparently, they are the only rabbit rescue close to winning a million dollar shelter renovation offered by Zootoo.com. Currently, they are ranked 11 out of 20, and they can rise in the rankings if they get enough points via this page: zootoo.com/register/referrer/midwestrabbitrr

You have to register with Zootoo and put in Midwest Rabbit Re-home’s zip code (48170) and then choose their name from the dropdown menu. Registering gets 100 points, and you can earn more points by writing reviews, volunteering, commenting on news, and referring other people to the site. So far I’ve earned 140 points… I have to think of more products to review so I can earn some more.

In seeing photos of Midwest Rabbit Re-home’s current shelter, it does look like a makeover is in order. As of now, they are using an old warehouse as their shelter, and while they’ve done the best they can to fix up the space, a million dollar grant would go a long way.