Animal rescue groups and shelter officials are urging people not to buy live rabbits or baby chickens as Easter gifts for children as Sunday’s holiday approaches.
Buying or adopting animals on a whim often leads to abandonment when the novelty wears off and families realize they’re not equipped to properly care for the pets. Instead of a live animal, rescue groups recommend buying a stuffed toy bunny or chocolate candy rabbit for kids’ Easter baskets.
“Every single year, we receive so many reports of people buying bunnies or chicks for Easter and discarding them once the novelty wears off,” Sarah McFarlane, faith outreach coordinator for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, told City News Service. “Shelters are flooded with not only dogs and cats, but rabbits, who are the third most common pet in the shelters.
“Every time someone buys an animal from a breeder, a shelter animal loses a chance to find a loving home,” she added. “Adding an animal companion to your family, this means a lifetime commitment. This means food and water, cleaning, exercise and veterinary care, and for rabbits that can be very expensive.
“When people are ready to add an animal to their family, PETA reminds them to always adopt, never buy from a breeder or pet store — and that goes for rabbits and chickens, too.”
California pet stores are prohibited from selling dogs, cats and rabbits unless they are obtained from a public animal control agency. But direct sales of rabbits are still permitted, including online, and illegal street sales also occur in which baby bunnies are sometimes deceptively marketed as adult “dwarfs.” These rabbits are rarely spayed or neutered, and purchasers can often find themselves dealing with one or more litters of unwanted rabbits, increasing the burden on city shelters and rescue groups.
The Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation, an arm of the House Rabbit Society, advises that rabbits make poor pets for small children.
“Most rabbits do not like to be picked up and held, and may scratch or bite in an effort to get free, or be injured when dropped. The typical `Easter bunnies’ illegally sold on the streets or in pet stores are usually babies, taken from their mothers before they are properly weaned. They will die soon after purchase — hardly a fun experience for kids,” the group says.
“Baby chicks and ducks also need a proper environment and diet. Ducklings will drown when left in the bathtub with no way to get out. When they grow up, chicks may turn into roosters that disturb neighbors. In an urban environment where owning them violates zoning laws, many adult chickens end up in animal shelters or are set free into environments where they cannot survive.”
For Bunny World Foundation — the Southland’s most active rabbit rescue organization — spring is the worst time of year, as the post-Easter dumping phenomenon coincides with rabbits’ natural breeding season to create an overwhelming influx of unwanted bunnies.
The all-volunteer rescue group will attend the L.A. Arboretum’s annual Spring Fling event on Good Friday to counter popular misconceptions and educate the public about the realities of caring for rabbits. BWF founder Lejla Hadzimuratovic will bring along some of the group’s rescued bunnies who are available for fostering or adoption for those who are serious about the commitment.
“Rabbits are not disposable props, toys, or gifts — they are highly sensitive, fragile, intelligent, high-maintenance companion animals who need and deserve responsible adopters ready for the 10-plus year commitment of proper care,” Hadzimuratovic told CNS.
Sunshine Rabbit Center, a relatively new rabbit rescue and community center in Long Beach, also describes the prevalence of buying rabbits for Easter as “an annual problem.”
“We see the biggest numbers of `dumps’ in June,” the center told CNS. “We are now a sanctuary and no longer accept new rabbits … but when we were still involved in rabbit adoptions we refused to adopt out young rabbits near Easter. We have always made informational social media posts like `rabbits are a 10-year commitment.”’
For those willing to make that commitment and learn about their specific needs, domestic rabbits can be wonderful companions. Experts offer the following basic tips:
— Domestic rabbits should be kept indoors at all times.
— Rabbits need to be spayed or neutered as soon as they’re old enough (between four and six months) to avoid unnecessary breeding and to aid their health.
— Once they’ve been spayed or neutered, bunnies should be paired with a mate who’s also been spayed or neutered for lifelong companionship. Single bunnies can be lonely and depressed.
— They should be fed a diet of unlimited timothy hay (or alfalfa hay for rabbits under 6 months), plus a daily portion of leafy greens and limited pellets.
— They should never be kept in cages, as they need room to hop around and exercise their legs.
— They need to be thoroughly groomed every two to three months to remove excess fur and have their nails trimmed.
— They’re aggressive chewers, and need to be kept away from electrical cords and anything that can be dangerous if ingested, such as taped or glued boxes.
— Bunnies who stop eating or appear to be in pain can die within 36 hours, and need immediate care from a veterinarian trained in rabbit care.
More information is available at rabbit.org/, or bunnyworldfoundation.org.
Officials also warn the public that Easter baskets can pose a danger to household pets. Colorful eggs, plastic grass, candy and chocolate can all be toxic if ingested by animals.
For families looking for a more animal-friendly Easter event, Love Always Sanctuary in Sun Valley is hosting its fifth annual Easter Eggstravaganza from noon to 4 p.m. Sunday at 9841 La Tuna Canyon Road. The cost is $15 and the event includes music and food, an appearance by the Easter Bunny, and a chance to meet the facility’s rescued farm animals.
An Easter egg hunt for children is also available for $30 per child. More information can be found at lovealwayssanctuary.org/visit.