‘Real Rabbits And Easter Don't Mix' Animal Advocates Caution Parents Against Gift

By Elizabeth Ireland, Times of San Diego

April 6, 2023

Rabbit rescue groups across Southern California are urging people not to purchase bunnies as Easter gifts for children, saying that what begins as a well-intentioned gesture often leads to abandoned animals when the novelty wears off and families realize they’re not equipped to properly care for the pets.

Instead, rescue groups and animal control officials recommend buying a stuffed toy bunny or chocolate candy rabbit for kids’ Easter baskets.

Retail sales of rabbits, dogs and cats are prohibited in California, but direct sales are still permitted, including online, and illegal street sales occur in urban areas where baby bunnies are sometimes deceptively marketed as adult “dwarfs.”

“Every year, we receive numerous reports of bunnies who were bought for Easter and then discarded once their cuteness or novelty wore off, which is why we adamantly advocate against buying live animals as Easter gifts,” PETA’s Catie Cryar told City News Service. More information from PETA can be found at www.peta.org.

“Real rabbits and Easter don’t mix,” the Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation proclaimed in its annual Easter message this year.

Rabbits are not low-maintenance pets. They require feeding, cleaning, and humane indoor housing in a bunny-proofed room, and veterinary care can be expensive, advocates note.

They’re also not ideal pets for small children, as they respond best to quiet energy and can be easily spooked by the hyperactivity of a child.

Animal advocates do want them to be adopted into loving homes, saying they can be wonderful companions for those who are serious about the commitment. Advocates say the animals are gentle creatures that offer many benefits over other pets, including their quiet nature and a diet of hay and vegetables that avoids adding to the suffering and environmental harm inherent in factory farming that produces dog and cat food.

Advocates offered a series of 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 for lifelong companionship. Single bunnies can be lonely and depressed.
• They should be fed a diet of unlimited timothy hay and a daily portion of leafy greens, plus pellets and alfalfa hay for rabbits under 6 months.
• 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.

City News Service contributed to this article.

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