Bombarded By Bunnies: DuPage Animal Shelter Keeps Getting Rabbits

WHEATON, IL — A bunny bombardment of epic proportions hit DuPage County Animal Services (DCAS) in the first half of 2021, and the rabbit madness is reluctant to relent. Since January, the facility has taken in 209 domestic rabbits, which were surrendered by owners, found in the wild or sent over from Kane, Will and Cook counties.

In previous years, DCAS has usually taken in about 30 bunnies by this time of year, Brian Krajewski, Chairman of DuPage County's Animal Services Committee told Patch. As of Thursday, there are roughly 70 rabbits receiving care at the shelter.

When Patch previously reported on the veritable rabbit rampage in May, DCAS was looking to find homes for 71 rabbits.

“It is putting a big burden on our staff," Krajewski said. Staff have had to put groups of rabbits in larger cages that are designed for cats and dogs. Meanwhile, workers are also scrambling to find people to foster or adopt a rabbit before the population starts...hopping...again.

Krajewski told Patch it all started when close to 50 rabbits were found in a Schaumburg hotel room. Authorities in Schaumburg contacted DCAS, which took in roughly 40 of those rabbits.

It's likely the original owner initially had two rabbits they incorrectly believed were of the same sex, which is something that happens often, Krajewski said. Housed together, opposite-sex bunnies become amorous, which can only mean one thing if they haven't been spayed or neutered:

BOOM! Baby bunnies abound!

Then, it's only a matter of months before each of those bunny babies can bring their own baby bunnies into the world. Every few months, they can produce another litter.

Other times, single rabbits are surrendered by owners who bought them, but found the pets to be too big of a responsibility for them or their children. “People don’t realize the amount of care it takes and then after a year or so they bring them in," Krajewski said.

The facility also gets in several stray bunnies that were found after being left outside by owners who are unaware a domestic bunny's chances of surviving in the wild are slim.

"They let it go and it won’t last very long out there," Krajewski said. He added that a group of rabbits was even left in the back of a car in a local junkyard.

The shelter is one of the few county facilities in northern Illinois that will take in rabbits, Krajewski told Patch; Will, Cook and Kane Counties won't. DCAS also rarely euthanizes an animal, unless in the case of impending death or fatal injuries.

Once media outlets covered the Schaumburg hotel rabbit roundup, the word got out that DCAS was a safe place to take rabbits who need homes. Thus, the ongoing bun-bun influx.

This makes for a sort of Catch-22, Krajewski explained. Whenever the word gets out that they need help rehoming rabbits, the word also gets out that they are willing to help rehome rabbits.

How to Help the Bunnies

DuPage County residents can help by adopting or fostering a rabbit from DuPage County Animal Services. The rabbits are spayed or neutered and microchipped before they leave the facility.

The cost to adopt a rabbit from DuPage County Animal Services is $40. If someone doesn't have the funds, though, the shelter will work with them, Krajewski said, stressing that the important thing is finding the bunnies a loving home.

Click the link to for more information on how to adopt a bunny.

Temporary homes can also help these rabbits. Residents who are interested in fostering a rabbit should email Dina.Schubert@dupageco.org. Click the link for more information about rabbit care and behavior.

Krajewski said DCAS continues to work with surrounding counties to encourage them to change their policies about rabbits. The facility is also trying to raise awareness about its rabbit population, in addition to how to properly care for bunnies.

In the meantime, there's not an end in sight. "They just keep coming," Krajewski said.

It's not clear when the bunny blitz will start to subside, but until then, Krajewsi said the DCAS team will keep caring for the rabbits and "finding every way to find an animal and get it to its next forever home."

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