08/03/2026
Think before you bring a bunny 🏠It matters that you care enough to do your research. Every bunny deserves a chance. Sometimes it doesn’t work out but make the recidivism rate smaller because you cared for the life and outcome of a bunny’s forever.
Last week I was at Rural King picking up rabbit feed when something happened that reminded me why education is just as important as rescue.
As I walked down the feed aisle, I noticed a family with two young children looking at the rabbit supplies. They had already been looking at the rabbits and were gathering everything they thought they would need before going back to choose one. They had picked up a small bag of hay, and I overheard the mom ask, “I don’t know if this is for bedding or if they’re supposed to eat it.”
If you’ve never owned a rabbit before, that’s actually a fair question. Every animal has different care requirements, and no one is expected to know everything.
So I introduced myself, asked what they were planning for, and they excitedly told me they were about to buy one of the baby rabbits.
I politely said, “I wouldn’t ..would you mind if I shared a few things with you?”
Instead of taking offense, the husband smiled and said, “I love honest people. Tell me.”
We stood there talking for quite a while.
I explained that I run a rabbit rescue and that many of the rabbits that eventually come through my doors started out as impulse purchases from feed stores, farm stores, pet stores, breeders, or online marketplaces. Not because those places are necessarily doing anything wrong, but because it’s easy to fall in love with an adorable baby bunny before understanding what that commitment really looks like.
We talked about proper care and what types of feed they need, what I personally use, etc. 
I explained that rabbits are prey animals. Many don’t naturally enjoy being picked up, especially as babies, and they often need time, patience, and gentle handling to build trust. When families expect them to behave like puppies or kittens, everyone becomes frustrated. The bunny scratches because it’s scared, the children become afraid of the bunny, and before long the rabbit ends up spending most of its life alone in a cage—or worse, being surrendered or abandoned.
I also explained something many people don’t realize.
The rabbits commonly sold in farm and feed stores are often breeds originally developed for agricultural purposes, such as New Zealand-type rabbits (which is what was there at that time). While they absolutely can make wonderful pets in the right home, many people don’t know what breed they’re buying, how large they’ll become, their temperament, or what their long-term needs are. They simply see an adorable baby rabbit with a $20 price tag. The wife even stated Rural King could not even tell them the breed. That’s a big red flag to me if you are selling rabbits and can’t even tell families what type of rabbits those are. 
The rabbit may be inexpensive.
Everything that comes after is not.
A proper setup, quality food, unlimited hay, enrichment, etc
The purchase price is usually the least expensive part of owning a rabbit.
During our conversation, the husband admitted he really hadn’t wanted a bunny. He laughed and said he’d been outnumbered by his wife and kids. Then he said something that stuck with me.
After I mentioned that a lot of people that buy bunnies on a whim usually in a couple weeks are ready to get rid of that bunny because it was a lot more work than they expected. Or they came to them unsocialized and didn’t want to be handled. He thought there was a good chance that after a couple of weeks, the excitement would wear off and the rabbit would likely end up needing a new home.
After we finished talking, he spoke with his family. They decided to put everything back, and instead told the kids they would talk more about it at home and that they would rather look into getting a bearded dragon than bringing home a rabbit that day.
Before we parted ways, I let them know that if they ever decided a rabbit truly was the right pet for their family, I’d be more than happy to answer questions, educate them, or help match them with a rabbit whose personality fit their home.
I didn’t tell them not to own a rabbit.
I encouraged them to learn first. 
And honestly, I walked away feeling really good.
Not because I “talked someone out of buying a bunny,” but because I may have prevented another rabbit from eventually ending up unwanted, neglected, or surrendered.
This isn’t meant to criticize the family, Rural King, other feed stores, pet stores, or RESPONSIBLE breeders. They each serve different purposes, and many people purchase healthy animals from them.
My concern has never been where a rabbit comes from.
My concern is why it’s being purchased.
A rabbit or any animal should never be bought simply because it’s inexpensive, because the kids think it’s cute, or because it’s an impulse decision.
This is the sad part of them being in stores like this.
They are intelligent, emotional, social animals that thrive as part of the family. They deserve homes where people understand the commitment before bringing them home.
As someone who rescues rabbits every day, I can tell you that almost every surrender begins with the same sentence:
“We didn’t realize…”
We didn’t realize how much hay they eat.
We didn’t realize how much they p**p. 
We didn’t realize they need an exotic veterinarian.
We didn’t realize they can live 10+ years.
We didn’t realize they need hours of exercise every day and out of cage/enclosure time. 
This moment is exactly why The Bunny Hutch exists.
I absolutely love what I do. Yes, my mission is to provide a safe place for unwanted rabbits, help them heal, work with them on trust and socialization, and find them the loving homes they deserve.
But rescue is about so much more than taking in rabbits after something has gone wrong.
A huge part of what I do is education.
I will never turn someone away from adopting a rabbit simply because they have never owned one before or because they don’t know everything about rabbit care yet. Everyone has to start somewhere. The difference is being willing to learn.
Instead, I take the time to teach. I help people understand proper housing, nutrition, behavior, handling, and what it truly means to care for a rabbit. And even after a bunny goes home, I am still here for the life of that bunny. If an adopter has questions, concerns, or needs guidance, they can reach out.
That is something that has always been very important to me.
A rabbit should never just be treated like a transaction.
They are living, feeling animals that deserve someone who cares where they end up and whether they are truly happy.
Unfortunately, many rabbits are purchased or bred without enough thought being put into their future. Some are raised with little handling, little socialization, and little education given to the new owner. The focus becomes getting the rabbit sold or rehomed, rather than making sure the rabbit and the family are the right fit for each other.
I will never be that person.
I would much rather someone come to me with questions before getting a bunny. I would rather spend an hour educating someone than see a rabbit end up needing rescue later because nobody took the time to explain what they were committing to.
Because at the end of the day, the goal is the same:
A happy bunny.
A prepared family.
And a forever home that truly understands what that commitment means.
Sometimes the best rescue doesn’t happen after a rabbit is surrendered.
Sometimes it happens before it’s ever purchased.
