Today is a perfect day to tell you about Best Friends Rescue Ranch out in Reno, Nevada. It’s a temporary holding/medical facility for about 1,200 bunnies. Quite a number, eh? The story behind that number is almost comical in its absurdity, but I assure you, it’s completely true.
“It started with a rescuer who took in homeless bunnies, neutered them, and gave them nice lives. She did this for 28 years. But then her health began to fail, and nobody seemed to read the figurative sign on the door that said, “Don’t drop any more bunnies off at this address!” Instead, folks kept dumping them over the fence. The rescuer didn’t know how to return the little care packages to the people who had dumped them. And she was too ill to take care of them, or to stay on top of the neutering, or even to tell sometimes that another rabbit had been dumped in her yard. As the uninvited guests began to multiply, she went in search of help.”
Best Friends was called to help with the out of control situation and quickly accepted the challenge. This is where Rescue Ranch was born. They put the word out on their volunteer network that they would need lots of help dealing with all these bunnies. So far, they have separated most of the adult male and female bunnies so they wouldn’t breed anymore. Those bunnies will get altered by their on-site veterinarian(s) and then (hopefully) be adopted. The baby bunnies still living in underground burrows will go through the same process just as soon as they peek their little head out of the hole and get identified.
Currently, the sheer amount of bunnies requires many more volunteers than they currently have, so if you or anyone you know wants to help out, please visit their volunteer form. If you can’t volunteer, and love bunnies, there are tons left to adopt! Their adoption page notes all the details. And, of course, any amount of “bunny money” you can donate to their four-month rescue operation is greatly appreciated.
Please remember, too, that lots of people buy rabbits from pet stores for their kids at this time of year. A few weeks or months later, when the novelty has worn off, the rabbits end up at the local shelter – or worse. Adding a pet to your family is a long-term commitment. So, please consider any new addition very carefully. Their life and happiness is in your hands.