Hop to It: February is Adopt a Rescued Rabbit Month
Over the years, rabbits have gotten a bad rap. There’s the ferocious rabbit in Monty Python’s flick about the Holy Grail, the conniving Trix rabbit, and it’s hard to ignore the celebrated misdeeds of Playboy bunnies over the years. As far back as naughty Peter Rabbit’s looting and pillaging of Farmer McGregor’s garden, rabbits have historically earned a bit of a reputation as being unruly. Sure, Bugs was funny, but let’s just say I wouldn’t want to take a long car ride with him.
But these are celebrity rabbits. House rabbits aren’t really like that.
To remind you of the virtues of a pet rabbit, February is National Adopt-a-Rescued-Rabbit Month.
This awareness campaign comes at a strategic time. Easter is around the corner and is still the traditional time for people to give rabbits as gifts. Although well-meaning parents may think that the tangible tribute to the illusive Easter Bunny is a kind gesture, a stuffed toy may be the better way to go. Trix may be for kids, but in most instances, rabbits are not.
While rabbits don’t make good toys for children, they do make good pets for the right folks. Here are some reasons to consider adopting a rabbit.
- They’re perfect for an urban apartment dweller. Rabbits can be litter box trained like a cat and don’t require daily walks like a dog.
- Many people with dog and cat allergies aren’t allergic to rabbits.
- Binkies! Rabbit lovers know about binkies, a little sort of mid-air pirouette that bunnies do to amuse themselves. Now you do too.
To locate some bunny in your area and save him from a life in show business, search petfinder.com or contact the House Rabbit Society for information about adopting, raising, and welcoming a pet rabbit into your home.
