JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – A Northeast Florida bunny rescue is facing a surge of abandoned rabbits after 14 bunnies were found dumped in the Timucuan Preserve on New Year’s Day.
Bebette’s Bunny Rescue, which has already rescued 13 of the rabbits, says the animals were left in the wild without food or water.
Volunteers are still searching for the last bunny.
Dumping domestic rabbits is a growing issue, with rescues like Bebette’s constantly working to save abandoned animals. Samantha Burns, the founder of the rescue, explains the problem stems from misinformation and impulsive purchases.
“In Nassau County last year, we were able to pass a ban on stores like PetSmart and Pet Supplies Plus from selling rabbits,” Burns said. “It has really helped people interested in getting a bunny to seek out the right education and resources.”
Burns hopes to see similar legislation enacted statewide.
According to Burns, the largest influx of abandoned rabbits occurs after Easter, during what the rescue calls “Easter dumping season,” which runs from May to August.
“People will usually get them as babies from the pet store or breeder, and then they realize that they’re not going to stay cute and small. Then their hormones kick in around four months of age, and they start pooping everywhere and spraying because they’re not fixed, and just getting hormonal,” Burns said.
Spaying or neutering can resolve these issues though.
Volunteers like Carol Resch have been assisting in the search to find the last bunny.
“They’re just prey for whatever is out here. They’ve been taken care of and don’t know how to find food or water,” Resch said. “It’s heartbreaking. The rabbits were coming up to people looking for food, love, and water.”
State representative Katherine Waldron sponsored House Bill 701 during Florida’s 2024 legislative session to help curb pet rabbit sales, but it didn’t make it past committee. She’s hoping to make changes to the bill for the upcoming session in March.
Resch hopes for stricter legislation to address rabbit sales and dumping.
“I would absolutely like to see a ban on pet stores selling rabbits and more regulations to stop excessive breeding and abandonment,” she said.
We searched the Florida House of Representatives website for a new version of House Bill 701 but couldn’t find anything just yet. Florida’s legislative session begins on March 4th.
If you’d like to help Bebette’s Bunny Rescue you can visit their website.