Finding Your Rabbit a New Home

HRS does not take **owner-relinquished or "found" rabbits, but works with local shelters and humane societies to aid them in finding homes for abandoned rabbits. Because of the overwhelming number of abandoned rabbits, we are only able to take in rabbits scheduled to be destroyed at animal shelters. Even then we can only save a few.

Your best hope is to house the rabbit yourself (or board her) and advertise until you find the right home. Advertising is as simple as placing ads in local newspapers, on Craig's List, and on veterinarian (a really good method), pet supply and supermarket bulletin boards. It is possible to find good homes for rabbits, but it takes time, commitment and strategy. 

Two local websites help your promote your rabbit for adoption: San Diego Animal Support Foundation has a link featuring Privately Owned Pets Looking For A Home. This local site, www.sandiego petadoption.com, also offers opportunities for pets to find new homes.

There are two steps to finding homes for rabbits. The first is to prepare the rabbit for adoption. This includes spaying or neutering, litterbox training, socializing, and learning bunny's health status and personality. The second step is to aggressively seek an ideal home by advertising and screening callers for suitability.

Spaying or neutering makes a rabbit calmer and easier to litterbox train, and thus improves the chance of being adopted as an indoor companion. It also insures that no more unwanted rabbits will be produced after the rabbit leaves your home.

Litterbox training is achieved by fastening a litterbox to the side of the cage in the corner the rabbit uses as a bathroom. Once bunny is using the box, try him in a safe, bunny-proofed room with one or more litterboxes. ("Bunny-proofed' means a place where items that rabbits find tempting to chew, such as house plants and telephone and electrical cords, have been placed out of reach.) In a matter of days a neutered rabbit can be advertised as "house-trained."

The more attention you give your bunny, the more she will show off for prospective adopters. Petting the rabbit (most prefer the top of the head) will teach her to look for affection from humans. Follow up on any health problems with a trip to the vet, so you can tell the new owner what to expect.

When placing ads, state your rabbit's strong points: "neutered," "house-trained," "affectionate," friendly." Asking a $20-30 fee in the ad excludes callers wanting a free meal for their pet reptiles. People willing to commit to owning a rabbit will gladly pay an adoption fee.

To screen people who answer your ad, imagine what kind of home you want for your rabbit, and then stick to your ideal. Engage the caller in a conversation about their past pets to find out what they're looking for in a pet. Explain that you are asking questions because you want the new owner and the rabbit to be happy. Present a realistic picture of what rabbits are like. If you feel the home is not suitable, make an excuse. Politely tell the caller that your rabbit doesn't do well with children, isn't used to hutch-living, is scared of dogs, or whatever. Also, use our guideline "Before You Adopt" to formulate questions to ask prospective adopters, when screening for new homes for your rabbit.

At House Rabbit Society, we look for indoor homes for our rabbits, so that they will enjoy lives that are both safe and social. The rabbit has an enclosed home (cage or x-pen) but is allowed some supervised freedom daily. How soon a rabbit becomes an un-caged roommate depends on how bunny-proofed the home is and on the maturity and personality of the rabbit. The more involved the owner is, the more freedom the rabbit will be given. Another House Rabbit Society criteria is that an adult, not a child, be the rabbit's primary care-giver.

Good luck placing your rabbit.

If you are located in San Diego County, you can take your rabbit to one of the following shelters or humane societies who have rabbit adoption programs. Call ahead to be sure they have room.

However, as stated above, the best - and safest - place for your rabbit is in your home.

Address/Phone Numbers of Shelters and Humane Societies that have rabbit adoption programs:   Central San Diego County Animal Shelter 5480 Gaines St., San Diego, (619) 236-4250   Chula Vista Animal Care Facility 130 Beyer Way, Chula Vista, (619) 691-5123   Escondido Humane Society Animal Center 3450 East Valley Parkway, Escondido, (760) 888-2275   North County Humane Society & SPCA 2905 San Luis Rey, Oceanside, (760) 757-4357   North San Diego County Animal Shelter 2481 Palomar Airport Rd., Carlsbad, (760) 438-2312   Rancho Coastal Humane Society 389 Requeza, Encinitas, (760) 753-6413   San Diego Humane Society 5500 Gaines St., San Diego, (619) 299-7012   South San Diego County Animal Shelter 5821 Sweetwater Rd., Bonita, (619) 263-7741 Websites that promote your pets for adoption: Privately Owned Pets Looking For A Home  www.sandiego petadoption.com ** If you adopted your rabbit directly from San Diego HRS, then we will take that rabbit back into our program.  Email hrs@sandiegorabbits.org or call 619-718-7777 to learn more. Have your adoption contract handy to tell us the rabbit's name, date of adoption, and name of adopter.