When you need to find your bunny a new home:

If you adopted a rabbit from HRS, then you MUST return them to us.  We would appreciate a reasonable amount of notice so that we can make arrangements for  foster care. If you did not adopt from us please read the following suggestions for finding your rabbit a new home.

We are committed to rescuing rabbits who have run out of time at the local animal shelters.  These shelters take in more animals than they can adopt out, and we do what we can to save them from euthanasia. Most of our rabbits are now housed with volunteers in foster homes, or are managed by volunteers and housed in Petsmart locations.  There are always more rabbits in need than we have space for, and we can only accept another rabbit when one has been adopted out.
 

Because we are a “No Kill” shelter, any rabbit that we accept into our care will remain with us for the remainder of its life, regardless of the cost.  Some of these wonderful rabbits have minor health issues, or are passed over because of size or appearance or shyness.  That means that much of our foster space is taken by Sanctuary rabbits.  We still hope that one day someone will step up and give them a home they deserve.

Maybe you don’t have to give your bunny up.

Do you feel like your rabbit has behavior issues that make him difficult to live with?  Chewing cords? Digging carpet?  Not using the litter box? Aggression?  Bad bunny smells?  Most of these “negative”  behaviors are just misunderstanding between you and your rabbit.  Please go to www.rabbit.org,
for complete and up to date bunny information, or call our hotline at 678-526-8884 and talk to one of our counselors.  They have lots of bunny experience and can help you with information and suggestions to help you understand what is happening, and how to work out your differences so that you can live happily together.

Do you have allergies?  If you have discovered that you are allergic to the rabbit or the hay, don’t give up yet.  Please read these tried and true solutions for living well together.

o    When the Fur is Flying, by Kristi Cole
o    Living with Rabbit Allergies, by Susan Smith, Ph

    If you are considering taking your rabbit to a shelter, please keep in mind the following things:

Shelters and animal control have very little space for a rabbit, and when one is brought in, it means that another will have to be euthanized.   When you surrender your rabbit to a shelter, you have no control over the quality of home he or she goes to. Many shelter workers are not familiar with the specific needs of rabbits, and cannot adequately screen potential adopters.  Please check references for shelters.  Go and observe the conditions your rabbit will be housed in.  Is it a place you would be comfortable leaving a beloved pet, or a death sentence?  Your rabbit may be placed in a room with meowing cats, barking dogs and lots of people coming by.  They will not behave normally and will be frightened and shy, and their playful friendly personality will be hidden.

If your rabbit boxes or nips because he/she is unaltered, they may be labeled as "aggressive" and “unadoptable".  Shelters (especially animal control) don't have the resources to spay or neuter rabbits before adoption.  They will probably euthanize rabbits with behavior problems, even though the behaviors are normal for most rabbits in that situation.

If your rabbit is ill or elderly, he or she may be euthanized at intake instead of put out for adoption. Most shelters don't have the funds or expertise needed to treat rabbits for the simplest of health problems. Most potential adopters are looking for healthy, young rabbits.

If you are surrendering a bonded pair, it's much harder to place two rabbits together than separately.  Many shelters house bonded pairs together, but adopt them out separately to different homes. This is extremely stressful to rabbit pairs. Are you willing for your rabbits to not only lose their home, but be separated from their constant companion?

When you are out of options:

The best chance your rabbit has to be placed in a good home is for you to screen potential adopters yourself.   Please refer to the following articles for suggestions on how to accomplish this.

  Finding a Home for an Unwanted Rabbit
  Tips for Finding a Home for a Pet

You can place a free add at   Your listing will be posted for 14 days, but you can resubmit after that. And you can also place an ad on"Craigs List".  They are a listing site for everything you can think of, and have a special section for pets.

You can make flyers with a photo and description of your rabbit and place them with local veterinarians, at pet stores, community bulletin boards, work places, church bulletins, etc.  Some rabbit groups will allow you to post on their message boards.

You can place an add in the local newspaper.

Be sure to ask an adoption fee to prevent your rabbit from becoming food for another predator.  You want your rabbit to go to a home that will consider them important enough to pay for.  Remember to advertise any food, housing, books, and supplies that will be provided with the rabbit.  Do your best to get a good picture that can be emailed, and be sure to mention the things about your bunny that you love the most. 

If all else fails, PLEASE DO NOT LET YOUR RABBIT LOOSE OUTSIDE!  They will become food for hawks, dogs, cats, raccoons or coyotes.  They will be hit by a car, become sick and injured, die from starvation and lack of water, become sick from fleas, ticks, and flies laying eggs on them, and injured by attacks from wild rabbit colonies.  They could be caught and abused by humans.  Some people are very cruel.  It would be better to take your rabbit to a shelter and at least give it a second chance.  If it is not adopted, then euthanasia will be a much kinder death that a slow and painful death outdoors.