Impulse shopping. We've all been guilty of it to some extent, whether it's splurging on a vanilla soy latte, that new pair of shoes you'll rarely wear but can't resist, or the random gadget that seemed so useful during the 3 a.m. infomercial. We may have regrets when we look in our wallets the next day, but overall, impulse shopping now and again can be pretty harmless-unless that impulse involves bringing an animal into your life.

Each Easter season, many parents give in to the "Easter bunny" temptation and buy a rabbit for their kids, vastly underestimating the amount of care that bunnies require. Weeks later, when "bunny fever" has subsided, many will consign now-unwanted bunnies to outdoor hutches, dump them at animal shelters, or simply set them free outdoors, where they will starve or be killed by predators. Most will end up dead or abandoned before their first birthday.

If-after careful consideration-you have decided to welcome a rabbit into your home, please adopt from your local humane society or rabbit rescue group; NEVER buy bunnies from a pet store. These animals often come from rabbit mills, where they are overbred. Dealers and "pet" stores usually request 4-week-old bunnies because they require less space and are "cuter," but bunnies of this age are ill-prepared to be weaned from their parents. An animal who is purchased at a pet or discount store will be replaced by another one from these rabbit mills, leaving one less home for a bunny already in an animal shelter awaiting adoption.

This Easter season, take some time to speak up for bunnies and all animals in pet stores by printing and handing out PETA's "Bunny Fever" leaflets, which remind others that animals require a major commitment and that you should always adopt and never buy animals from a pet store or breeder. Learn more.

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