This Easter, we’re calling on you to help end Easter rabbit sales by pledging to never buy a rabbit, no matter the season. Make the commitment that your next rabbit companion will be adopted from a shelter, rescue, or someone unable to keep their rabbit.

The spring season is full of mouth-watering candy, brightly colored eggs, and of course, rabbits. For rescues and animal shelters across the globe, however, the reality of the holiday is much grimmer. When rabbits are purchased on impulse, with little education on rabbit care or expectation that a rabbit is an 8 to 12-year commitment, many of them become unwanted.

Abandoned rabbits can end up at overcrowded shelters or even dumped outside, where they are ill-equipped to survive. Sadly, for many of these unwanted rabbits, either of these scenarios may be a death sentence.

While it’s true rabbits are adorable and can fill your heart and your home with joy, they also require special care. It can take longer to bond with them since they are prey animals and can be more fearful. They require a diet of hay, pellets, and fresh vegetables, and specialized vet care from a rabbit savvy veterinarian. They need to be spayed/neutered to prevent cancer and unwanted litters. They need to live inside the home for their safety and health, with exercise time in a bunny-proofed environment. With proper care, they can live 8-12 years.

By signing the pledge to adopt your next rabbit companion, you’re pledging to save the life of a rabbit who needs a second chance and helping to stop the sale of Easter rabbits.

Help us spread the word to anyone you know who is considering buying a rabbit. Ask them to consider adoption and encourage them to do their homework and visit our website at rabbit.org to see whether a rabbit is the right fit for them.

Thank you!

About House Rabbit Society

Founded in 1988, House Rabbit Society is a nonprofit animal welfare organization with headquarters in Richmond, California, with a mission of rabbit rescue and education. When our headquarters location opened in 2000, we were the first all-rabbit shelter in the country; now multiple House Rabbit Society chapters also have rescue facilities throughout the United States. Over the past 30 years, House Rabbit Society has grown from 300 to thousands of members, with chapters in 25 states plus Canada, Italy, and Australia. Since its founding, together with House Rabbit Society chapters, over 40,000 rabbits have been rescued across the U.S.

House Rabbit Society also seeks to reduce the number of unwanted rabbits—and to improve bunnies’ lives—by helping people better understand these often-misunderstood companion animals. Our adoption process emphasizes the unique nature of rabbits and how adopters can provide them a safe and loving home. Our website, rabbit.org, is accessed thousands of times a day by people in dozens of countries around the world who are seeking information on proper rabbit care, health, and behavior.