Current Rabbit Confiscations and Emergencies

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House Rabbit Society has started tracking the emergency rescues involving rabbits, so that the public and other rescuers may know about these, and can reach out to help. Please also find a rabbit colony tracking map here.

Here are the rescues that we know of as of today:

November, 2018

Lake Tapp, WA: 40-50 rabbits have been released to the wild to fend for themselves in Lake Tapps WA. You can find out more about it here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1750947525216385/

July, 2017

Westminster, CA: Westminster Adoption Group & Services W.A.G.S.) in Westminster, CA, has just taken in 125 rabbits (which, thanks to births, now number over 150) after they were surrendered by someone who was in over their head. They desperately need help from other groups to take in some of these rabbits. You can read about it here: http://www.ocregister.com/2017/06/10/125-rabbits-will-need-foster-furrever-homes-after-cypress-owner-surrendered-them/ and you can visit their Facebook page here.

May, 2017

Cypress, CA: Orange County Animal Care is in possession of over 200 rabbits, seized from a man who “rescued” rabbits but allowed them to breed out of control. To read about the story, and see some of the rabbits, visit this link; to adopt, visit OCAC at this link.

March, 2017

  • Lake Tapps, WA: Domestic rabbits were released to the wild to fend for themselves in Lake Tapps/Graham, WA.   The rabbits’ story can be followed on the following FB group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1750947525216385/  This is a high predation area and home owners are shooting at the rabbits (ugh), there are an estimated 40-45 rabbits. Jasmine, a wildlife rehabilitator with three indoor house rabbits of her own, is leading the effort to care for, arrange vet care and spay/neuter, and transport.  Home owners and rabbit lovers are capturing the rabbits and bringing them to Jasmine. To date, 17 rabbits have been captured. 3 adults have been altered.  2 adults were captured today and along with 2 adolescents will be altered this week.  There are 10 8-9 week old babies.  Jasmine is requesting immediate rescue placement assistance.  For rabbits too young to alter, Jasmine is willing to send the spay/neuter fees with the rabbits on transport ($55 for neuters, $65 for spays). If you can provide rescue placement, or network with a reputable group you are aware of to provide rescue placement, please contact Dawn Sailer at [email protected] or 317-408-034.
  • Asheville, NC: Earlier this year, Brother Wolf Animal Rescue rescued 60 rabbits from a hoarding situation. Half of those rabbits were pregnant females. Our population in foster care now exceeds 120, with more expected this spring. We are seeking help to rehome 60 unaltered rabbits as soon as possible. Brother Wolf is happy to transport rabbits free of charge. If you are able to help, please call or email Brother Wolf General Manager Audrey Lodato at 828-505-3440 ext. 111 or [email protected].

February, 2017

  • Owensboro, KY: Daviess County Animal Control has confiscated 20 New Zealand White rabbits, who were  turned loose in a park, and then caught and brought to the shelter. To help, please contact Mary Kalb with Harvey’s House Rabbit Rescue & Sanctuary, at [email protected].

January, 2017

  • Asheville, NC: Brother Wolf Animal Rescue is trying to help with spaying and neutering, and placing, over 50 rabbits from a woman who got in over her head. To find out more, visit http://www.bwar.org/sos-bunny-explosion

December, 2016

  • Maine: Chris Fontes from PETA is dealing with an emergency confiscation in Maine involving an unknown number of rabbits. If you can help, please call 757-943-0503.
  • Tremont, IL: Tazewell County Animal Control has impounded 18 rabbits.  For help, please contact Ryan Sanders at [email protected] or 309-925-3370
  • Cleveland, OH: A rescue group in Cleveland has just been contacted about: 56 roosters, 42 rabbits, and 22 pigeons who have been confiscated in what was supposed to be a one dog rescue in the Cleveland, OH area and turned into 212 animals being confiscated by an animal protection organization! If you can assist, please contact Dawn Sailer at [email protected].
  • Ohio:  In June, the Buckeye HRS was contacted to see if we could help with a cruelty case in Sandusky County, Ohio involving twelve seized rabbits, including a mom with four babies.  There are two Flemish Giants, one Dutch boy, and the rest are all small Rex buns with a variety of colors.  After moving some of our existing fosters to other foster homes (thank you!!), we squeezed them in.  Tied up in the legal system, we were unable to alter or adopt out any of these rabbits until they were surrendered five months later. During the holding time, the babies aged enough that they all had to be moved to individual housing, using up even more precious area for other fosters.  Since these rabbits are using nearly all of our housing space, we’ve had no room for stray intakes.  Of course, un-altered rabbits tend to be less than neat and have poor litterbox habits … and these guys are exceptional urine sprayers, hence much time is spent on cleaning.  However, everybun is healthy and friendly now and the task of getting them altered has begun.  Clearly, this will be a long and expensive process!  Can you help them – and us?  Click to donate directly for them.
  • Alabama: Alabama HRS has just rescued 13 white New Zealand bunnies running loose in a neighborhood.  They are now all spayed and neutered and they have another case with fifteen lionhead bunnies living outdoors in makeshift chicken wire pens, whose wife wants to turn them all loose. If you can help with either of these cases, please contact Connie Cowan at [email protected].

October, 2016

  • Orange County, CA: 278 rabbits were seized from a Cypress home on 10/5 and will be available for adoption Thursday, 10/6. Please visit Orange County Animal Care to find out how to adopt, and how you can help.
  • Indianapolis, IN: Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS) confiscated 36 rabbits from the same breeder, Richard Cartheuser, a Board member for the Indiana State Rabbit Breeders Association,  who had almost 400 rabbits removed by the shelter in 2013 due to poor care and filthy conditions. At that time, Indiana House Rabbit Society  assisted IACS by providing weeks of care to the rabbits, and arranging the transport and placement of most of them.  As part of an agreement Cartheuser reached with the city, he is not allowed to breed or keep unaltered rabbits in the county anymore. Contact Indianapolis Animal Care Services to help.

September, 2016

  • Hamilton, MT: There are a large number of feral rabbits, and a new start up called Big Sky Rabbit Rescue is trying to catch and place them, and to stop them from being poisoned. If you can donate or help, please visit their GoFundMe page.

August, 2016

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