Easter and Rabbits

Related Articles Easter 2012 Press Release Make Mine Chocolate: buy a chocolate Easter bunny instead of a live rabbit! And if you do so via Rescue Chocolate, who sells chocolate bunnies in partnership with HRS, $1 of your purchase is donated to HRS (note HRS in the notes field with your order)! Children and Rabbits Flyer Sample letter to the editor The Easter Bunny Poem How much does an Easter Bunny Really Cost? Flyers and Handouts Looking for a bunny for Easter? Check out cute pictures of adorable bunnies at Cuteoverload or get yourself a stuffed bunny at 22 Reasons instead--all proceeds are donated to House Rabbit Society!

NOTE: Our website has changed. Please visit rabbit.org for our new website and http://rabbit.org/category/easter/ for our new Easter pages.

Contrary to Easter-time hype, rabbits and small children aren't a good match. The exuberance of even the gentlest toddler is stressful for the sensitive rabbit.

Children like a companion they can hold, and cuddle. That's why stuffed animals are so popular. Rabbits are not passive and cuddly. They are ground-loving creatures who feel frightened and insecure when held and restrained. The result of a short-sighted purchase of an Easter rabbit: the child loses interest, and the rabbit ends up neglected or abandoned.

Easter bunnies soon grow large and reach adolescence. If left unneutered they will chew, spray or dig. Many end up neglected or abandoned. The result? Humane organizations such as House Rabbit Society see a huge increase in the number of abandoned rabbits after Easter. Help us stop this yearly cycle by educating yourself and others!

Know the Facts.

• Rabbits are not "low-maintenance" pets, and are a poor choice as a pet for children.
• They have a lifespan of 10 years and require as much work as a dog or cat.
• Your home must be bunny-proofed, or Thumper will chew cords and furniture.
• Rabbits must be neutered or spayed or they will mark your house with feces and urine.
• They should live indoors, as members of the family.
  

Clearly, rabbits aren't for everyone. Are you a gentle adult living in a quiet household? If you think you're someone who would enjoy sharing life with a rabbit, please visit your local rabbit-rescue group.

Help Us Spread the Word!

• Know someone purchasing a rabbit at Easter? Let them know it's a bad idea. Print out our Children and Rabbits Flyer or The Easter Bunny Poem and give them a copy.
  
  
• Send a letter to the editor of your local newspaper informing the public about rabbits as pets and the dangers of getting them at Easter
  
  
• Rescue Groups! Consider putting up a billboard or other public display educating people about why rabbits are not Easter gifts! Check out the Easter billboard campaigns created by Rabbitron and New Mexico House Rabbit Society!
  
  
• Wear a t-shirt sporting one of our Easter messages.
  
  
• Display our Easter banners on your own homepage.
  
  
• Print out and distribute our Easter flyers around town.
  
  
• Learn about the Make Mine Chocolate! campaign.
  
  
• Lend your financial support. Make a donation or become a member to help support our cause!