Rabbit Adoption from Rabbit Rescue: Adoption Tips and List of Rescue Centers in US

Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Emma Reynolds

When most people consider having a rabbit as a pet, they will head to their local pet store. After all, it is one of the staple animals found in places like this. However, what if we told you that rabbit rescue and adoption may be a better idea?

In this article, we are going to tell you why. We are also going to give you a few hints and tips on ensuring that the bunny adoption is as simple as possible.

Why Adopt a Rabbit?

It isn’t just cats and dogs that are put up for adoption. Other animals are too, and some of the most common are rabbits.

This is, partly, because they breed like crazy. It also hinges on the fact that many people think that a rabbit is a ‘starter animal’ when in reality they require a lot of looking after.

It takes a sensible person to realize this. When there are so many rabbits up for adoption, why purchase one? It is only going to encourage more rabbit breeding in the future, which makes the problem worse.

It is often a lot cheaper to adopt a rabbit too.

In fact, many adoption centers will allow you to adopt a rabbit for a small donation, or even for free (obviously, you are always encouraged to give the small donation!).

A lot of these rabbits will have undergone checks by vets too, which means you can be sure that you are ending up with a healthy animal.

If you can, you may want to adopt a couple of rabbits at once (same breed, if possible). Rabbits are highly sociable animals, and they tend to function a whole lot better when they have a ‘friend’ with them.

Of course, this does mean that you will need to have a bit more space in your apartment or house to home the rabbit.

The Downsides of Rabbit Adoption

While rabbits can live a long time (some breeds up to twelve years, the average is eight. It may be lower than that depending on the breed that you adopt.

Obviously, when you purchase a rabbit, you are often purchasing it at a few weeks old. If you adopt, then there is a chance that it will be a few years old. This means that you will have less time with your furry friend.

That being said, many of these rabbits up for adoption will have developed a personality already.

It is fun exploring their personality and getting to know them a little bit better. You will still have an influence on the way that they do develop, but remember they had a whole life before you took them home with you.

This is going to have an impact on them. As a result, adopting is not for a new pet owner. It can be full of challenges that you may not be dealing with if you picked up a rabbit from your local store.

Obviously, you also need to remember that you are going to have less of a choice in terms of rabbit breeds when you adopt.

You can go from shelter to shelter that offers rabbit rescue, but you will often find the same breeds of rabbit.

So, if you do have something specific in mind, then you are probably not going to be able to get it through rabbit adoption.

Popular Rabbit Breeds

While you won’t have that much of a choice when it comes to rabbit breeds when you are adopting a rabbit, it is still wise to think a little bit about the type of environment that your rabbit is going to be living in.

We are not going to go through all of the rabbit breeds here. There are a lot of them available, but we want to give you an overview of some of the more popular breeds so you can realize just how different they are in terms of requirements:

Lionhead Rabbit: Definitely our favorite breed. Long-haired small breed that loves to cuddle, suitable for smaller apartments.

Holland Lop: small rabbit. Suitable for smaller apartments.

Flemish Giant Rabbit: you will need a big living area for this rabbit breed. It is a calm rabbit, though. Ideal for older people.

Netherland Dwarf Rabbit: one of the most energetic rabbit breeds you can get. It is small, but requires a lot of space to hop about. It can be aggressive, so not ideal for children or people who do not know how to handle rabbits.

Dutch Rabbit: one of the most common breeds for pets. Calm, and fairly well-sized.

Continental Giant: this is a rabbit breed that thrives on interaction. If you are planning to interact with your rabbit a lot, then this is the route to go down.

This is just a small example of the various breeds there are. When you are adopting a rabbit from a rabbit rescue, we recommend that you find out the breed and then do a bit of research into whether that breed is right for you.

You should be able to get a lot of information from just looking at it, though. For example; big rabbits are probably not good for small spaces. Long-haired rabbits are probably not good if you do not want to forever be vacuuming up rabbit hair.

Other Things to Think About When Adopting a Rabbit

Other than this, there is not much else you need to think about when adopting a rabbit. The principles are pretty much the same as if you were buying one.

However, do make sure that you take into account that the rabbit will already have a developed personality.

A lot of the ones that you find up for adoption will not have had the best possible life and they could be fearful of humans and other animals. Make sure that you introduce them properly. Take things slowly, or you could end up making things worse.

Don’t forget to pick up the essentials before you take your rabbit home, for example, a cage or hutch, a rabbit run, food (hay and pellets), water, and food bowls, etc. You want that rabbit to have the best possible start when it enters your home for the first time!

Rabbit Rescues

Scroll down thru the lists to find rabbit rescue and bunnies for adoption near you:

• Rabbit Rescue Inc.
• Ohio Rabbit Rescue
• Vancouver Rabbit Rescue
• Midwest Bunnies for Adoption
• Eastern Shore Rabbit Rescue and Education Center
• EVERYBUNNY COUNTS Bristol Rescue Center
• Contra Costa Rabbit Rescue
• Magic Happens Rabbit Rescue Baton Rouge
• Binky On center
• Hanover Rabbit Rescue Center
• Long island Rabbit Rescue
• Erie Area rescue center and bunnies for adoption
• Wonder Bunny
• Bunnies for adoption new New York