Therapy Bunny: 7 Ways How Emotional Support Rabbits Can Help You

Last Updated on June 12, 2023 by Emma Reynolds

You might not have heard about it before, but yes, there’s such a thing as a therapy bunny as an emotional support animal.

For countless years now, many people have used trained animals to help improve their emotional state. This can be as simple as enjoying the company an animal provides or even a lifelong companionship. 

Some animals can offer direct physical support during a person’s rehabilitation. For example, dogs are great at interaction, while horses are strong animals to help with muscle tone and physical recovery. 

When it comes to the world of animal-assisted therapy, dogs and cats are easily the most common, as they are usually domesticated as pets. 

But if you prefer a different animal, they aren’t the only option. Just about any domesticated animal can provide emotional support to its owner, and that includes rabbits.

This article will talk about emotional support rabbits and what they can do for our emotional and mental health. 

How Does a Therapy Bunny Help? 

If you’ve ever lived with a pet rabbit, then I’m sure you understand how great they are as pets. Not only are rabbits gentle and loving, but they’re also easy to train and take care of. 

This makes them an excellent option for an emotional support animal (ESA). 

Luckily, the criteria for ESA pets are pretty open, and there’s no specialized training your rabbit needs to go through to qualify. They just need to be non-aggressive in public and avoid being a nuisance at home. 

If your rabbit is one such pet, all that’s left to do is get them certified via a letter from a licensed psychologist or therapist. 

So with that in mind, here’s how emotional support rabbits can help improve your life: 

1. Rabbits are Loving and Gentle Creatures 

Ask anyone who has ever owned a rabbit, and it’s guaranteed that they’ll tell you how gentle and caring these animals are by nature. In addition to being very social animals, rabbits also tend to bond quickly with their owners. 

Over time, rabbits even learn how to recognize their owners and come when called.

If you are ever in need of emotional support, then rabbits are a great pick. Just make sure to take good care of them, and you are sure to find the companionship and affection you need. 

2. Rabbits Can Help Promote Communication and Expression 

If you have a mental health condition that makes it difficult for you to communicate or express your feelings to other people, getting a rabbit as an emotional support animal can help. 

Due to their friendly and docile nature, playing with rabbits is always a positive and relaxing experience. This stimulates your mind and helps you relax. 

You will find it easier to share your experience with others or positively talk about them when this happens. This is especially important for kids that struggle with social anxiety or opening up to others. 

3. Rabbits Help Encourage Acceptance of Physical Contact

Another benefit of bunny therapy is that these animals can help you be more open to physical contact with others. By nature, rabbits are very cuddly creatures, and you will always find them going towards you if you bond with them a lot.

For others, this can be a helpful way to encourage physical communication. It’s also just a great way to experience physical contact, especially if you live independently. 

4. Rabbits Help You Relax 

As with all therapy animals, being able to pet one can help you calm down and relax. There’s just something soothing about petting an animal, helping you destress and relax.

Luckily, petting an animal goes beyond just relaxation, as being able to destress has significant benefits to your mental and emotional health. 

5. Rabbits Teach You Responsibility 

Of course, all kinds of pets teach you the importance of being responsible for an animal’s life. And if you have some mental health-related issue, you will find rabbits an excellent pet to have. 

This is because, in general, rabbits are very easy to take care of. They don’t need a lot of space, are not very picky with food, and can easily be trained. 

Rabbits also don’t need to go for walks and get all the exercise they need hopping around the house. This also means that spending time playing with your rabbit every day is very important. 

6. Rabbits Live Long Lives 

Another perk to having a rabbit for an emotional support animal is that they live long lives. 

Unlike pet rats that live for about 1-3 years, a healthy and happy rabbit can live up to 10 years, or even more. 

This allows you to build a lifelong bond with them while teaching you about responsibility and how to care for an animal. What’s great with rabbits is that if you take care of them, you can expect an affectionate emotional support animal. 

7. Rabbits are Quiet 

If you live in an apartment or a smaller house, rabbits make great pets. This is because they’re quiet creatures, as all they do is make a few squeaks. 

This means that you don’t have to worry about keeping your landlord or next-door neighbors up all night because of a noisy pet. Rabbits are incredibly peaceful, and that is a perk for many. 

Final Thoughts 

While you always see dogs and cats as emotional support animals, the bunny route is also a great option. 

Not only are bunnies inexpensive and easy to train, but they’re also loving and caring animals that are sure to provide you with the emotional assistance you need. 

As long as you give them the care they need, then you will find having a rabbit for an emotional support animal an enriching experience.