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A new home? First, ask yourself why you need to find a new home for your rabbit. Once released to someone, you have no control over how your bun is treated. Be very careful in deciding his fate. You and your bun have three options: PLEASE do not let your rabbit loose! It is a death sentence. Pet rabbits are completely dependent on humans for their care and safety. They lack the instincts and physical characteristics to survive alone and will almost certainly be killed by exposure, other animals, cars or hunger/thirst. Setting your bun loose is not an option! 1. Work with us to find a way to keep your bunny. If you are overwhelmed, disappointed or confused about your rabbit's behavior, we can help. There are always different options to change your situation or circumstances. These can include spay/neuter, a change in environment, understanding rabbit behavior, etc. We can even arrange a home visit to discuss habitat, litterbox training and bunny proofing ideas. In addition, the links on this site may have the answer you need to keep your rabbit. Behaviors that make people think they've made a mistake in choosing a rabbit can be surprisingly easy to change. Behaviors tied to hormones (!) like marking territory, biting or constant mating behavior are easily controlled by spaying or neutering your bun. Chewing on wood or fabric can be avoided by providing substitute materials to satisfy your pet's chewing or digging needs. When we assess together what's behind your bun's behavior, we can find a remedy. Remember, we can help! If you are moving look for apartments and houses that allow pets. And many landlords make exceptions to "no pet" policies for caged animals (although your rabbit needs her regular playtime). When you chose your rabbit, you made her a part of your family. It is worth the extra effort to find a home for all of you. It can be done, if you want to do it. If you think you've developed an allergy, there are simple ways to modify your home that will make it possible to continue to enjoy your bunny. We may need to determine if it's your bunny or her hay making you sneeze. If it's the hay (as it often is), try a new type of hay (e.g., oat vs. timothy hays). Ask a family member to change out the litterbox for you so you aren't in close contact with the hay or try a cat box with a cover to keep the hay more contained. If you find that your rabbit is behind your sneezing, choose a specific room/area that you can close off or get away from; all else is designated "fur free" and keep your bun instead. We have lots of good tips to help you and your bun. 2. Finding a new home for your rabbit takes time. So start early, have a plan and be patient for the perfect forever home to find you and your bun. And, again, we can help. We've collected lots of ideas, plans and can list your bun on our website. Remember, only you stand between your bun and his future. Start by having your bun spayed or neutered. The best home for your bun is someone you already know and trust. Spread the word among family, friends, co-workers, places of worship, etc. because once your bun is released to someone you don't know, his fate becomes impossible to control. You don't want your bunny used as snake food and snake owners watch for free and low $ bun ads. Ask lots of questions about how and where your bun will be living. Look for someone who makes sure your rabbit has a safe and healthy home. Print out our care pamphlet for the adopter so they know what to expect. Offer the rabbit's pen space and supplies to the adopter to get set up. All this adds up to a great forever home for your bun. 3. If none of these options have worked, take your rabbit to your local shelter. In the Los Angeles area, start here . This can give your rabbit a second chance at being adopted, but we're sure you're aware that your rabbit may not fare well in the shelter. We STRONGLY advocate taking your bun to a shelter rather than letting him go because even if your rabbit must be euthanized, it's a far more humane way to treat your bunny than abandonment outside. RabbitMatch does not take in or house rabbits being discarded by their owners. We are staffed wholly by volunteers and work on behalf of rabbits already in the shelter system.
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