Four Legs

Found rabbit.

Let’s get the important stuff out of the way first, and then I’ll do some storytelling.

THIS RABBIT NEEDS A HOME.
A small, friendly, male rabbit (I believe he is a Netherland Dwarf) was found in the Washington Heights area of the City in Newburgh, NY, on July 3rd. He is white with black markings.

If you are the owner of this rabbit or if you have any information regarding his ownership, please contact me at anna@doorsixteen.com.

If you are interested in adopting this rabbit in the event that I cannot locate his owner, please contact me at anna@doorsixteen.com.

I will include a very attractive cage (Double Level Bunny Abode Condo from Leith Petwerks), a litter box, and any remaining rabbit supplies. I am willing to do a reasonable (let’s talk) amount of driving to deliver the rabbit and cage to a new home.

Okay, now on to the storytelling . . .

On Saturday morning, Evan and I were out walking in the neighborhood when Evan spotted a rabbit relaxing in the grass outside of our friends’ house around the corner from us. Knowing that they were on vacation (and knowing that they don’t have a rabbit, much less one that they let live in their yard!), we immediately concluded that this was someone’s lost pet.

Me, being an idiot who assumes all animals will instantly love and trust me, approached the bunny way too quickly, and he hopped away in fear. We went back to our house to get a crate and some fruit to use as a lure to catch him, but by the time we returned, the rabbit was long gone. We felt terrible, and spent the next 24 hours alternately worrying about the bunny, looking for the bunny, and trying to not think about the bunny—would he be hit by a car? Would a dog kill him? Would he starve?

I know that it’s a very strong possibility that this little guy was not “lost”, but released “into the wild” by someone who couldn’t care for him anymore. I used to do rat rescue, and I can’t tell you how many surrendered animals came from people who really and truly believed that letting a domesticated animal out into the wilderness was somehow humane. This couldn’t be further from the truth, sadly.

Yesterday evening, we were out walking the dogs, and as we passed the same friends’ house, there was the bunny, sleeping in the grass!! Right at that moment, our friends returned from vacation to the news that there was a rabbit in their garden—excitement abounded. We went home, got the crate and apples, and returned. The bunny was still there!

Everyone watched very quietly as I crept closer and closer to the rabbit. He was obviously scared, but he didn’t take off. Eventually, he approached me and took a piece of apple from my hand (then hopped off to eat it in private). After doing this a dozen times, he allowed me to pet his head. When I was sure he was calm and understood that I wasn’t a danger, I picked him up and put him in the crate. The crowd cheered! (Well, sort of. Everyone was happy to see the rabbit safe, and a lots of kids came over to check him out.)

The rabbit is now resting comfortably in our guest bedroom. He is in a luxurious, two-story condo, with a sheepskin rug, a litter box (he’s trained!), alfalfa pellets, Timothy hay, and organic dandelion leaves.

WE CANNOT KEEP THIS RABBIT. As much as we love animals and think this little guy is incredibly sweet, our lifestyle of traveling back and forth between our house and a tiny city apartment does not lend itself to rabbit ownership. Coupled with the fact that Evan is allergic to rabbits, it’s simply not possible. We really need to find him a home by the end of next weekend.

Please let me know if you or anyone you know would be interested in giving a new, loving home to this sweet rabbit (cage included!) in the event that I cannot locate his original owner. Feel free to link/Tweet/repost. Thank you.

UPDATE: The bunny is now back with his original owners. You can read a full update here!

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52 Comments

  • Reply Ana Herda July 5, 2010 at 3:18 pm

    Very sweet of you Anna, most people wouldn’t do a thing.

    This sentence made me laugh: “Everyone watched very quietly as I crept closer and closer to the rabbit”

    If you just changed that to ‘Wabbit’ you’d be Elmer Fudd.

    I’ll tweet this and hopefully someone claims this little guy.

  • Reply Agnieszka July 5, 2010 at 3:19 pm

    Anna, if you don’t find the owner of the sweetie pie bunny, I suggest keep it. I think he likes the new home, and it fits well with your other pets, and your home overall.

    Good luck!

  • Reply eva July 5, 2010 at 3:35 pm

    Congratulations on safely rescuing the bunny! What a cute little guy. You may wish to check with your local chapter of the House Rabbit Society for tips on rehoming him to a safe adoptive home, or for contact information for no-kill shelters in your area if you’re unable to find a suitable home.

    http://www.rabbit.org/chapters/

  • Reply Laura July 5, 2010 at 3:41 pm

    He is so cute! I used to have a rabbit in high school and this made me miss him. Your found bunny sign is so awesome!

    I am really worried that his owners “let him go” on purpose. This happens alot unfortunately. I grew up around many animals so this idea that people think domesticated animals can survive in the wild is beyond my comprehension but most people are incredibly dumb about these things.

    I hope he is truly lost and his actual owners find him but if he was let go, I know you’ll find him a great home.

    Good luck!

  • Reply JJ July 5, 2010 at 3:48 pm

    awww. How cute is your perfect Found Rabbit ad… I wish you could keep him but allergies are allergies. If you’d like a road trip to the Pacific Northwest I’d be happy to adopt him. Of course, we already have a big park here where people “release” their pet bunnies. We also have a lot of urban eagles in this same park. Tragic.

  • Reply Jenny N. July 5, 2010 at 3:49 pm

    I agree. This little rabbit won’t find a more loving home than yours. A two-story condo?! Wow, I wish I was that rabbit.

  • Reply Katie July 5, 2010 at 3:56 pm

    Someone is finally using your guest room!

  • Reply Ludmila July 5, 2010 at 3:59 pm

    This rabbit is so sweet! It’s so kind of you to try to find a home for him 🙂

  • Reply Alicia July 5, 2010 at 4:01 pm

    Just want to say kuddos for recognizing that the little bunny is definitely not wild and completely domesticated.
    I have a bun and she would never survive in the wild so kudos to you for recognizing it and saving him.
    Hopefully he finds his family or a new fam!

  • Reply elise July 5, 2010 at 4:10 pm

    Thank you so much for taking care of a bunny in need! He actually looks a whole lot like my bunny: http://j.mp/crJtHQ and it breaks my heart to think of her being cast out like your little guest. I’ll tweet this and hopefully a home can be found. If you need any bunny advice, feel free to email me.

  • Reply Georgina July 5, 2010 at 4:25 pm

    Anna, I dont know if you’ll find the owner but I think this is the perfect rabbit for you: black and white!!! It’s beautiful!!!

  • Reply Crafty green poet July 5, 2010 at 4:32 pm

    oh what an adorable bunny, reminds me of my last bunny…. sadly we’re too far away to do anything, hope s/he finds a home

  • Reply anne July 5, 2010 at 4:42 pm

    Very cute bunny, perhaps it’s worth taking him by a vet on the off chance he’s micro-chipped?

  • Reply robin July 5, 2010 at 4:51 pm

    if he’s microchipped, any vet or shelter can identify his owner. he’s certainly adorable and if lost, sorely missed. i’ve found quite a few lost cats and dogs in my philly neighborhood over the years and can’t stress enough how important it is to microchip your pets. it takes less than 5 minutes and our 3 pugs never knew what hit them.

  • Reply Ellen (boltandfrolic July 5, 2010 at 5:05 pm

    THANK YOU for doing everything you’re doing for this sweet bunny. ( I retweeted from @3potato4 )

    I have 2 rescue buns, adopted from the House Rabbit Society: Hudson and Honey : )

    It’s too bad about the allergies—from the great bunny abode you have, it looks like you’ve had a pet bun before. This rabbit you rescued is very lucky indeed. Best hopes to you all in finding the right home for the little one.

  • Reply belinda July 5, 2010 at 6:45 pm

    i would love to take the bunny but i would have to convince pd. and that is probably not going to happen. thank you so much for rescuing the wee fluff!. what a beauty it is too!.

  • Reply Anna at D16 July 5, 2010 at 8:15 pm

    @Agnieszka @Georgina: We would love to keep him, but Evan’s allergies are bad, even with medication. Also, it’s not fair to a rabbit to be constantly taking it back and forth between homes, especially when our apartment does not have room for a roomy cage. It just won’t work with our lifestyle at all. 🙁

    @eva: Thank you, I’ve been contacting the various groups in this area. 🙂

    @elise: Oh, Yoshimi is so cute! (So is Hodge!) They really do look alike. 🙂 Thank you for the offer to help — I’m sure I’ll have questions!!

    @anne @robin: Good idea. It never occurred to me that he might be microchipped (even though our dogs are!). I’ll take him to the vet ASAP and have him scanned.

    @Ellen: I’ve never had a bunny before, but I had pet ferrets for many years. This was their cage! The Leith cages are amazing — so well-made and really beautiful.

    @belinda: WE WILL DELIVER HIM TO YOU!! Work on PD. You would make a PERFECT home for this little guy!! He’s terribly sweet and such a good boy.

  • Reply Amanda July 5, 2010 at 8:50 pm

    Just wanted to say how great you are for rescuing that adorable bun! I see someone else gave you the house rabbit society link – hopefully they can help. I’ve been to their annual conference (pre-vet student, unfortunately not a bun owner) and they seemed like a great organization!

  • Reply Rachel July 5, 2010 at 9:28 pm

    He’s a adorable! It sounds like you’re doing the right thing for him, and for you.

    I have two rabbits, a large silver rabbit named Bubs and white/gray gentleman named Sargent Pepper.

  • Reply Rachel July 5, 2010 at 9:48 pm

    Squee – he’s so incredibly cute! I just want to snorgle the little guy 🙂

    What a posh bunny condo – my bunny Daisy is so jealous!

    I wish I could take him but Daisy would likely fight with him and we live in a 520 sq ft gnome home. Plus we live in Vancouver, so it’s a little far.

    Anna, I hope you find a good home for this little guy. He’s truly beautiful and what you’re doing is so incredible! Please give him some cheek rubs for me.

    Rachel and Daisy

  • Reply Jeannette July 5, 2010 at 9:51 pm

    go, you! god bless! yay bun! i know this good karma will come around.
    xxx

  • Reply The Borrowed Abode July 5, 2010 at 10:09 pm

    You’re an angel! He’s such a cutie. I knew my boyfriend would say no, but I asked just to be sure 🙂 but I will spread the word and tweet away!

  • Reply Jake July 5, 2010 at 10:30 pm

    Spreading the word here in Brooklyn… Have you tried contacting the Brooklyn Animal Rescue Coalition? They might know of someone who would love to adopt/ foster this little fella.

  • Reply kristen July 5, 2010 at 10:51 pm

    PLEASE please! Anyone who is remotely interested in rabbits, refer to the house rabbit society:

    http://www.rabbit.org/

    I have two adorable bunners of my own–while they may not be as popular as a cat or dog, they are just as soulful and entertaining and adorable as house pets AND they’re vegetarian!

  • Reply Michelle July 5, 2010 at 11:10 pm

    Man, I seriously don’t understand how people can “free” their pets out into the wild. They are HOUSE animals, meaning they CANNOT survive outside. They cannot adapt to that lifestyle, especially if they have never encountered the outside world before.

    I hope someone definitely reclaims him or adopts him. I wish Mr. Bunny the best.

  • Reply kristen_verity July 5, 2010 at 11:35 pm

    We’ve got some resident bunnies in our neighborhood who escaped from a neighbor and are too quick to catch. So we all feed them and admire them…there’s a possibility was not the owners intent.

    Am very allergic to bunnies, myself; couldn’t possibly live indoors with one, plus Florida would be a long drive. Best of luck.

  • Reply Gali July 6, 2010 at 12:38 am

    That’s so nice of you! The little fella looks healthy, so that’s good, he couldn’t have been out by himself for a very long time.

    I hope someone adopts him soon!

  • Reply iamronel July 6, 2010 at 2:18 am

    how cute that rabbit is..awhhhhh

  • Reply alex sunday July 6, 2010 at 2:36 am

    aw, reminds me of this bunny i found!
    http://the-sunday-project.blogspot.com/2009/01/hello-stuart.html
    thankfully stuart was reunited with his relieved owners. i hope this bunny is just as lucky.

  • Reply Yolanda July 6, 2010 at 2:48 am

    I haven’t read through the comments, but my first impression was, “dang – doesn’t that beat all! Anna *finds* an animal, and it matches her “look””. How perfect!

    I hope he finds a home!

  • Reply Sammi July 6, 2010 at 3:47 am

    Well done Anna, I hope you find him a home soon. Can your neighbours not look after him, where he was found? If the rabbit isn’t lost, I mean.

  • Reply Fat Cat July 6, 2010 at 6:22 am

    Oooohhh, poor Mr Bunny. Thank goodness you came along ! I am keeping my fingers crossed that you find him a loving home.

  • Reply Adele @modernemotive July 6, 2010 at 7:29 am

    It’s so sweet of you to take him in. Even if it’s only temporary. I would do the same thing. I’m a total sucker when it comes to helping animals. Wish I was closer so I could take him off your hands until he found a new home (no allergies here. Had lots of rabbits growing up).

    Hope you’re able to find him somewhere soon. He’s such a cutie.

  • Reply Becky July 6, 2010 at 9:42 am

    Omigosh, I LOVE rabbits. They’re some of the smartest, sweetest pets ever, and this guy is so cute! I would definitely take him except for the whole “I’m in Texas” problem. 🙂 I hope you find a good home for him anyway! (Also your sign for the Lost Bunny is so cute).

  • Reply jan July 6, 2010 at 1:51 pm

    we have a HUGE feral rabbit problem in my city. they run loose everywhere. people buy them as pets and then decide they can’t keep them. it’s sad, really sad. everyday almost we see rabbits running around nibbling on grass. our city has finally banned the sale of them at pet stores. good luck finding a home for her.

  • Reply Anna at D16 July 6, 2010 at 1:54 pm

    @Jake: I will definitely reach out to BARC’s contacts if local resources don’t work out!

    @Sammi: I don’t think they have any interest in becoming rabbit owners.

    @Adele: Toronto isn’t so far. Road trip! 😉

    @jan: Wow, that is really sad to hear. It boggles my mind that there are people who do that without a second though!

  • Reply Barbara July 6, 2010 at 2:52 pm

    hope that litte guy finds a home!!

  • Reply jackie July 6, 2010 at 3:58 pm

    If you can’t find a home, I would love for him to meet my bunny to see if they would be friends!

  • Reply Tilda B. Hervé July 6, 2010 at 4:27 pm

    hi anna! you are so cute and friendly! hope your little bunny get a home soon! greetings from switzerland

  • Reply Oliver July 6, 2010 at 7:24 pm

    That rabbit looks like my dog.

    http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/pages/Bosco-Pippistrelli-Coltrane/136150506403376?ref=ts

  • Reply Bethany Joy July 7, 2010 at 12:39 am

    Makes me miss my bunny I had growing up. I found a Holland Lop rabbit in our old neighborhood, and my sister kept it. People must just be dumb and think they can fend for themselves. I live in Phoenix (so many coyotes) so it didn’t stand a chance.

    Anyone call from the flyers?

  • Reply Missy July 7, 2010 at 8:42 am

    Oh my! We found a bunny once, but we kept her! She is called Oreo and was left in her cage with a free sign on Valentine’s Day. I know it is not always possible to keep found pets, but I love having a bun!

    Here is our story:

    http://ranchococoa.blogspot.com/2009/02/weekend-wind-down-43-valentines-day.html

  • Reply Missy July 7, 2010 at 8:43 am

    PS – maybe your area has a local House Rabbit Society. They take rescued buns to find homes.

    http://www.rabbit.org/

  • Reply dew i July 7, 2010 at 9:33 am

    I used to be a rabbit owner . DO NOT feed a rabbit Iceberg lettuce It gives them horrible diarrhea.
    Dark leafy greens,carrots, apples along with their pellets.
    and timothy hay is the best diet.

    My head is still spinning from you rescuing “Rats”. I know, i know, they were the cute domesticated ones, not the diseased Manhattan garbage eating rats.

  • Reply Anna at D16 July 7, 2010 at 9:42 am

    @Oliver: Your dog is a cutie! And yes, they do look alike. 🙂

    @Bethany Joy: Nope, no calls from the fliers. I’m not surprised. I really doubt the rabbit was “lost”.

    @Missy: Awww! Oreo is sweet. I’m glad you took him in! 🙂 I’ve already contacted both local chapters of the House Rabbit Society (even though they cannot take in any stray rabbits), but they have not responded to my inquiries for advice or networking suggestions. Too bad.

    @dew i: The rats you see in the subway — Norway rats — are the same species as what people have as pets. There’s no difference other than color and opportunity. For what it’s worth, I think the ones in the subway are “cute”, too. I don’t discriminate. What I care about are animals being treated fairly. Go ahead and let your head spin.

  • Reply dew i July 7, 2010 at 9:42 am

    BTW/ in my last comment i did not mean to imply that you are feeding it iceberg. The supermarket will give you all it’s green trimmings for free for the rabbit if you decided to keep it.

    From the discoloration of the rabbits feet it looks like it was living in feces and not cared for. It’s likely that the rabbit could live in the park, nibbling it’s way around the park until a hawk ate it.

  • Reply Benita July 7, 2010 at 11:37 am

    Aww, you are so sweet for doing this Anna! I hope you find a good gome for Herr Kanin.

  • Reply viv July 7, 2010 at 7:20 pm

    Aw… he reminds me of my darling lop bunny, who died a few years back. Any luck finding his owners?

    If not, are you coming out to Ithaca, NY anytime soon?? I’m a grad student and would love a bunny to keep me company the next school year!

  • Reply Hanna July 7, 2010 at 7:28 pm

    Being your pet must be awesome. Hope you find him a good home!

  • Reply Sharon July 9, 2010 at 10:16 am

    I found a rabbit in a park in downtown Chicago near Balbo Ave. He followed me down the street and I could not resist. I named the bunny Balbo. He wasn’t trained and was an avid leg humper and biter. I took him to a no kill shelter.
    I must say, if I was a bunny rescued by you, I would not want to leave all the swank accomodations. But I’m glad he found his owner.

  • Reply Shelley September 23, 2010 at 11:19 pm

    Did this bunny ever find a home?

  • Reply Anna at D16 September 23, 2010 at 11:24 pm

    @Shelley: There’s an update here.

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