With the Easter holidays fast approaching, especially in the year of the rabbit, many might consider bringing an auspicious pet bunny home. Experts from Hong Kong Rabbit Society (HKRS), the non-profit rabbit rescue group, stress that raising rabbits is a lifetime commitment.
Rabbit Rescue Center at Near Capacity
Rabbit, besides cats and dogs, has become one of the most common pets in Hong Kong. Yvonne explained that first-time owners often surrender or abandon their pets due to a lack of knowledge and commitment.Inside HKRS Mongkok adoption center, there are 100 cages. The bunny in each pen has a furry toy as a companion, and a familiar odor would increase its sense of security.
From 9:00 a.m. until evening, staff at the shelter are busy cleaning, changing floor linings, and adding pasture grass in each pen, so these cute animals can live healthily and comfortably until their new hosts appear.
The center receives phone calls about rabbit surrenders almost daily, but only a few successfully found a home. Some of the most extended “residents” have lived in the shelter for nearly seven years.
Emigration Impacted Recent Number of Surrenders
People generally believe that keeping rabbits is an easy task. Yvonne, however, said rabbits are not suitable for entry-level owners.Lack of knowledge is one of the primary causes of people giving up their rabbits. At the same time, the city’s emigration has drastically impacted the number of surrenders in the past five years.
Before accepting abandoned rabbits, the rescue group would persuade the owners to keep their furry friends. Staff educate owners on raising a rabbit properly, which usually would revert the owners’ decision to surrender.
Like other animal shelters, HKRS has received many old-age and sick rabbits. Currently, 60 percent of the center’s inhabitants suffer from some long-term illnesses. Yvonne believes many owners abandoned their rabbits after hefty medical bills.
Families emigrating may be unable to take rabbits with them due to import restrictions at the destination and costly transportation. Sadly they may have no choice but to leave the pets behind.
In 2020 one such family surrendered two ten-year-old rabbits to the center called “Copy” and “Paste.” Both rabbits suffered liver and eye diseases due to old age, as they are equivalent to over 80 years old in humans).
Silent Pets Who Don’t Show Signs of Illness
The adorable bunny rabbits people commonly see are called Oryctolagus cuniculus domesticus. They were domesticated by humans from wild European rabbits.At the bottom of the food chain, these little burrowing animals inherited the timid nature of their ancestors in living like hermits. They don’t know how to use vocal cords and rely on physical language to express emotions, such as biting and scratching. These behaviors often confuse their owners, who do not understand the animals’ character and may mistake it as aggression.
Rabbits are experts in hiding sickness too, so they won’t become a target of predators in nature.
Helping Rabbits Succeed in Human Environment
Habitats for rabbits must not be too warm, as mortality rates from overheating can reach 80 percent. The suitable temperature for these furries is 20-25 degrees Celsius (68-77 Fahrenheit).Giving the bunnies a chance to dig their rabbit holes is a healthy way to exercise and nurture their instinct.
According to Yvonne, with medicine advancing, many incurable diseases in the past are now treatable, prolonging rabbits’ life expectancy to up to 15 years.
However, there are fewer than a dozen specialized rabbit vets in Hong Kong, and medical treatment is costly.
For example, treating gastrointestinal stagnation costs at least HK$1,000 (approximately 130 USD), while treating some severe diseases can easily cost a five or even six-digit figure.
Rabbit illnesses may include Pasteurellosis, cancer, and Horner’s syndrome.
Human Selfishness Posts Even More Severe Threats
In addition to illnesses, a more fierce threat rabbits face daily is selfish and ignorant owners, Tong complained.She has worked in the rescue center for many years and witnessed many heartbreaking and outrageous cases. “Someone bagged two rabbits in a plastic bin liner and put them by the door of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD). The rabbits fought inside the bag, bleeding everywhere. AFCD eventually sent both injured rabbits to HKRS.”
In another incident in 2017, the center received a call from a middle-aged man, claiming his rabbit was dying, “he did not have any money to treat the rabbit, but did not want the animal to die at home.”
When Yvonne received the rabbit, its eyes could barely open. X-rays and examination by the vet revealed there was no food in the rabbit’s stomach. It barely had any muscles and was severely dehydrated. After emergency treatment, the rabbit survived and was named Rebirth. When the former owner wanted to retrieve Rebirth and asked for other available rabbits, HKRS refused.
The Danger of Abandoning Rabbits into the Wild
Many owners abandoned their pets in country parks, garbage stations, or hills near highways. “Rabbits dumped in these places have little chance to survive,” Tong said; they become vulnerable prey and can get poisoned by grass contaminated with pesticides.Tong admits obtaining a rabbit in Hong Kong is easy, so owners often do not hesitate much and impulsively take a rabbit home. Only then do they realize the gap between expectations and reality.
How to Care for a Rabbit
Find the job daunting raising a bunny? Experts say with a bit of love and patience, rabbits can become a member of the household rather naturally.Ms. Chow, owner of a major pet store branch, shares below how to care for house rabbits and adopt them into the host family with ease:
Organize and plan as a family to avoid disputes later.
It takes a while for rabbits to acclimatize to a new environment. So keep the rabbit in a cage for a week to adapt to your home and surroundings. Sometimes, this can take as long as two months; they should be allowed regular exercise and stimulation.
Fresh vegetables such as carrots can only be given as snacks, as too much water can cause diarrhea.
Prepare a litter box as a toilet in its cage and clean it regularly. Rabbits will learn where to do their business.
Rabbits should be brushed every three to five days to help remove dead fur and reduce swallowing.
Seal up or block the bottom of the couches to prevent a rabbit from getting stuck inside.
When picking up a rabbit, use your arm to gently hold onto its chest and buttocks so that its feet can rest on its forearms to give an extra sense of security.
A Social Bunch
Rabbits are sociable. They love attention and enjoy companionship with humans and other rabbits. Regular playtime keeps your pet healthy.Like other house pets, rabbits have their personalities too. Getting to know if your rabbit is shy or social can be helpful in bonding with the pet.
An important note to consider when you decide to get a pair of rabbits, it is best to get both females, as two male bunnies may fight for territory.
