Easter and Bunnies Don't Mix

Contrary to Easter time hype, rabbits and small children are not a good match. The natural exuberance and rambunctiousness of even the gentlest toddler are stressful for the sensitive rabbit.

Children like a companion they can hold, carry, and cuddle. That's why stuffed animals are so popular. Rabbits are not passive and cuddly. They are ground-loving creatures who feel frightened and insecure when held and restrained. The result: the child loses interest, and the rabbit ends up neglected or abandoned.

Rabbits are not "low-maintenance" pets. They have a lifespan of 10 years and require as much work as a dog or cat. Your home must be bunny-proofed, or Thumper will chew electrical cords and furniture. Rabbits must be spayed or neutered or they will mark your house with feces and urine. They should live indoors, as members of the family. To consign these sensitive, intelligent, social animals to life in a hutch is to miss the joy of sharing your life with a rabbit. So if little Pat is pleading for a bunny for Easter, do a rabbit a favor, and buy her a toy rabbit that she can snuggle to her heart's content. Let's make Easter a joyful time for our long-eared friends.

Clearly, rabbits aren't for everyone. Are you a gentle adult living in a quiet household? If you think you're one of those rare individuals who would enjoy sharing life with a rabbit, please consider adopting a rabbit.

Read the Easter Bunny poem.

Help us spread this important message!

Easter Campaign

House Rabbit Society chapters work hard at Easter to educate the public. Simple, direct, honest education about rabbits will prevent impulse purchases from pet stores. As an animal welfare advocate, you can help Indiana House Rabbit Society spread the word that rabbits do not make good gifts at Easter time. We need your help - the more people we reach, the more rabbits are saved.

These simple activities can help prevent more homeless rabbits:

Letter to the Editor

Write letters to the editor to newspapers statewide! You may use our easter letter, word for word. Alternatively, you may use parts of our letter and add your own personal message. Please let Karen know if your letter is published.

Post the House Rabbit Society Easter Poster

Please make copies of the Easter Poster and post them on public bulletin boards in your community. Please let Karen know which cities you have posted flyers and how many flyers you have posted.

Link to our website

Please place one of our banners on your website.

Introduce Media Contacts (Newspapers, Television Stations, Radio Stations):

Please contact us if you have media contacts. We would love to put our Easter Press Release and our Easter Public Service Announcements in the hands of live people.