By Sam Skopp
On Saturday, February 11, local rabbit rescue organization Los Angeles Rabbit Foundation hosted an adoption and rabbit bonding event At Centinela Feed & Pet Supplies just off of Venice Boulevard. The event, titled “Adopt a Honey for Your Bunny” was aimed at existing owners of neutered rabbits looking to adopt a companion rabbit, with whom their existing rabbit could be bonded – and when rabbits bond, they bond for life.
“It’s a great idea to get a second rabbit, so it’s a win/win situation to take our abandoned rabbits and take them on dates with people’s rabbits, and try to find homes for our rabbits and make their rabbits happier too,” said L.A. Rabbit Foundation founder Michelle Kelly.
Since rabbits can be violent towards one another in an uncontrolled environment, Kelly stresses the importance of bonding them in a neutral location with the aid of a group experienced with the process. At Saturday’s event, volunteers drove bonding pairs around in a cart meant to simulate a car ride, with the intended purpose being to utilize the noise and movement to bring the bunnies closer to one another, in the same manner as watching a horror movie on a date.
“If it looks promising, then you can take the bunnies home. You can adopt the bunny from our organization and go home with bonding information and we will give you tips on how to continue the dating process,” said Kelly.
Some visitors to the event came to spend time with the rabbits that were up for adoption, while others already owned to rabbits and were looking for more information on bonding. A large team of volunteers assisted the pet store visitors filtering in and out throughout the morning.
According to Kelly, rabbit adoption is a continuous issue in Los Angeles. She estimates that for every 10 people looking to adopt a new rabbit, there are 100 getting rid of one. For more information on the L.A. Rabbit Foundation, visit larabbits.org.
