An Overview

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The Sacramento House Rabbit Society is a local network of about 200 rabbit lovers who keep these wonderful animals as family companions and housepets. We treat our rabbits like most people treat their cats and dogs - they live indoors with us, they're litter trained and they're spoiled rotten! Our members love to amaze friends and co-workers with stories about their rabbits who beg for treats, come when they're called or otherwise love to prove that they have distinct and fun personalities. Once you've seen a house rabbit in action, you'll wonder why on earth you never gave any thought to these creatures before! The answer to that, quite simply, is that most people still think of rabbits as sweet but simple creatures who should be kept in a hutch outdoors. (Think for a moment, though - if you kept a kitten outside, caged all the time, the kitten would never develop a personality. Rabbits are no different!) Any rabbit has the potential to be a wonderful, interactive companion. All it takes is a little understanding and interest on the part of the human owner.

It all starts with a little spark of knowledge

SHRS volunteers are dedicated to educating the public about the delights of living with rabbits at housepets. We encourage new and longtime rabbit owners alike to call us with questions about their pets. We offer free, printed information on a variety of topics such as rabbit health, behavior, litter training and longevity. Once a month, we host an adoption/information clinic where we encourage people to bring their own bunnies to socialize (we'll clip their nails and check their teeth and fur, too!). We maintain a list of rabbit-savvy veterinarians, and we're willing to give referrals when necessary. We try to be a visible presence at the shelters and at pet-related public events. Our members have even given classroom talks about rabbits and participated in veterinary conferences. We run a bunny phone hotline (916-863-9690) that is checked daily. We answer all sorts of questions - and if we don't know the answer, we'll try to dig it up for you. For us, volunteering is a two-way street, and we are constantly learning more all the time.

The SHRS Foster Program

Our members do much more than just talk, though. The SHRS is a part of a much larger, national organization that is focused on animal rescue and placement. Here in Sacramento, we have a network of about 10 foster homes, with volunteers who tirelessly care for foster bunnies in addition to their own house rabbits. Once a month, we have adoption days, in which people who are interested in adopting a companion rabbit can come visit our fosters and try to make a "love match." On average, we adopt out 2-7 rabbits per month, and those spaces quickly fill up again, as there is a never-ending supply of bunnies in need at the local shelters. We often get calls from people who are hoping to place their pets into foster care for a variety of reasons (most often, the person has simply tired of taking care of the animal and they want to get rid of it). We politely explain that it is our policy not to take rabbits in these cases. It's for a very practical reason: Our first priority must be those rabbits at the shelters who are in immediate danger of euthanization if they do not find homes. The rabbits who come through our program are of all shapes and sizes. We've had tiny dwarf bunnies, big lop-eared bunnies, angora bunnies, soft-coated rex bunnies, and everything in between. Often, we choose the rabbits who are ill and need medical attention. Our fosters see to it that the rabbit is treated and cured before being made available for adoption. The Sacramento House Rabbit Society is a non-profit organization; our sole source of income is donations. We never forget that for every bunny who finds a home, there's another bunny who is waiting for us to help them find a home.

How can you get involved?

The SHRS is always looking for new members and volunteers. There are so many ways you can help! If you have space in your home and a little time to spare, consider fostering a bunny through SHRS. If you have a few hours on a Saturday, talk with us about volunteering at one of the local shelters (volunteers are always needed at the local shelters, to clean cages, feed rabbits and simply spend time socializing.) And of course, contributions to our newsletter are always welcome. Write a story about your house rabbit and send us a picture. "Giving" can be as simple (and fun!) as sharing your experiences with other rabbit lovers. Most of all, we ask that you help us get the word out about the joys of companion rabbits. If you have an outdoor bunny yourself, bring him or her indoors. Don't buy rabbits from pet stores, which only encourages the bunny overpopulation problem. Spay or neuter your bunny - a "fixed" rabbit is a happier, healthy rabbit!

Site Credits
Copyright © 2001 Sacramento House Rabbit Society
PO Box 19850 Sacramento, CA 95819-0850
(916) 863-9690