Animal rescue urges caution before gifting a bunny for Easter

Some people may have the impulse to get a bunny but Infinite Woofs Animal Rescue Society is reminding us to think about the commitment after the Easter holiday.

As Easter approaches, an animal rescue organization is cautioning families to skip the impulse of getting a cute bunny for the occasion – and instead, consider fostering first.

Lori White, with Infinite Woofs Animal Rescue Society (IWARS) in Edmonton, says many people do not realize the commitment of caring for small animals like rabbits.

“People think, ‘Oh, there’s a cute little bunny. We will get it for our kids. They’ll love it.’ And then they realize it’s not that easy to raise a bunny,” White explained to host Cory Edel on CTV Your Morning Edmonton on Monday.

White brought along to the studio interview a fluffy, lionshead rabbit named Clover Leaf that is currently looking for her forever home.

Rabbits, White explained, require a lot of care including needing to be fed carefully due to complex GI issues, regular trips to vet to have their teeth cut and filed, and not liking to be caged. Clover Leaf is no exception.

“(She’s a) little bit of a detective,” White said, describing Clover Leaf. “She really likes to roam around the home and kind of just investigate everything.”

IWARS says the number of small animals needing adoption is “immense” right now, and fostering an animal before adoption can be a good way to test things out before making the commitment.

“It’s a better way to see if your family is really dedicated to that type of animal and also to see if it fits in your family’s lifestyle,” White said.

She added that there are added benefits to adopting an animal from a rescue organization, including that the animals have been given a clean bill of health by a vet and have all their required vaccinations.

IWARS has a variety of small animals – from hamsters to snakes – up for foster or adoption. More information can be found on infinitewoofs.com.

With files from CTV Edmonton’s Cory Edel