They come in all sizes and colours, with personalities to match.
There is Archie Bunker, a curious little guy who follows you with his eyes. And Bunilla, whose hair is so long, she can barely see.
They are just two of a dozen rabbits living out their lives at the Coquitlam Animal Shelter while they wait for adoption. The little creatures are healthy signs of spring and so cute they could be Beatrix Potter illustrations.
Problem is, few people want them once they get big.
Too many rabbits are let go
In fact, according to Nichelle Cameron, the Coquitlam shelter takes in many more rabbits each year than it can adopt out to deserving families and bunnies that are brought in are usually claimed to be "found" because the shelter doesn't accept rabbits that are relinquished, like it would a cat or dog.
The glut of rabbits means shelter workers take very seriously their job to inform people that rabbits shouldn't be purchased at Easter to decorate a basket of chocolate eggs but should only be acquired after a great deal of planning.
Check out Kijiji or Craigslist and you'll find dozens of these animals for sale. They are also available in pet stores, despite the efforts of animal welfare groups to ban their sale a few years ago. If you purchase one, you should get them neutered or spayed. But bunnies purchased in Coquitlam will likely be sterilized because that's a requirement, made law a few years ago by city councillors.
And Cameron cautions against making a snap purchase as a child's starter pet
What you should know before you buy
"These animals live for 12 to 13 years and it's a long-term commitment," she said.
Just like owning a dog or a cat, it takes a lot of responsibility and time to look after rabbits. They need daily food, such as hay and vegetables plus water to drink and things to chew on, as well as plenty of exercise.
And because they are social, rabbits are better off in a large, safe enclosure in the family home rather than relegated to an outdoor hutch.
But it's their sociability that makes rabbits a fun pet, and they can be litter box-trained, Cameron noted.
Visit the shelter to see those up for adoption
Still, their special needs and personalities, including special handling requirements (some don't like to be picked up) means they don't necessarily make the best children's pets, and too often they are released into the wild or brought in because the family loses interests or the costs of keeping the pet are higher than expected.
To avoid making a heart-wrenching decision to give up a rabbit — and, perhaps, populating local parks with wild rabbits, as has happened in Coquitlam and other cities — maybe just visit those that are living at the Coquitlam shelter.
"We would love people to come by and see the rabbits we already have," said Cameron.
• The hours of operation and more details about visiting the Coquitlam Animal Shelter are available here.
