Before You Buy That Easter Bunny: What Every Long Island Family Should Know
- Kaitlin Saxton
- Apr 1
- 5 min read
Picture it: a wicker basket, pastel tissue paper, a tiny fluffy bunny nestled inside. A child's face lighting up on Easter morning.
It's a beautiful image. And it leads to one of the most common mistakes in pet ownership.
Most families who bring home an Easter bunny aren't making a careless decision. They just don't have the full picture of what caring for a rabbit is all about.
Before spring arrives, it's worth having an honest conversation about what rabbits actually need, and what usually happens when families find out too late.
Rabbits Are the Third Most Abandoned Pet in the US
Rabbits rank as the third most abandoned pet in the country, right behind dogs and cats. Animal welfare organizations consistently report that a large portion of rabbits purchased around Easter are abandoned or die within their first year.
The numbers are likely higher than what gets tracked. Most shelters include rabbits under a general "small animals" category, rather than recording them separately.
They're easy to overlook in the data, even when local rescues are overwhelmed.
Here on Long Island, the Long Island Rabbit Rescue Group sees that overflow every spring. The pattern is consistent and it's preventable.
Rescues across the country say the same thing. Kathy Finelli, executive director of Gainesville Rabbit Rescue, says her organization doesn't see an uptick in adoptions at Easter. What they see comes two to three months later.
"We refer to it as the Easter Bunny dump season," Finelli said.
What Rabbits Actually Need (And Why It Surprises Most People)
Rabbits get sold as starter pets. Low-maintenance, easy, and a good first step before a dog. That reputation is a big part of why so many end up in rescues and shelters by summer.
Here's the reality:
They live 8 to 12 years. A rabbit gifted to a seven-year-old this Easter will still need daily care when that child is in high school.
They are prey animals. Rabbits are wired to hide stress and illness. A rabbit that freezes when held isn't calm. It's often scared. Kids expecting a cuddly pet are disappointed, and the rabbit pays the price for that mismatch.
Most Easter rabbits are never spayed or neutered. Animal welfare organizations report that figure at around 81%. That matters for their health, their behavior, and for any rescue that eventually takes them in.
They need real space. A hutch is not enough. Rabbits need room to run daily and things to do. A rabbit in a small cage is not a happy animal.
Diet matters a lot. Rabbits need unlimited timothy hay, fresh greens, limited pellets, and clean water. Get the diet wrong and you're looking at serious GI health problems. If a rabbit stops eating for 12 hours, it’s a medical emergency.
Vet care on Long Island is specialized. Rabbits need care from an exotic pet veterinarian, not a general practice, and the costs are often higher than most families expect.
They often need a companion. Many rabbits do best in bonded pairs. That means double the commitment and double the vet bills.
What Happens to Easter Bunnies After the Holiday
Shelters and rabbit rescues see increased rabbit intakes every spring in the weeks after Easter. A second wave often follows in summer, when rabbits hit adolescence and start showing territorial behaviors like spraying and aggression.
Most of the time, families who bought an Easter bunny had the best intentions. They just weren't given the information they needed.
Rabbits who don't make it to a shelter are sometimes released outdoors. That's nearly always fatal for a domestic rabbit. They don't have the survival instincts of wild rabbits. Releasing one outside isn't freedom, because they are exposed to predators, weather, and starvation.
The Long Island Rabbit Rescue Group does important work taking in these animals and finding them homes. And a problem that renews itself every spring is a hard thing to keep up with.
Do rabbits make good pets for kids?
They can. For a household where adults are ready to take real responsibility for the animal's care, rabbits are entertaining and rewarding companions. The trouble is usually the impulsive purchase, not the animal.
If your family is genuinely interested in caring for rabbits, here's how to approach it:
Research first. Reputable rabbit rescues and online resources have thorough, honest care guides. Read them before deciding anything.
Meet adult rabbits at a shelter. Baby bunnies are adorably irresistible, but they won't show you what handling an adult rabbit is actually like.
Adults make the call. Kids can be part of the conversation, but a decade of daily care, vet visits, and expenses lands on the adults. Kids' priorities might change, but the rabbit still needs to eat.
Know the real cost. Spaying or neutering your rabbit can range from $400-800. Add hay, fresh produce, housing, wellness exams, and emergency care. Go in with realistic numbers.
Ways to Celebrate Spring on Long Island Without Bringing an Animal Home
Connecting your family to animals and nature this spring doesn't require bringing one home.
Get outside. Bethpage State Park, Caumsett State Park, and the South Shore Nature Center are all excellent for spring wildlife watching. Migrating birds and returning pollinators are worth the trip.
Try a gardening project. Seed starter kits and small container gardens teach kids the same daily attention a pet requires, with a lot more flexibility.
Visit a farm animal sanctuary. Some sanctuaries welcome visits where kids can interact with animals without anyone bringing one home.
Sponsor a rabbit at a rescue. The Long Island Rabbit Rescue Group welcomes sponsorships that go directly toward an animal's care. For a child drawn to rabbits, sponsoring a real one and following its progress can be meaningful, and it gives your family time to decide if a rabbit is truly the right fit.
Already have a rabbit? We're here to help!
If your family has a rabbit or two and you need experienced, trustworthy care on Long Island, Bird Girl Pet Services is here. We work with small mammals regularly and we know what these animals actually need.
Questions about rabbit care? Curious about what we offer?
Visit our exotic pet sitting page for more information about our rabbit sitting and boarding services on Long Island.
Long Island Rabbit Care Resources
Exotic-Only Veterinary Clinics
Clinics With Rabbit Specialists
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