The BC SPCA has issued a call for foster homes and donations after nearly two dozen rabbits were surrendered in Victoria this week.
Shelters across Vancouver Island have rallied to help 22 rabbits after their guardian was no longer able to care for them.
13 of the rabbits were transferred to SPCA shelters in Port Alberni, Comox, Cowichan and Parksville as part of the organization’s Drive for Lives animal transfer program.
“A member of the community came to us seeking help, and our staff have been working to ensure that all 22 bunnies receive the shelter, food and veterinary care they need,” says Breanne Beckett, the BC SPCA’s senior manager for the Victoria region.
“We still have nine of the rabbits here in Victoria as well as 13 bunnies who were already in care. We are urgently seeking foster homes where the surrendered bunnies can go to help with their socialization while they await adoption.”
Beckett said they are urgently seeking foster homes where the surrendered bunnies can go to help with their socialization while they await adoption.
The Victoria shelter has also transferred several of its adoptable cats and dogs to nearby SPCA shelters so that the facility can accommodate its “abundance of buns.”
“We are really focused on what the rabbits need to feel safe and happy, including keeping bonded pairs housed together, providing specialized diets and creating areas for exercise and play,” she says.
Currently, half of the dog kennels have been turned into rabbit enclosures.
According to SPCA, medical costs for the rabbits are expected to be significant, with the animals requiring medical checks, vaccinations as well as spay/neuter surgeries.
Anyone willing to help with care costs for the animals or to provide a temporary foster home is asked to please contact the Victoria SPCA at 250.388.7722 or victoria@spca.bc.ca.
