RELEASING YOUR PET RABBIT

Please do not ever consider releasing your unwanted pet rabbit into the "wild." Your pet rabbit is a domestic animal incapable of surviving on his or her own. If you no longer want your pet rabbit, please view our Surrender information, call your local SPCA/Humane Society or shelter or find an appropriate home for your rabbit. Be a responsible pet owner!

Why shouldn't I release my rabbit into the "wild"?

• Predators are everywhere! In Ontario, primary predators include but are not limited to foxes, coyotes, wolves, fishers, birds of prey (such as hawks and owls) and even domestic dogs and cats.

• Unlike wild animals, domestic animals are not accustomed to avoiding highways and roads (and as everyone knows, even wild animals succomb to the dangers of the road).

• Domestic rabbits WILL NOT "make friends" with our wild Eastern Cottontails. They are not of the same genus (as far removed as rabbits are from hares!) and cannot even breed together. Please do not release your rabbit thinking they will join their native "cousins." Please visit Wikipedia for more information on the Eastern Cottontail vs. the European Rabbit, from which our domestic rabbits are descended. A domestic rabbit will likely be injured or even killed if they encounter an Eastern Cottontail.

• Parasitic infection. Fur mites and ear mites are two of the most common and can cause discomfort in early stages and serious medical issues if left untreated. Others include coccidia and the particularly fatal Baylisascaris (found in raccoon feces). Botflies and fly strike are also important to note. A botfly burrows under the animal's skin, leading to infection and in severe and advanced cases, shock. Fly Strike can also occur. For more information, please read (PLEASE NOTE THE FOLLOWING TWO ARTICLES MAY BE DISTURBING TO SOME READERS) "Myiasis (Botfly) in Rabbits" by Esther van Praag, Ph.D. and "Fly Strike" by Marinell Harriman. Please note that although "Myiasis in Rabbits" reports that botflies have been found only in the United States, there have been reports of cases in Ontario.

• It will be difficult for your rabbit to find appropriate food, particularly during winter months. Your rabbit has been served food in a bowl, fresh water in a bowl/bottle and hay on demand. How can they be expected to adapt to the harsh world into which they have been thrust?

• Our Canadian climate is ill-suited to an outdoor animal such as a domestic rabbit. Our temperatures range from extreme cold to extreme heat throughout the seasons. Extreme cold can lead to frost bite and hypothermia, while extreme heat can cause heat stroke. Note as well that since rabbits regulate their body temperature through their ears (like elephants!), dwarf breeds who have shorter ears will be more prone to heat stroke.

• "Only about 20-25% of young rabbits remain alive within a year after birth and 85% of adults or young are killed every year by predators." (Source: Wikipedia, Eastern Cottontail) How can a domestic rabbit ever live a long and happy life in the wild, considering these statistics regarding a rabbit that is naturally wild? The answer is simple: they do not.

Feel free to view our educational flyer on recognizing a wild rabbit:
If I Don't Look This, I Shouldn't Be in The Wild. You are welcome to print and distribute as you wish.