Rabbits are running loose in an Orlando suburb — and they’re multiplying quickly
Want a pet rabbit for Easter?
They’re hopping around like crazy in an Orlando-area neighborhood, and the public’s help is needed in giving the fast-multiplying animals forever homes.
Orlando Rabbit Care, an educational group and rescue organization in Longwood, Florida, first sent out the urgent call March 15 on social media after receiving word of a colony of domestic rabbits that had taken over Azalea Park.
How did they end up taking up residence in the leafy enclave about 30 miles east of Disney World?
In November 2021, a pet owner reportedly turned three rabbits loose in the backyard in Azalea Park, a suburb of Orlando. They escaped — and are now overrunning the neighborhood.
“They dug their way out of the backyard,” Sue Chairvolotti, a spokeswoman for Orlando Rabbit Care, told People magazine, “and the rest is history.”
As rabbits do, they breed quickly. The average gestation period is 28 to 30 days. A female bunny can get pregnant as young as 12 weeks old, and also on the same day she gives birth.
Four months later, there are 50-plus rabbits of varying breeds just doing their thing — eating grass, burrowing holes, twitching their little noses.
And, of course, procreating.
Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the United States — but the third most surrendered animal in shelters, behind dogs and cats, says the rescue group, which is at overcapacity.
Interested in owning or fostering an adorable fur baby?
Email info@orlandorabbit.org. The available breeds include Chinchillas, Havanas, English spots and Ruby Eye Whites.
Time is of the essence. Since the bunnies are domestic, they won’t be able to survive long on their own in the wild. The adoption fee for one is $90 and helps offset the cost of having the rabbits altered, microchipped and vaccinated, as well as any medical care.
This story was originally published March 28, 2022 at 2:56 PM.
