When a realtor opened the door to a vacant house, she expected to find things pretty much in order. Instead, she found a filthy house in complete disarray — and a dirty playpen filled with babies the former tenants had left behind.
The seven bunnies were living in squalor and needed help fast. The realtor was at a loss for what to do at first, but eventually, she found the help she needed.
“The tenant moved out before Christmas, so the rabbits had been on their own for almost a month before someone reached out to us,” Lyla Frick, founder and executive director of Pumpkin’s Acres Rabbit Rescue, told The Dodo. “Apparently someone was going there every few days to give them pellets and water, but there were often times where they were found to have had neither. They were also not being fed any hay, which is a crucial part of a rabbit’s diet.”
As soon as they learned of the situation, Pumpkin’s Acres Rabbit Rescue agreed to take the bunnies in and rushed to collect them. The rescuers were appalled at the conditions of the house and couldn’t believe someone would leave behind a bunch of babies to fend for themselves in such filth.
“The environment they were living in and neglect they experienced was heartbreaking,” Frick said. “Thankfully to date, they all appear to be relatively healthy despite what they’ve been through.”
The bunnies clearly wouldn’t have lasted much longer on their own and were rescued just in time. They’re all settling into their foster homes now and are starting to thrive.
“None of the older females were bonded, so mama (who we named Brandy) and babies (Mojito, Malibu, Bourbon and Mimosa) are in one foster home, and the other two girls (Kahlua and Amaretto) are in two separate foster homes,” Frick said. “They were a little shy at first but are settling in well.”
Soon enough, they’ll all be ready to go off and find their forever homes. In the meantime, they’re enjoying getting all of the love, care and attention they’ve never known before.
“After what they experienced, they are excited for the love and attention of their foster parents, a clean bed, and all the hay they could ever want,” Frick said. “The neglect they faced hasn’t dampened their spirits at all. They are quite resilient!”