Rabbit crisis: SF animal shelter asking for adoptions as bunny dumping in parks explodes

ALLISON HAS LOVED ANIMALS. >> THEY ARE FRIENDLY. THEY ALL HAVE DIFFERENT PERSONALITIES. REPORTER: WHEN SHE HEARD ABOUT PET RABBITS BEING DUMPED IN GOLDEN GATE HEIGHTS PARK, SHE KNEW SHE HAD TO HELP. SHE JOINED A GROUP OF VOLUNTEERS LED BY AN OAKLAND WOMAN TO RESCUE SOME OF THE RABBITS. ALLISON SAYS IT WASN'T EASY TO GET ALL OF THE RABBITS THANKS TO THE TALL GRASS AND VISITATION IN THE PARK. IT TOOK HER IN THE VOLUNTEERS THREE DAYS TO GET THEM ALL. >> ALL THE WAY IN THERE. THE RABBIT WAS LIKE IN THE BUSH AND I WAS THE SMALLEST. I HAD ALREADY NETTED ONE OF THEM SO THEY SENT ME IN. REPORTER: THIS ISN'T AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. SAN FRANCISCO ANIMAL CARE AND CONTROL SAYS SHELTERS AROUND THE BAY AREA ARE OVERWHELMED WITH A NUMBER OF RABBITS COMING IN. MANY OF THEM AFTER BEING LEFT IN LOCAL PARKS. >> DOMESTIC RABBITS SHOULD NOT BE DUMPED INTO THE WILD. THEY ARE NOT WILDLIFE. THEY WON'T SURVIVE FOR LONG ON THEIR OWN. REPORTER: SF ACC IS DROPPING RABBIT ADOPTION FEES AND ASKING PEOPLE PREPARED FOR THE COMMITMENT TO CONSIDER TAKING ONE HOME. THEY SAY SOME OF THE RABBITS HAVE BEEN SITTING IN THEIR FACILITIES FOR MONTHS. >> WE DO EVERYTHING WE CAN BEFORE WE GET TO THAT POINT. LUCKILY, WE HAVE REALLY GOOD RESCUE PARTNERS. REPORTER: ALLISON IS HAPPY THE RABBITS ARE NOW SAFE AND SHE'S HOPING SOON THEY WILL FIND A FOREVER HOME. >> PROVIDE THEM SPACE AND ATTENTION AND THE RIGHT FOOD. BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE TO TAKE THEM ON AND THEN JUST DUMP THEM AGAIN. REPORTER:

Channel: ABC7 News Bay Area

Views: 2,043

Keywords: news, abc, abcnews, newsstory, san francisco abandoned rabbits, bunnies, rabbit adoptions, bunny adoptions sf, sf animal care and control, sf animal shelters, sf pet adoptions

Id: nIM1eJ_rUrc

Length: 1min 42sec (102 seconds)

Published: Mon Jul 31 2023