Florida Humane Society's New "Rabbit Ranch"

[Becknutt]

"SANTA CLAWS": The Humane Society of St. Lucie County is giving gifts to people who adopt pets in December. BX.

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FORT PIERCE — Think you'd like to have a pet rabbit? Hop on down to the "rabbit ranch" at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County's animal shelter.

Thanks to a donation from Domenic and Ruth Macellari of Vero Beach, the shelter now has a special room and an outdoor play pen for up to 15 bunnies waiting for adoption.

"I call it the rabbit ranch," said shelter director Frank Andrews. "We generally have eight or nine rabbits here at any given time. Obviously, but unfortunately, we tend to get a lot more a month or two after Easter (each year) when the kids who get them from their parents get tired of them. We also get some that people bought at pet shops and, occasionally, at farmers' markets in other towns."

Wild rabbits brought to the shelter are forwarded to Animal Safe Space, a refuge for wild animals west of Fort Pierce.

"The wild rabbits, we don't try to raise and adopt out," Andrews said, "because they should be returned to the wild."

Rabbits make nice pets, Andrews said, "especially for older people. They're easy to take care of, they tend to housebreak themselves kind of like cats do and they like to be loved and petted — most of them, anyway."

Cost to adopt a rabbit is $25, which includes spaying or neutering, which is important because the critters breed like ... well, you know.

The Fort Pierce shelter isn't the only one on the Treasure Coast that has rabbits hop in on a regular basis:

• The Humane Society of Vero Beach and Indian River County typically has six to eight rabbits available for adoption at all times, said Susan Kelly, adoption program coordinator at the society's shelter.

The shelter has a special room for rabbits, birds and "exotics" (including guinea pigs, hamsters and gerbils).

For information, call (772) 388-3331 or log onto www.verobeach.com/humanesociety.

• The Humane Society of the Treasure Coast usually had three or four rabbits up for adoption, said Candice Veach, operations director at the Palm City shelter.

"We get an average of one a week," Veach said, "but we had two adopted out (Monday)."

A local 4-H club helps take care of rabbits when the shelter is overwhelmed, Veach said.

For information, call (772) 223-8822 or log onto www.humanesociety-tc.org

 

[Becknutt]

ST. LUCIE COUNTY — Christmas is starting early at the Humane Society of St. Lucie County animal shelter.

"For every pet adopted in December," said Frank Andrews, director of the society's shelter in Fort Pierce, "we'll give the new owner a gift basket to help them get started with the new member of their family."

The baskets typically include pet toys, food and water dishes and food samples. Dog baskets might also contain a leash and collar; cat baskets will have litter, litter boxes and liners.

"There's enough stuff in there that it would cost about $40 retail," Andrews said.

Adoption fees are $60 for dogs, $50 for cats and $25 for rabbits.

All pets adopted from the shelter receive a 30-day supply of flea and tick treatment, a microchip, a distemper shot, the first round of worming and are spayed or neutered. The animals do not get a rabies shot or license tags.

Although the shelter is giving out Christmas presents, Andrews doesn't encourage giving pets as gifts.

"In fact," he said, "we won't allow any adoptions after Dec. 23, because we don't want our animals to be last-minute Christmas presents."

The shelter at 100 Savannah Road in Fort Pierce is open for adoptions from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays and Fridays; and from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays.