Orphan rabbits looking for a few good owners BY PATRICIA A. MILLER Staff Writer PHOTO BY DAVID BEALES Tabitha Engelhardt holds her buddy Radish, a Cinnamon domesticated rabbit available for adoption at the Jersey Shore Animal Center Sunday. February is National Adopt-A-Rabbit month. BRICK TOWNSHIP - The six rabbits that have been waiting for good homes at the Jersey Shore Animal Center each have their own sad history. Buster, Surfer Girl and Radish were all found wandering at the township Public Works Department early last November. They were hungry and infested with ticks and fleas. It took shelter workers several days to trap all three rabbits and bring them to the animal center. "We don't knowif someone dumped them there," said shelter spokeswoman Susan Richmond. "Domesticated rabbits can't live in the wild. If you let themgo, it's basically a death sentence." Maisy, Mallory and Murphy were three of 10 neglected rabbits removed froma home by a court order last September. The other seven rabbits are now being cared for in foster homes. "Theywere not being taken care of properly," Richmond said. "The rescue people are just overloaded with rabbits." But hopefully all six bunnies will have a happy ending in the near future. The rabbits have been under the loving care of the staff at the animal center for months now. And since February is National Adopt-ARabbit month, the staff is hoping the publicity may attract some potential, qualified owners. "It's a very slowadoption process for rabbits," Richmond said. "Most people are looking for dogs or cats. This lets people know there is an option instead of going to the pet store." And the animal center staff wants to make sure whoever wants to adopt a rabbit will be committed to caring for it. People who have children under the age of 8 are generally not good candidates, unless they have previous rabbit-raising experience, Richmond said. "Bunnies have very delicate backs," she said. "If you pick one up roughly, you can break its back.Young children are not really a goodmatch, unless it's a very bunny-savvy home." All of the rabbits at the Jersey ShoreAnimal Center have been spayed or neutered. Domesticated rabbits should live inside a house, not outside in a hutch,where they are apt to be neglected or ignored, Richmond said. They can be trained to use a litter box, just like a cat. "They are big chewers," Richmond said. "They like to chew furniture and wires." Fortunately, it's possible to "bunny-proof" your home, she said. "They make wonderful pets," Richmond said. "They are similar to a cat." Rabbits nibble on a diet of vegetables, greens and rabbit pellets. They also need vitamins, which are given in their drinking water. "There is a lot of work involved," Richmond said. "You should do your research before you get a rabbit." Rabbits do well in a separate room set aside for themin the house. But they can get along with dogs and cats, she said. "If you keep an eye on them, you can let them go," Richmond said. Brownie, a rabbit who lived at the shelter a few years back, lived in the adult cat room. "He thought he was a cat," Richmond said. "We set up his cage in the cat room." Buster is a mini-lop, adult male. Surfer Girl is a lop-eared adult female. Radish,who has a pending adoption application, is a young Cinnamonmale.Murphy is anAmerican adult male. Sisters Maisy and Mallory are both youngAmerican female rabbits. Formore information, contact the Jersey ShoreAnimal Center at (732) 920-1600, online atwww.jerseyshoreanimalcenter.org, or visit at the shelter at 185 Brick Blvd., at the intersection with Beaverson Boulevard.