Animal Welfare Professionals

Hi all. I'm hoping to get some recommendations on rabbit housing. Our rabbit population has yet to decline in about a year, with some rabbits with us since April 2021! As with large dogs, the issue seems to be getting worse with more rabbits coming in than we can house. We have tried to recruit fosters and have been unable. We are working on developing a Finder Foster program (although our current municipal code requires impoundment), but have simply run out of housing. We have had to go buy what PetSmart had on hand before, but are hoping to find other options feasible in a shelter environment (and budget). Most of what we seem to find online are made of wood or other material difficult to properly clean/sanitize.
Can you all share what type of housing and brands (links would be AMAZING) you utilize please?
#AdmissionsandIntake(includingIntake-to-placement)

------------------------------
Ashley Milo
Chula Vista Animal Care Facility
------------------------------

Hi Ashley -

It definitely most depends on the configuration of the rooms the rabbits will be housed in, but if you have enough floor space, exercise pens are ideal.
If you need something smaller for shorter-term stays, I've seen large dog crates work well, and they can go on deep shelving to stack two high. For these, I'd recommend jury-rigging a shelf along the rear of the crate to expand floor space for the rabbit and to slide the litterbox under.

As for impounds... does your ordinance mandate a physical impound, or is the impound simply to get the animal posted on a public notice board (your website) for purposes of owner reclaim?  If the latter, you may be able to check with the City Attorney about "impound" as creation of that post and beginning tracking in your system, rather than physically housing the animal. Or, in the long term, changing the ordinance.

------------------------------
Emily Wood
Director
Broward County Animal Care
Fort Lauderdale FL
------------------------------