Howard County nonprofit asks for the community's help after rescuing 60 rabbits
Volunteers with Friends of Rabbits, a Howard County animal rescue, are working around the clock after saving more than 60 rabbits from an abandoned farm in Woodstock.
Even after more than a week, the large influx is putting a major strain on the nonprofit, which is appealing to the community for help with care, fostering and adoptions.
A big discovery
Board member Sarah Healy said the rescue effort began when someone reported an injured rabbit that had wandered onto their property. After Friends of Rabbits took in that animal, the same person called again.
"I found out from that person that the rabbit had come from a farm neighboring her property, and she started seeing more rabbits pop up," Healy said. "So, she reached out to us every time she saw a rabbit."
Healy and volunteers went to the Woodstock farm expecting to find four or five rabbits. Instead, they saw at least 10 running around.
On the first day, they rescued 30. Another 20 were captured the next day, and the total reached 60 over several more days.
"They were in really bad shape," Healy said. "A lot of them were very underweight, especially the adults. A few of the adults had heart conditions, they had trouble breathing, respiratory illnesses."
Healy believes the animals were once pets that had been released and reproduced on the property.
The need for help
Friends of Rabbits typically rescues 150 to 200 rabbits each year. In the past four months, including the Woodstock rescue, the group has taken in more than 100. Many of the rabbits are on medication, all the females have given birth, and some have died.
Treasurer Susan Wong said the group is raising money to expand its space.
"Our intention is really to try to keep as many of the rabbits here [in Columbia] ourselves, also work with some other local rescues, but they're strained right now," Wong said. "We're trying not to burden our local community shelters, and other rabbit rescues in the area are taxed. We are the largest rabbit rescue in the area."
Healy said rabbits require the same level of care as cats and dogs and deserve the same urgency in rescues.
"If someone heard of 60 dogs running loose on a farm, there would be way more upset," she said. "People would really be motivated to go out there to save those guys."
Friends of Rabbits is accepting donations, as well as applications from people interested in fostering or adopting. More information is available on the nonprofit's website and Facebook page.
