Spring is in the air! The daffodils are blooming, the birds are chirping, the rhinitis is running, and the bunnies are proliferating like …well, bunnies.
With Easter close at hand, the real bunnies in our neighborhoods are complemented by fictional, egg-delivering bunnies in stores and on TV specials.
Why is the bunny linked to Easter? There is no clearly defined reason, but rabbits are associated with fertility and new life, which are both ideas with clear ties to the season of spring.
Families sometimes buy rabbits at this time of year for family pets, and if you are thinking along those lines, the Humane Society for Southwest Washington (https://southwesthumane.org) often has rabbits available for adoption, as well as other small animals such as guinea pigs, gerbils and hamsters. You can even set up a pet alert to receive notification when the shelter receives new animals.
Rabbit Advocates (rabbitadvocates.org) is another nonprofit group in the Vancouver and greater Portland area. These volunteers promote the welfare of domestic rabbits through fundraising efforts, and assist in the fostering and adoption of bunnies.
Domestic rabbits can live as long as dogs — an average of seven to 10 years, so taking on a bunny as a pet is a long-term commitment.
They do require some specialized care and feeding, so some research is in order before you bring a bunny home.
Here are some of the library’s books about rabbits as pets:
“The Way of the Rabbit” by Mark Hawthorne (2021).
“Rabbits for Dummies” by Connie Isbell (2020).
“Storey’s Guide to Raising Rabbits: Breeds, Care, Housing” by Bob Bennett (2018).
“Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners: Caring for Cats, Dogs, Chickens, Sheep, Cattle, Rabbits and More” by C.E. Spaulding (2015).
“How to Raise Rabbits: Everything You Need to Know” by Samantha Johnson (2013).
There are more books about rabbits and pet rabbits in the 599 and 636 nonfiction areas, both for adults and children.
And for other rabbit-related nonfiction books for adults, hop on over to these titles:
“Raising Hare” by Chloe Dalton (2025).
“On the Trail of the Jackalope: How a Legend Captured the World’s Imagination and Helped Us Cure Cancer” by Michael P. Branch (2022).
“Peacebunny Island: The Extraordinary Journey of a Boy and his Comfort Rabbits, and How They’re Teaching Us about Hope & Kindness” by Caleb Smith (2021).
“The Rabbit Effect: Live Longer, Happier and Healthier with the Groundbreaking Science of Kindness” by Kelli Harding (2019).
“Down the Rabbit Hole: Curious Adventures and Cautionary Tales of a Former Playboy Bunny” by Holly Madison (2015).
“Bunny Buddhism: Hopping along the Path to Enlightenment” by Krista Lester (2014).
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