Spring and Summer are the prime seasons for spotting rabbits hopping around your neighbourhood. But rabbits – primarily babies and nests – are highly vulnerable and can be injured by a number of threats in their environment, including natural predators, car strikes, or even people mowing their lawns!
When you find an injured rabbit, you may feel compelled to help them. Unfortunately, when people try to help an injured rabbit without sufficient knowledge of the rabbit’s needs, they may end up doing more harm than good. So, what should you do if you find an injured bunny outside?
The first step is to determine whether the rabbit is wild or domesticated. Knowing this information will help you know who to call for the best assistance.
In the spring and summer, wild rabbits typically have brown agouti coats, while domestic rabbits can have a wide range of fur colours and patterns. Wild rabbits are also typically leaner and have longer legs than domestic rabbits, which tend to be rounder. Additionally, domestic rabbits can have upright ears or ears that flop over, while wild rabbits have upright ears. Therefore, if the bunny you found has flopped over ears, the chances are high that they are a domesticated bunny.
Learn more about the differences between wild and domestic rabbits >
The next step is to reach out to your local wildlife rescue or rabbit rescue for help, even if you cannot tell for certain whether the rabbit is wild or domestic. To find your local rescue, check out our resources page, which has an extensive list of rabbit rescues around the world. The people at the rescue should be able to provide you with advice
specific to the needs of the rabbit, put you in contact with veterinary care, or take in the rabbit themselves.
The idea of saving a cute bunny can be exciting, but it is important to not let this excitement overshadow the best interests of the rabbit; simply keeping them in a cardboard box, feeding them carrots, and cooing over them will not nurse them back to health. Helping a rabbit can also become overwhelming as problems come up that leave you feeling unsure of what to do next.
So, remember: if you find an injured rabbit and decide to help them, the most important thing to do is reach out to your local rabbit experts to ensure the rabbit receives the care they need.
Article written by:
Jane Billingsley
Jane is a long-time rabbit owner and animal-lover. She has owned rabbits for most of her life, and is passionate about advocating for the ethical treatment of rabbits and animals in general. She is currently working towards a Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Alberta, and hopes to pursue further education specializing in animal welfare and conservation. Outside of school, Jane spends her time writing, playing soccer, and cuddling with her bunny, Prince.
