A bunny for Easter? Valley rescue group says make it chocolate

SCOTTSDALE, AZ - A Valley rabbit rescue group is encouraging parents to think twice before giving the gift of a live rabbit for Easter.

Brambley Hedge Rabbit Rescue spokeswoman Kim Dezelon said in a news release that rabbits are high maintenance animals requiring more work than cats and dogs. Dezelon says rabbits cannot survive outside in the Arizona summer heat and most do not like to be held, scratching and biting if frightened.

"People soon tire of their 'novelty' bunny and simply set them free in neighborhoods," Dezelon said. "If they are the lucky ones, the bunny is rescued, but most will fall prey to predators.

Brambley Hedge Rabbit Rescue, located in Scottsdale, has over 130 domestic rabbits at any one time, Dezelon said. A majority of those, she adds, are "Easter Dumps."

Dezelon encourages anyone committed to providing a lifelong home for a domestic rabbit to adopt from a Valley shelter or rescue organization. Brambley Hedge Rabbit Rescue observes an Easter moratorium on adoptions through April 25.

So, you may want to think chocolate when giving a child a cute little bunny for Easter.