Dumped pet bunnies becoming problem in Brevard County

MELBOURNE, Fla. — Amid a growing concern over the dumping of unwanted pet rabbits, a rescue group is hoping to partner with county and city government to intervene.

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What You Need To Know

• Brevard County is experiencing a surge in the wild rabbit population
• Space Coast Bunnies works to find, capture, and adopt out the rabbits
• They say people need to be aware that rabbits are a long-term commitment

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Space Coast Bunnies works to rescue rabbits, and they report they have surpassed the number of rescues from 2021, just in the first quarter of this year.

The group is receiving an average of two to three calls a day about rabbits in streets, yards and on business properties. Even with all of those calls, only three bunnies a month are adopted, on average.

Penelope is one of 75 rabbits found dumped in Brevard so far this year. She’s a few years old, and her life expectancy is at least ten.

Ashley Berke of Space Coast Bunnies says their rescues are at an all-time high.

“It’s a ten-year commitment, and people go to the pet stores and they think they are getting an easy starter pet, and there’s a lot more care involved in it,” she said.

People are getting rid of their pets in droves, and many of the rabbits are having babies of their own, creating feral colonies.

In 2021, the nonprofit took in 39 off the streets, and 145 in 2022.

Those rescues cost the non-profit more to spay and neuter, plus pay for their care.

On Tuesday, Berke was out near Babcock and Hibiscus in Melbourne after getting a call about two rabbits near a local business.

“We want to do something about it before it gets to the point we can’t contain it anymore. We are at a tipping point, this is happening all over the state,” she said.

Berke is urging the Brevard County Commission to act. She hopes to curb the flow of rabbits from pet stores and backyard breeders who are being negligent.

“We want to partner, make this a team effort, because we can get ahead of this problem if we are proactive,” Berke said.

Cocoa Beach is having work sessions about the rabbit issues.

Space Coast Bunnies is also reaching out to Melbourne and Palm Bay.