The Humane Society of Louisiana is urging people not to adopt animals they cannot take care of following the rescue of more than 60 rabbits from area parks. According to Jeff Dorson, the HSLA director, rabbits are being abandoned at a rapid rate across Jefferson Parish and the city of Kenner. Dorson said park rangers have been working with the HSLA regarding the ongoing problem. “People are keeping rabbits as pets then deciding they don’t want them and dumping them in public parks rather than rehoming them,” said James Johnson, a rabbit rescuer in the New Orleans area. “The process at LaFreniere Park is working well with the signs the park rangers put up, and they contact a rescue group immediately if they find dumped bunnies, but this should be implemented at the other parks, especially Kenner Park right now.”According to Johnson, eight new baby rabbits were found at a Kenner park recently. Johnson warns that dumping animals is illegal. According to Dorson, cameras recently caught a person dumping bunnies, both of which wound up in Johnson's care. Johnson's nonprofit, Lola & Friends Bunny Rescue of South Mississippi, have been helping the New Orleans area with the rabbits that have been rescued. “The bunnies cannot fend for themselves in the wild,” Johnson said. “They get sick, hawks get them, they get hit by cars, or attacked by dogs, it’s a vicious cycle. It’s a horrible way for them to die.”According to Dorson, a recently rescued bunny had been living in a Denny's parking lot in Metairie for nearly three years. The bunny had a leg injury. The bunny's leg needed to be amputated. According to Johnson, the bunny, named Sammie, is also blind in one eye. Sammie is recovering in Johnson's rescue and has made a friend named Pepper. Johnson is urging people not to abandon their pets, and if they want more information on how to help these rabbits to follow his page on Facebook. “No animal should go through what she did,” Johnson said. “Please don’t abandon or dump your pets.”
The Humane Society of Louisiana is urging people not to adopt animals they cannot take care of following the rescue of more than 60 rabbits from area parks.
According to Jeff Dorson, the HSLA director, rabbits are being abandoned at a rapid rate across Jefferson Parish and the city of Kenner.
Dorson said park rangers have been working with the HSLA regarding the ongoing problem.
“People are keeping rabbits as pets then deciding they don’t want them and dumping them in public parks rather than rehoming them,” said James Johnson, a rabbit rescuer in the New Orleans area. “The process at LaFreniere Park is working well with the signs the park rangers put up, and they contact a rescue group immediately if they find dumped bunnies, but this should be implemented at the other parks, especially Kenner Park right now.”
According to Johnson, eight new baby rabbits were found at a Kenner park recently.
Johnson warns that dumping animals is illegal.
According to Dorson, cameras recently caught a person dumping bunnies, both of which wound up in Johnson's care.
Johnson's nonprofit, Lola & Friends Bunny Rescue of South Mississippi, have been helping the New Orleans area with the rabbits that have been rescued.
“The bunnies cannot fend for themselves in the wild,” Johnson said. “They get sick, hawks get them, they get hit by cars, or attacked by dogs, it’s a vicious cycle. It’s a horrible way for them to die.”
According to Dorson, a recently rescued bunny had been living in a Denny's parking lot in Metairie for nearly three years. The bunny had a leg injury.
The bunny's leg needed to be amputated.
According to Johnson, the bunny, named Sammie, is also blind in one eye.
Sammie is recovering in Johnson's rescue and has made a friend named Pepper.
Johnson is urging people not to abandon their pets, and if they want more information on how to help these rabbits to follow his page on Facebook.
“No animal should go through what she did,” Johnson said. “Please don’t abandon or dump your pets.”
