Dozens of rabbits confiscated from L.A. hoarding ‘disaster’

LOS ANGELES – A volunteer-based nonprofit is seeking help to foster bunnies who were recently rescued from a backyard hoarding situation in the San Fernando Valley.

The Los Angeles-based Bunny World Foundation said it was contacted on Feb. 20 by the Los Angeles Animal Services in regards to a rescue mission involving a “large number” of rabbits in the backyard of a property in Granada Hills. Just four days later, the BWF went to the scene and saw what the organization called a “rabbit hoarding disaster” with as many as 100 rabbits.

Spanning several yards, rabbits of all ages, including expectant and nursing mothers, were left unprotected outdoors. BWF said it trapped and sexed 50 rabbits on that day and nearly all of the females were pregnant.

All babies were immediately brought into temporary foster care, the nonprofit said. The adults were spread out between six animal shelters, and more still need to be rescued from the property.

Due to remaining pregnancies, the number of rabbits may rise upwards of more than 300.

“I am extremely distraught having to witness yet another horrible backyard catastrophe,” BWF Founder and President Lejla Hadzimuratovic said. “It’s heartbreaking to see many painfully neglected and severely matted rabbits living in filth, exposed to hawks, owls, coyotes, raccoons, other wildlife, and harsh elements.”

The BWF said the extraction of the remaining rabbits may take weeks since they’ve managed to build a sophisticated tunnel system with underground burrows.

 “I can only imagine how many rabbits suffered in these horrific conditions and how many ended up dismembered by the predators,” said BWF Adoption Manager Jane Stonnington.

Now, the BWF is seeking help in fostering the remaining rabbits, as local animal shelters don’t have the space to store many more. Those willing to foster or adopt rabbits are asked to email info@bunnyworldfoundation.org, with “I will foster an LAAS bunny” in the subject line.