Hoppy Endings: Inside the Rabbit Society, Georgia’s lifeline for abandoned rabbits

No bunny left behind: The Georgia House Rabbit Society finds fur-ever homes for rabbits

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a white and light brown bunny with big ears poses in the photo

Courtesy of Georgia House Rabbit Society

Dark eyes peer at me through the glass. A little nose wiggles, and long, floppy ears perk up as I coo hello. I’m visiting the Georgia House Rabbit Society, a rabbit rescue and grooming and boarding facility in Kennesaw. I kneel to give a papaya treat to Scout, a four-year-old Holland Lop who was surrendered by an owner overwhelmed by work travel. According to the sign on his four-by-four-foot acrylic pen, Scout is sassy but loves to explore. Pleased by the papaya, he relents to my pleas to pet him and soon snuggles under my hand.

Like most of the other 120-odd rabbits at the Rabbit Society, Scout is available for adoption. Many rabbits end up here after being purchased as Easter gifts and quickly abandoned. Others are surrendered by owners who are moving out of the country or under financial pressures.

Many people don’t know that rabbits born into captivity cannot survive in the wild and rely on humans for food and protection from prey. “When we say we’re a rabbit rescue, a lot of people think we’re joking,” says executive director Jennifer Deen.

And they’re often bemused by the idea of adopting one: “People have no idea that rabbits have personalities.” But rabbits make great pets, she assures me. “They provide companionship without needing to be walked or play fetch.”

Five small bunnies sit together on top of a colorful blanket
Pet rabbits come in dozens of breeds and range in size from less than two pounds to over 20.

Courtesy of Georgia House Rabbit Society

The Georgia House Rabbit Society was established in 1996 by a group of friends­— Edie Sayeg, Nancy McConville, Debbie Trantin, and Ronda Churchwell—who started out by fostering rescued rabbits in their own homes. The organization moved into its first building in 2010, then moved to a larger facility in Kennesaw in 2020. The only local rescue of its kind, the Rabbit Society is a critical lifeline for abandoned rabbits in metro Atlanta.

“Rabbits are the third most popular companion animal, and animal control facilities didn’t know what to do with them,” Deen explains. “We get thousands of requests a year but can only take in about 150. There’s an animal crisis in the U.S. People don’t have the funds to care for pets right now.”

Animal control facilities reach out to the Rabbit Society for placement, but the organization prioritizes owner-surrenders; they don’t take wild rabbits, only domesticated ones. Every rabbit that is accepted is spayed or neutered and vaccinated. Each lives in its own pen—with the exception of bonded pairs—and receives fresh hay, green vegetables, and water daily, as well as exercise and human socialization.

With only two paid employees, the Georgia House Rabbit Society relies on volunteers to care for the rabbits. It also brings in funds through grooming, boarding, and rabbit supply sales.

“People are drawn to animals. If they can’t have one themselves, they want to be around them,” Deen says of the rescue’s dedicated volunteers. “[Georgia House Rabbit Society] is a quiet, peaceful place—there’s no barking or meowing.”

I reluctantly say goodbye to Scout, stopping briefly to visit Polar Bear, a blue-eyed, white Polish bunny with only three legs, and Bitsy, a petite gal with black fur and a white belly. I’m dusted with fur and hay, but my heart is warm.

This article appears in our June 2025 issue.
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