Southern Cape Bunny Haven

3rd Feb, 2025
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Written by Monique Goosen

Photographs supplied by Southern Cape Bunny Haven

On a farm outside Albertinia in the Western Cape’s Garden Route area, the Bunny Haven carries out their daily duties in a peaceful, tranquil setting that benefits the buns and people. SCBH is a huge haven and rescue for bunnies, and the largest of its kind in Africa.

Caring for special bunnies in need

Specifically registered to care more for special needs and disabled bunnies, the Haven also rescues and has rescued over 1,200 in colonies from streets in the large region they cover of over 11 towns.

The Haven started 10 years ago in memory of a special bunny named Dingles, who saved her mom’s life multiple times, bringing about an oath to care for, be kind, and save as many lives as possible. Southern Cape Bunny Haven became fully registered five years ago, in all capacities.

At the Haven you find them all. The unwanted, the broken, the discarded, the orphans, the aged, those that need a stay-over while their humans recuperate or restructure. It’s an old age home, hospice, shelter, kindergarten, orphanage, holiday destination and hospital all in one. All the breeds, all the colours, all the sizes, and all the coats.

Rabbits may be the third most popular pet, but they’re the most misunderstood.

Out in the wild

While everyone will go wild if they hear that dogs have been dumped in a veldt, nearly no one blinks an eye if it’s rabbits, mistakenly thinking “they can survive”.

In fact, no domesticated animal, including rabbit colonies stemming from domestic rabbits, should be on the streets. Rabbits suffer horribly, with many even dying of the daily stress to survive, never resting.

The truth is, a dog’s chances are better when it comes to survival. Real streetwise rabbits were born on the streets and are still very scarce – less than five per cent of rabbits survive longer than four months. People often see look-alike offspring and assume it’s the same bun. If they survive the predators, the cars and disease, the immense stress of survival, never resting properly and overbreeding will shorten their life to 2-3 years, while it should be 10 years plus. Most newly caught rabbits sleep their first four days through, knowing they’re safe. The other buns tell them they can relax – so they do.

Cuddly companions with a caveat

Rabbits should be seen as inside companions, social pets that form part of the family and household. They’re inquisitive and have the emotional and mental capacity of a five-year-old. You’ll be judged if you break a treat in two – they know what you’re doing... and you’ll be thumped at!

Rabbits are, however, not starter pets, and people buying on impulse often dump them when they find the rabbit’s instincts too much... trying to escape when held by children, or their hormonal instinct when unsterilised cause them to mess, bite and hurt. Children under six rarely have the reflexes to deal with a kicking, escaping bunny, causing both the child and bun to get hurt. And we won’t speak of the mess... each healthy, hay-eating bunny will poop their 250 “coco puffs” – the best fertiliser in the world, after elephant dung.

Many of the bunnies at SCBH have been hurt immensely, either by humans, predators or other rabbits, where people didn’t understand the extreme complexity of bonding – you cannot just put bunnies together. Many of the disabilities and issues are from attacks, but SCBH also have a few bunnies with most interesting congenital anomalies.

Love goes a long way

SCBH is a Right-To-Life centre, meaning no animals are killed because they’ve overstayed a certain time. All the buns get a lot of love and are mostly tame, with even the wildest ones taming super-fast. Taming has a lot to do with the energy radiated from the person working with them and love goes a LONG way. However, no suffering is tolerated at SCBH, and each animal is properly monitored and documented.

Some of the most interesting cases surface at SCBH because of absolute intense care, often leaving vets to scratch heads while figuring out causes. Because of the intense observation of the bunnies, as well as having bunnies to compare to each other, some exceptional care programmes have been established. The Haven has been able to supply statistics and analytics worldwide, as well as life-saving care, to carry a bun through while the bun-parent finds a suitable rabbit-savvy vet.

Day-to-day operations at the Haven are huge, with a large number of bunnies to look after (around 300), monitor, feed, medicate if needed, and then, of course, love. The bunnies at the Haven love their head rubs, acknowledgement and knowing they matter.

You can help!

The Haven has a dire need to make the living quarters of the buns better as spaces are too small. While the land is adequate and the landlord has granted extra building areas, building materials and donations towards the building projects are urgently needed. Some of the pens are now five years old and also require new wire mesh – part of maintenance. Please visit the Southern Cape Bunny Haven social media pages for the Expansion Project Fundraisers.

Hay, litter boxes, water bowls, etc. for day-to-day use are most welcome and always on the wish list. You can even sponsor a bunny at the Haven.

If you’d like to make a difference to support the Haven, the medical breakthroughs, the care, the betterment asked, please keep in mind that the Haven is fully Section 18A PBO certified, and donations and sponsorships can be deducted from tax.

Should you wish to know more, feel free to contact us at sc.bunnyhaven@gmail.com or WhatsApp 060 466 2810. Donations to this unique cause can be made to:

Southern Cape Bunny Haven
FNB Current Account
Account number: 62836860008
Branch code: 250655
Swift FIRNZAJJ
PayPal: sc.bunnyhaven@gmail.com

For more info, visit https://bunnyhaven.southern-cape.com or follow them on Facebook.

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