Baltimore County Animal Services has one room for its exotic animals — anything not a dog or a cat. It’s usually pretty full with guinea pigs, turtles, rats and even snakes.
But two weeks ago, the county seized more than 100 animals from an Essex home. There were a number of rabbits in the mix, but then even more were born in the shelter’s custody. And now, the shelter has 61 rabbits and no room for them — as well as several others they believe to be pregnant.
This many rabbits coming in at once is “extremely unusual,” said shelter communications manager Abby Isaacs.
Isaacs and her colleagues are frantically contacting rescue organizations to house some of the rabbits as they recover from being spayed and neutered. Once the rabbits are medically cleared, they will be adoptable from the BCAS’ website.
Those interested can check the BCAS Facebook page, which lists the adoptable pets as well as efforts to find rescues. BCAS also has a video of the rabbits as well as other recent animals they are taking care of from the hoarding case.
Isaacs said the shelter has three rabbits ready to be adopted now that are not part of the seizure, and finding homes for them will make more room for the recent arrivals. She asks anyone interested to check the website and contact the shelter.
BCAS initially announced it had seized 103 animals from what it called one of the largest hoarding cases in recent memory. But with the birth of so many rabbits, the total from that hoarding case is now up to 123. In addition to 61 rabbits, the final tally includes: 11 puppies, 3 adult dogs, 10 guinea pigs, 21 parakeets, 11 hamsters, 3 cats, 2 gerbils and a fish.
The parakeets are available for adoption today; updates on other animals are available on the website and on social media.
Rabbits need room to roam, and the quarters may get even tighter as Isaacs said the staff suspects more of the rabbits are pregnant.
Isaacs was not able to say more about the investigation into the hoarding case and whether any charges would be filed, but the owners did surrender the animals.
“Now,” she said, “they will be able to find their forever homes.”
