The Richmond House Rabbit Society (HRS) was awarded $51,000 in grants from Contra Costa County’s Animal Benefit Fund to slash the costs of its sterilization fees and help fund its free monthly bunny care supply pantry.
The grants will help the group continue its mission of providing inexpensive medical services to pet rabbits from across the Bay Area and state, staff members said.
HRS, founded in Alameda in 1988, aims to make rabbit fostering and caretaking more accessible. With help from volunteers, the SF Bay Area branch, which opened in Richmond in 2000, offers spaying and neutering services, vaccinations, educational classes and monthly rabbit-care supply pantries.
HRS says it’s currently the sole rabbit rescue in the United States with a staff veterinarian, and it collaborates with 35 other animal shelters statewide to bring rabbits to its facility. The organization often houses 80 to 100 rabbits at any given time.
HRS provided record-breaking numbers of services in 2024 –– conducting 398 sterilization surgeries and providing 137 households with free rabbit supplies. Larissa Church, HRS communications manager, attributes much of that success to volunteers and donors.
“I’m very aware of the fact that we’re only here because other people around the country and world believe in this organization,” Church said. “While that’s incredible, that’s not necessarily very sustainable, especially right now.”
As a nonprofit with a $500,000 annual budget, funding is always tight, so they jumped at the opportunity to apply for the county’s animal fund grants.
Amber Tadena, interim Executive Director of HRS, led the campaign to secure the two grants. Though she was new to drafting grant applications, Tadena recognized the cost and accessibility barriers that keep many rabbit owners from getting their animals needed care and decided to take a shot at it.
“So the question for us was, ‘How do we lower those barriers for our county members?’ ” Tadena said. “It’s about getting resources to those people and making them feel comfortable, making sure their needs are addressed, and then that will translate to better care for the animals.”
Richmond House Rabbit Society
WHAT: Monthly rabbit care supply giveaway
WHEN: 12 p.m. to 3 p.m.. on the first Saturday of each month.
WHERE: 148 Broadway, Richmond
MORE INFO: The Richmond center is open for drop in visits Fridays and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Visit the website for more information.
In July 2024, their efforts paid off, and Contra Costa County awarded HRS $15,000 for spay and neutering surgeries and $36,000 for shelter intervention services for the 2025 year.
These funds helped HRS lower spay and neutering prices to $200 —a fraction of the former $800 to $1,200 starting rates — and will help fund its monthly giveaway of free rabbit care supplies.
House Rabbit Society aims to keep pet rabbits from ending up in shelters
From 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. on the first Saturday of each month, HRS opens its doors to dozens of rabbit owners, supplying free litter, food, toys and exercise pens.
“Our goal with [the pantry] is to keep rabbits in homes, because we don’t want those rabbits to end up at shelters,” Church said.
Thousands of rabbits are surrendered to shelters each year statewide, likely because many owners underestimate the time, energy and money that’s required to properly care for them. In 2024, the HRS took in 161 rabbits from 15 different shelters. Many pet owners are unprepared for the responsibility of housing a rabbit, which consequently can affect the rabbit’s physical and behavioral health.
Tadena said the free pantries help rabbit owners balance the financial responsibilities between their pets and themselves.
“Guests can come by and get those supplies, and then theoretically, take that money they would have spent on their pet and apply it to things like rent, food for themselves and utilities,” Tadena said.
Tadena said that cost is only one of the many barriers pet owners face in the Bay Area.
“Not everyone has the privilege of getting in their car and driving,” she said. “Do you have 45 minutes in your day to drive out for free supplies and 45 minutes to drive back? So we’re always thinking about how to lower those obstacles.”
Tadena intends to reapply for funding next year, with the hope of introducing pop-up supply pantries and events throughout the Bay Area.
“It is our duty to serve our public and our community, and the best way that we can do that is to help keep rabbits in homes, keep them off the street, to make the people feel supported and provide that aid,” Tadena said.
