Ahead Of The Holiday, The Easter Bunny Gets Neutered!
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Before he celebrates the holiday, the Easter Bunny is making a pit stop at the Humane Society of New York -- to get neutered!
The Humane Society of New York and the Mayor's Alliance for NYC's Animals are once again offering a free spay/neuter clinic for rabbits that were purchased at pet stores or obtained from sources that did not previously sterilize the animal.
Mayor's Alliance & HSNY Offer Free Bunny Spay/Neuter
The free clinic will be held starting Saturday, March 28 at the Humane Society of New York's animal hospital on 306 East 59th Street, between 1st and 2nd avenues.
Appointments must be made in advance by calling (212) 752-4842. Rabbit owners may be asked to bring their rabbits in for a free check-up a few days before the surgery, but should call to book their appointments first and details will be discussed at that time. The surgeries will be performed by board certified veterinarian Dr. Shachar Malka.
For more information, click HERE.
In December, the New York City Council passed a law banning the sale of rabbits in pet stores. The measure, signed into law by Mayor Bill de Blasio, goes into effect on June 17.
Starting then, any New York City resident interested in getting a rabbit as a new pet must adopt from a shelter or rescue group.
Mayor's Alliance President Jane Hoffman says this law will help reduce the number of unwanted rabbits that are brought to shelters. Rabbits are the third-largest animal shelter population after cats and dogs and sadly, many are released into the wild or in city parks.
"You should never, ever, ever put a bunny out in a park," said Hoffman. "They cannot survive."
Among the many places New Yorkers can adopt rabbits are:
The Humane Society of New York: 306 East 59th Street; www.humanesocietyny.org.
Animal Care & Control of NYC (AC&C) Manhattan Care Center: 326 East 110th Street; www.nycacc.org/Locations.htm.
Petco's East 86th Street and Union Square stores (which have rabbits and adoption counselors from NYC Metro Rabbit).
Sean Casey Animal Rescue: 153 East 3rd Street Brooklyn, 551 39th Street, Brooklyn; nyanimalrescue.org.
