Rabbits are the third most surrendered pet at shelters nationally, and rabbit rescue in Sacramento runs almost entirely through small, volunteer-run nonprofits rather than a single central shelter — which means the right rabbit for your household might be at a Saturday adoption table in a Petco parking lot rather than anywhere you’d think to look first.
This guide compares three real Sacramento-area rabbit rescues by how they operate, what adoption actually costs, and how to tell them apart before you show up to an event.
Quick Answer
- Weekly adoption events, largest volume: Leaps & Bounds Rabbit Rescue — rescued over 1,000 rabbits since 2008, events every Saturday
- Monthly events, strong education focus: Sacramento House Rabbit Society (All Ears) — second Saturday of each month, foster program
- County shelter partnership: Friends of Unwanted Rabbits (FUR) — since 2004, monthly events at Bradshaw Animal Shelter
- Typical adoption fees run $55–$90+ and usually include spay/neuter and vaccination against RHDV2
- All three require indoor-only homes — none of these rescues will place a rabbit as an outdoor-hutch pet
Rabbit Rescue in Sacramento Compared at a Glance
| Rescue | Founded | Adoption Events | Typical Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Leaps & Bounds Rabbit Rescue | 2008 | Every Saturday, Petco (Douglas Blvd, Roseville) | $55 single / $90 bonded pair |
| Sacramento House Rabbit Society (All Ears) | — | 2nd Saturday monthly, Fair Oaks/Arden Petco | Not published |
| Friends of Unwanted Rabbits (FUR) | 2004 | Monthly, Bradshaw Animal Shelter | Not published |
Leaps & Bounds Rabbit Rescue: Weekly Rabbit Rescue in Sacramento
Leaps & Bounds Rabbit Rescue, based out of a Petco on Douglas Blvd in Roseville, has rescued more than 1,000 rabbits since it started in 2008, and it holds adoption events nearly every Saturday of the year — 50 weeks out of 52. That volume and consistency make this rabbit rescue in Sacramento a reasonable first stop if you’re actively looking, since you don’t have to plan around a single monthly date.
The stated mission covers three parts: rescuing and rehabilitating rabbits into indoor homes, educating new owners on the actual responsibilities of rabbit ownership, and supporting current rabbit owners with the organization’s combined experience. Adoption fees run $55 for a single rabbit and $90 for a bonded pair — notably less than a single fee doubled, which reflects how strongly rescues generally prefer placing already-bonded pairs together rather than separating them. As an all-volunteer organization, it doesn’t publish detailed reviews on major platforms, so the clearest signal of its track record is really the scale of its 17-year, 1,000-rabbit history.
Sacramento House Rabbit Society: Education-Focused Rabbit Rescue in Sacramento
Sacramento House Rabbit Society, operating as All Ears, is a nonprofit, all-volunteer organization with a heavier emphasis on education than the other two — its own materials describe teaching rabbit care and behavior alongside straightforward rescue work. Adoption events run the second Saturday of each month, 12 to 4 PM, rotating between Petco locations in Fair Oaks and Arden.
Adopters apply through an online questionnaire on ShelterLuv before meeting rabbits in person, and the group runs a foster program that pulls rabbits out of area shelters rather than only handling owner surrenders. Beyond adoption, All Ears publishes care and medical information, offers emergency vet referrals, and runs an annual “Run for the Buns” fundraiser along with an Easter education campaign specifically aimed at discouraging impulse rabbit purchases around the holiday. If your priority in a rabbit rescue in Sacramento is ongoing support after adoption rather than just the transaction itself, this organization’s education focus is the clearest differentiator.
Friends of Unwanted Rabbits: Shelter-Partnered Rabbit Rescue in Sacramento
Friends of Unwanted Rabbits, founded in 2004, takes a different structural approach: it partners directly with Sacramento County’s Bradshaw Animal Shelter rather than operating independently out of a retail location. Adoption events happen monthly in the shelter’s classroom at 3839 Bradshaw Road, typically from noon to 4 PM, with FUR volunteers handling the actual adoption counseling and screening even though the rabbits themselves come through the county shelter system.
Every rabbit placed through FUR is spayed or neutered and vaccinated against RHDV2 (rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2), a serious and often fatal viral disease that has spread through wild and domestic rabbit populations in parts of the US in recent years. Because FUR works inside the county shelter system, it’s a practical option if you’d rather support a shelter-partnered rescue than a fully independent nonprofit, and it puts you in contact with rabbits that might otherwise face longer shelter stays.
What Adoption Actually Involves
Every rabbit rescue in Sacramento covered here requires an indoor-only home — none will adopt out a rabbit intended to live in an outdoor hutch, which reflects current veterinary consensus that rabbits do better, live longer, and bond more closely with owners as indoor companions. Expect a written application, a conversation about your home setup and any existing pets, and in most cases a same-day meet-and-greet at the Saturday or monthly event rather than a scheduled private appointment.
Adoption fees typically bundle spay/neuter surgery and core vaccinations into the price, which is worth comparing against the cost of sourcing those services separately if you were instead buying an unaltered rabbit from a breeder or pet store. A responsible rabbit rescue in Sacramento will also ask questions back — about your living situation, other pets, and whether you’ve owned a rabbit before — rather than simply handing over an animal to anyone who shows up.
Questions to Ask Before You Adopt
- Is this rabbit already spayed or neutered, and vaccinated against RHDV2?
- Is this rabbit bonded to another rabbit, and would they need to be adopted together?
- What behavior or health history do you have on this specific rabbit?
- What support is available after adoption if I have questions about diet or behavior?
- What’s the return or surrender policy if the placement doesn’t work out?
Why RHDV2 Vaccination Matters
Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 is one of the more serious threats facing both wild and domestic rabbits in parts of the US, spreading through direct contact, contaminated surfaces, and even insects, with a high fatality rate in unvaccinated rabbits. A rabbit rescue in Sacramento that vaccinates against RHDV2 before adoption, as FUR explicitly does, is taking a real, non-cosmetic health precaution rather than a nice-to-have — ask any rescue directly whether this vaccination is included if it isn’t explicitly stated.
What to Bring to a Rabbit Rescue in Sacramento Adoption Event
Since most of these events happen at a Petco parking-lot table or a shelter classroom rather than a private appointment, a little preparation goes a long way. Bring a secure carrier for the trip home rather than assuming one will be provided, along with a photo ID and, if you rent, be ready to answer questions about whether pets are allowed in your unit — some rescues ask this directly and may follow up with your landlord. If you have other pets at home, mention them specifically, since a resident dog or cat with a high prey drive is relevant information a rescue will want before finalizing a placement. Arriving early at a popular rabbit rescue in Sacramento event also matters in practice — the most sociable, easy-to-place rabbits are often adopted within the first hour.
Setting Up Before You Bring a Rabbit Home
Every rescue covered here will ask, in some form, whether your home is actually ready before they finalize an adoption. At minimum that means a rabbit-proofed space free of chewable cords and toxic houseplants, a litter box and appropriate bedding, hay available at all times, and a plan for daily supervised exercise outside a cage or pen. Rescues that work this hard to screen adopters are trying to prevent exactly the surrender pattern that makes rabbits the third most commonly surrendered pet in the first place — a little upfront preparation before you attend a rabbit rescue in Sacramento event saves both you and the rescue a return trip later.
Adoption vs. Buying: Why It Matters for Rabbits Specifically
Rabbits are commonly bought on impulse around Easter and then surrendered within months once the reality of their care requirements sets in — a pattern serious enough that Sacramento House Rabbit Society runs a dedicated education campaign around it every year. The House Rabbit Society’s national adoption resources point toward exactly this pattern: rabbits need consistent, long-term care similar to a cat or dog, not the low-maintenance “starter pet” reputation they’re sometimes given. Choosing rabbit rescue in Sacramento over a pet-store purchase means adopting an animal that’s already spayed or neutered, health-screened, and — in the case of a bonded pair — placed with the companion it actually needs.
If you’re still deciding whether a rabbit fits your household at all, our pet mammals guide covers rabbit care requirements and lifespan alongside other small mammals, which is worth reading before you commit to an adoption event.
Rabbit Rescue in Sacramento: The Bottom Line
If you’re looking for rabbit rescue in Sacramento, there are three genuinely different paths in: Leaps & Bounds for volume and weekly availability, Sacramento House Rabbit Society for an education-heavy, foster-based approach, and Friends of Unwanted Rabbits for a shelter-partnered option working directly with Bradshaw Animal Shelter. All three require indoor homes, generally include spay/neuter and vaccination in the adoption fee, and are worth a direct conversation about a specific rabbit’s history before you commit.
FAQ
How much does rabbit rescue in Sacramento typically cost?
Leaps & Bounds Rabbit Rescue charges $55 for a single rabbit and $90 for a bonded pair; the other two organizations don’t publish set fees online, so ask directly.
Where are the rabbit adoption events in Sacramento?
Leaps & Bounds holds events almost every Saturday at a Petco on Douglas Blvd in Roseville; Sacramento House Rabbit Society holds events the second Saturday monthly at Fair Oaks or Arden Petco locations; Friends of Unwanted Rabbits holds monthly events at Bradshaw Animal Shelter.
Are rescue rabbits already spayed or neutered?
Generally yes — reputable rabbit rescue in Sacramento organizations include spay/neuter in the adoption process, and Friends of Unwanted Rabbits explicitly confirms this along with RHDV2 vaccination.
Is there a waiting list for rabbit rescue in Sacramento adoptions?
Not typically — adoptions generally happen the same day at a scheduled event, though a specific bonded pair or a popular rabbit may already be spoken for by the time you arrive.
Can I adopt a rabbit to keep outdoors?
No, not through any of the three rescues covered here — all require an indoor-only home.
Do these rescues adopt out bonded pairs?
Yes, and it’s often encouraged rather than discouraged — Leaps & Bounds’ pricing specifically reflects a preference for keeping bonded rabbits together.
Adoption events, fees, and policies change — confirm current details directly with each rescue before attending an event. Last verified September 2026.
