Pellet and Paisley are among the bunnies seeking their forever homes. (Photo: Archie's Exotic Pet Rescue)

By David Opinko

Pet rescue in ‘state of extreme emergency,’ adoptions and donations needed

Sep 26, 2024 | 10:23 AM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – “If we can’t get help, we’re out of options.”

Archie’s Exotic Pet Rescue, formerly known as Archie’s Angels Rabbit Rescue, is pleading for assistance.

President Alyssa Koenig says the local non-profit has been struggling to stay afloat for some time now. The group announced Wednesday it is in a state of extreme emergency and is at risk of closing permanently.

“With the economy the way it is, a lot of people aren’t adopting, a lot of people don’t even have the time to foster,” says Koenig. “We’ve just found ourselves having a lot of bunnies coming back into our rescue, more than average.”

She told LNN that the rescue currently has 30-40 bunnies, including 18 singles, three bonded pairs and 10 feral rabbits.

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The group, however, does not have a dedicated facility, so volunteers have had to house the animals in their own homes.

Given that each of the unpaid members have full-time jobs and families, Koenig says they have been put under a lot of stress, especially over the last year.

“It definitely creates what we call ‘rescue fatigue.’ It definitely affects our mental health and our families’ mental health too because it affects the members of our families. We spend more time with the rescue than we do with our kids and significant others,” says Koenig.

The bunnies themselves have a harder life as well, as volunteers might have one dozen others in their home and are unable to give each the same amount of attention that a family would to their one or two animals.

Trixie is among the bunnies seeking their forever homes. (Photo: Archie’s Exotic Pet Rescue)

The biggest issue facing Archie’s Exotic Pet Rescue, according to Koenig, is money.

While they do receive donations and regularly host fundraisers, she says it is never enough.

They end up paying between $300-$2,000 for each bunny that comes into the rescue for medical expenses, in addition to food and any other necessary costs. Koenig says they end up paying from their own pockets if they do not have enough funding coming in.

“If a rabbit comes in, it needs to be spayed or neutered, it needs a vet check,” explains Koenig. “We’ve had over 600 rabbits at our rescue, so you know, times that by even if you do the minimum $300, that’s a lot of money we’ve already spent on the rabbits.”

Koenig says there are a few ways that the public can help.

In addition to making a financial contribution, she is asking families to consider adopting a bunny or becoming a foster.

Her ultimate goal is to find a facility that can serve as a more stable, permanent solution.

READ MORE: Lethbridge News Now

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