Domesticated rabbits are being dumped in the wild in Collier County

As many as 100 bunnies are being illegally dumped outside in the wild in Collier County.

A bunny named George, is just one of many, dumped in a Collier County neighborhood last week.

It’s illegal to dump domesticated bunnies. They can’t survive in the wild.

A rabbit rescue said the pandemic is one of the reasons bunnies are being dumped. The rescue said the animals are also being dropped in Fort Myers, Lehigh Acres and Naples.

“It’s heartbreaking, its the sleepless nights, when you know they’re out there and you can’t save them all.. you just can’t. They are being bred and dumped much faster than we can help them,” said Jennifer MacBeth, president of the Southwest Florida House Rabbit Rescue.

MacBeth estimates someone dropped off about 50 to 100 domesticated rabbits.

They spotted some along Woodside Avenue and another batch around Pine Ridge Road and were able to save about 20 of them. They’re in the care of Collier County Domestic Animal Services.

“They are coming in a lot quicker unfortunately than they’re leaving the building,” said Grace Angel, an animal coordinator with Collier County Domestic Animal Services.

She said what is happening right now is highly unusual.

MacBeth thinks she knows why.

“The last few months, we’re attributing that to a lot of people got rabbits during COVID, they were home and they thought they would be serving as easy fun pets and realized wow they are a lot of work,” MacBeth said.

The housing crisis is also forcing people to move to places that may not allow rabbits, MacBeth said, forcing some to let their pets loose.