Easter is often associated with the Christian religion. Many people see the holiday as the remembrance of the crucifixion and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Surprisingly Easter has a much longer history, and so does the Easter bunny.
“There is not a shred of evidence that a rabbit had anything to do with a Christian celebration of Easter,” said Jerry Fincher, Pastor at Atlantic Coast Church.
Rabbits’ association with the Easter holiday began centuries ago in the Pagan tradition, before the advent of Christianity. Pagans celebrated the start of spring with a festival honoring a goddess named Eostre, also known as Ostara. Eostre was known as a goddess of fertility and rabbits were one of her symbols since they are extremely fertile animals.
As the spring holiday was passed through generations and different traditions, the rabbit has stayed with this seasonal celebration.
As the holiday has commercialized, so has the Easter bunny. People often impulse buy rabbits during the Easter season, without realizing the big commitment that comes with them.
“Easter is associated with chickens, peeps, and rabbits and so we see an uptick in sales of these animals, and most people do not do their homework and really understand the needs of these animals,” said Jennifer Macbeth, president of the Southwest Florida House Rabbit Rescue.
Although Easter may be a fun holiday for people, for rabbits it can be a death sentence.
“The reality is, by age one, 99 percent of those rabbits that are purchased at Easter are dead,” said Macbeth.
People often purchase rabbits at a young age, when they are small and have not gone through sexual maturity. Depending on the breed, once rabbits reach adulthood, they can weigh up to twenty pounds. Rabbits need lots of space to get daily exercise and they also require plenty of food, water and hay.
“A lot of people think that rabbits don’t need a ton of care or attention, when if you’re a rabbit owner, you know that’s simply not true. They require just as much time and attention as any other animal does,” said Maria Matlack, director of marketing at The Humane Society of Tampa Bay.
This misconception that rabbits are merely small pocket pets, results in their high abandonment rate. According to the House Rabbit Society, rabbits are the third most abandoned pet in the United States, as well as the third most euthanized.
Although these animals require lots of care and attention, they can make for great companions. They can live up to 14 years if taken care of well, so they can make for a lifelong fury friend.
Due to their high return rate, advocates say you should not buy or adopt a rabbit on impulse.
“Definitely do your research before getting a rabbit and heavily educate yourself about rabbits before adopting,” said Matlack.
