Hop to it: There鈥檚 a super cute bunny festival happening in Vancouver

BYOB (Bring Your Own Bunny) and hop on down to the Rabbit Festival for an educational, fun day with activities for everybunny to enjoy.

Vancouver Rabbit Rescue and Advocacy, a Chapter of the House Rabbit Society, is hosting its 15th annual festival Oct. 26 to continue its mission to educate the community about bunnies. The non-profit organization has been dedicated to raising awareness about rabbits as house pets and to the care and shelter of abandoned and neglected bunnies since 2003.

Guests can watch bunny athletes perform in agility shows, listen to educational talks, meet adorable rescue bunnies needing fur-ever homes and take part in a number of contests and raffles.

Olga Betts, VRRA president, is hoping anyone interested in owning a rabbit will hop along to the event to learn more before making the commitment.

鈥淧eople need to be aware of what rabbits are like as a pet and how to care for them,鈥� she told Vancouver Is Awesome.

The VRRA shelter rescues more than 100 bunnies a year and re-homes just as many.

鈥淚t sounds like we wouldn鈥檛 have any rabbits, but they鈥檙e just constantly coming in so I never run out,鈥� Betts said. 鈥淩abbits are largely misunderstood and neglected, most of the time due to ignorance rather than intention.鈥�

While rabbits are nice, clean, quiet pets, Betts said it was important people knew they were by no means cuddly and really didn鈥檛 like being picked up.

鈥淭hey鈥檙e interactive and affectionate, but they鈥檙e like any animal, they鈥檙e all different, they all have different personalities,鈥� she said.

鈥淪ome rabbits are shy and are only friendly with people when they know them and others will hop up on a couch near a stranger.鈥�

She said a bunny is a great family pet, but adults should always take the lead when it comes to caring for the animal.

Guests will have the chance to learn everything they need to know about how to care for and live happily with house rabbits at the event. Special guest Dr. Anne Martin, executive director of the House Rabbit Society in California, will also be at the event to give two talks about various rabbit topics.

The event is BYOB (Bring Your Own Bunny), but all rabbits must be vaccinated for rabbit haemorrhagic disease and brought in a proper enclosed pet carrier.

Vet checks, nail clipping and grooming services will be offered with a minimum donation of $20. There will also be rabbit supplies available for purchase on the day.

All money raised from the event goes towards supporting VRRA.

Hop to it!