Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary

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United States
Whittaker, MI
Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary

GLRS provides a safe haven to abandoned, abused, and neglected domestic rabbits and others. Expect a response within 1-2 days.

If you are interested in adopting, please contact our adoption coordinator at [email protected]. Sanctuary work keeps us very busy, so we may not be able to respond right away. Visiting the Sanctuary: We welcome visitors and are very excited to share the wonders of the sanctuary, however, we are not open to the public on a daily basis. Tours are available by appointment only during the

spring, summer, and early fall. Please email us at least 48 hours in advance to schedule a visit and have us confirm your visit. To help us continue providing a safe haven for the animals, we request a donation of $5.00 per person for tours of the sanctuary. To get involved in volunteering email [email protected]

01/14/2025

✨Gentle✨ reminder that our "Second Sundays" open tour hours are closed through February! We'll have open hours back up and running on the second Sunday of each month starting in March when the weather starts to warm up.

Until then you can email Kate at [email protected] to schedule a private tour! 💙

01/07/2025

We mentioned them on our 2024 recap, but we want to give an official welcome to Freida and Honey! 🐐

This mom (Freida, curved horns) and daughter duo unfortunately found themselves without a home when their previous caretaker passed away. Thankfully a friend of a friend stepped in and, although he couldn't house them himself due to housing restrictions, he got them to us!

They're making themselves right at home and we're so glad they're here 💙

You can follow Honey, Freida, and all our other non-rabbit residents at Instagram.com/pigsofglrs!

01/04/2025

It's January 4th, which means we're officially back open for adoptions after our holiday break! We have so many rabbits, like Marzipan, who would love to meet you 💙

Marzipan is a friendly, curious lady, who loves to hop on top of her box and explore her space. Like most bunnies, she prefers to keep her feet on the floor, and she's a little shy. She'll need a patient adopter to let her warm up on her own time and help her feel safe. But we promise she's worth the wait! With time and patience (and lots of cilantro!) she can learn to enjoy pets and will be a wonderful companion!

To learn more about our adoptable rabbits, head to tinyurl.com/glrs-petfinder or email us at [email protected] for more info!

12/31/2024

We can't believe it's already the end of the year! As 2024 comes to a close, we wanted to send you some updates about the great work that we've been doing this year.

We've had a lot of great successes -- so many lives saved, rabbits adopted out to loving homes, new programs and events -- but unfortunately the year also came with a few losses. We said goodbye to GLRS resident pigs Homie and Franklin, as well as three rabbits: Hope, Winston, and Pickles. Losses are always difficult, but we find comfort in knowing these animals felt love, care, and respect during their time with us 💙

We're so excited to see what 2025 has in store for us, and we're so glad you're following along with us!

12/29/2024

Update on Marlow (grey), who was adopted earlier this year! 💙

Marlow came to us in early 2023 when his former caretaker circumvented our surrender process and left him on our office desk with a note that said "Mistletoe." From that, we can only assume he was a Christmas present that was no longer wanted now that the holidays passed -- a perfect example of why we close for adoptions every December!

He soon became a staff and volunteer favorite, and even found his forever home with one... Me, the social media coordinator! We brought our rabbit Layla to the sanctuary for bunny speed dating, and after meeting several wonderful buns, Marlow was the perfect calm match to our girl who we lovingly refer to as "feral." We brought him home in July and by mid-August they were fully bonded!

I cannot recommend bringing your bun in for bunny speed dating enough. We were unsure if Layla wanted a friend, and seeing how she reacted with the other rabbits vs how she interacted with Marlow made it clear that it was the best decision! Now they spend their days cuddling, grooming, playing, and sharing their salad 💙

If you have a bun you'd like to set up on speed dating or are interested in adopting in general, email us at [email protected] and we'll get back with you when we reopen on January 4!

12/25/2024

Merry Bunmas! 🎄

For the twelfth day of Bunmas, we want to give a BIG thank you to our wonderful staff! They're out at the sanctuary every single day -- holidays, weekends, late nights, and early mornings -- always making sure the animals receive the absolute best care possible. We love them! 💙

Always thinking of the animals, our animal care team's wish list includes donations toward our Barn Bunnovation Project (peep those floors in the photos... They need replacing!), new brooms, and other operational support items that help keep the sanctuary running. These items aren't as "fun" as toys and treats for the rabbits so they're often overlooked, but they're just as important!

We hope everyone has a safe and fun holiday season and thank you for following along these past twelve days, sharing, and donating. We're so lucky to have you!

Links for our Barn Bunnovation Project and wish lists are in the comments!

12/24/2024

The eleventh day of Bunmas brings us to Holly! 🐰

December 22 was Holly's one-year anniversary at GLRS, hence her festive name 🎄 She was caught roaming outside in Toledo, but thankfully found her way to us before she was out in the cold for too long.

Holly is a sweet, shy girl and will need a patient adopter who will give her the time and space to open up at her own pace. She LOVES her tunnel and having great hangout spots will be a must in her forever home!

For Bunmas, Holly wants all of her friends to enjoy a good hidey spot, so she's asking for tunnels/houses, enrichment, and donations toward our ongoing Barn Bunnovation Project 🎁 links to shop and donate are in the comments!

See you tomorrow for the twelfth day of Bunmas!

12/22/2024

For the ninth day of Bunmas we have Elle! 💙

Elle is a fighter! She recovered from a condition that nearly took her life and left her with a permanent head tilt. She also has a chronic eye and skin condition that requires ongoing medications and treatment. However, she isn't phased by any of this and loves life -- shes a spunky, busy girl!

Due to her medical condition, Elle is a long-term resident and lives in the farmhouse with our other resident buns. This Bunmas, we (and Elle) would be so thankful for donations toward their ongoing care and vet bills. She'd also like some more toys and enrichment items to keep her occupied and blankets to keep her comfortable!

Links to donate and shop our Chewy and Amazon wish lists are in the comments!

12/21/2024

Alabaster's making his presents known (get it 🎁) for the eighth day of Bunmas!

Alabaster was born at GLRS earlier this year after his mom, April, came to us VERY sick with pyometra. Now he and his siblings are ready for their forever home -- fancy salad hats not included 🥬

As you can probably tell, Alabaster loves his snacks! For Bunmas he'd love some enrichment items to make snack time even more fun, such as snack board puzzle feeders, foraging mats, and treat dispensers.

You can find all of these items and more on our Chewy and Amazon wish lists in the comments!

12/19/2024

We're halfway through the 12 days of Bunmas, and Velma's here to celebrate! 🎄

Velma is a long term resident in the farmhouse with persistent balance issues. She is the sweetest and loves cuddles! 💙

For Bunmas, Velma is asking for new sherpa pads to keep her comfortable and Oxbow Animal Health vitamin C and digestive biscuits. You can find the link to our wish list in the link in the comments!

12/18/2024

For the fifth day of Bunmas we bring you Junebug (pictured with volunteer Emme)! 🐰

Junebug was found wandering outside and sick. He’s made a full recovery and is ready to find his forever home! He loves pets and attention, and might even enjoy a chill bunny friend. He is friendly, laid back, and so calm and sweet. He'd love to meet you in the new year! 💙

Aside from meeting his new family, Junebug would love to meet some new volunteers and help us reach our goal for our Barn Bunnovation Project! We need to raise $25K to replace our floors and complete other necessary upgrades to the sanctuary.

If you're interested in volunteering, you can email us at [email protected], or you can find our Bunnovation fundraiser at https://givebutter.com/GLRSBarnRenovation

12/16/2024

What better for the third day of Bunmas than a TRIO! 🐰

Azalea, Zinnia & Marigold are bonded sisters who are looking for their forever home together. They were born at GLRS in April this year after their mom, Clara, was abandoned in a parking lot. They are sweet as can be and love hanging out together!

Of course, number one on their Bunmas Wish List is a forever home! They'd also love some treats and toys to make their time with us (and their barn mates') a little more exciting 🎁

We reopen for adoptions on January 4th, and these girls would love to meet you in the new year! Until then, you can shop their wish list via the link in the comments.

12/15/2024

On the second day of Bunmas we bring you... Charlotte! 🐰

Charlotte is one of our special needs resident rabbits that permanently calls GLRS home. She and her housemates live in the farmhouse away from the adoptable buns, and they're so loved by our staff and volunteers!

Charlotte is a sweet senior bun with vision problems and her Bunmas Wish List includes comfy sherpa pads to lounge on and Oxbow Animal Health joint support biscuits to help keep her feeling her best! You can find these on our Amazon and Chewy wish lists in the link in the comments 🎁

*Sorry for the edit, we got our days mixed up!

12/13/2024

We told you we had exciting content to get you through the rest of the year! 🎁

Join us for Twelve Days of Bunmas starting tomorrow, 12/14, through 12/25 as we share both adoptable rabbits and our special needs resident buns. They've all been so good this year and even put together some wish lists! 🎅🏻

12/13/2024

It's that time of year again! We'll be closed for adoptions starting December 15 and will reopen on January 4. Pending adoptions and potential adopters who are already in contact with our Adoption Coordinator will not be affected by this pause!

We close for adoptions at this time every year as a safeguard to prevent rabbits as being given as holiday gifts. Rabbits aren't a cute toy to open up on Christmas -- they're living, breathing beings with special care requirements and an 8-10+ year commitment!

Don't worry though, we have some great bunny content planned to get you through the rest of the year! 🐰

12/12/2024

A Special Message from a Wise Old Bun!

"Hey friends! It’s Roxy, your favorite senior bunny, here to share a thoughtful way to give back this holiday season. Did you know you can make a Qualified Charitable Distribution (QCD) directly from your IRA to help GLRS? It’s a clever tax-saving way to support my fellow friends as we wait for our forever homes AND it can satisfy your IRA required minimum distribution, too! Together, we can make a difference – one little hop at a time!"

Have questions? Reach out to Liz at [email protected]!

12/04/2024

We met our goal! 🎉

Thank you so much for donating and sharing today. We made such a big dent in our total amount needed for our Barn Bunnovation Project, and we couldn't have done it without you!

Our fundraiser is still going until we meet our $25K goal, so please keep sharing and keep the buns in mind during your holiday gifting 🎁

Read more about our project and give here: https://givebutter.com/GLRSBarnRenovation

12/03/2024

We're officially halfway toward our total $25K goal for our Barn Bunnovation Project! 🥳

We only have a few hundred dollars left to meet our goal -- can you help us get there? We want to pass the halfway mark and get to $13K by the end of the day!

Read more about our project and give here: https://givebutter.com/GLRSBarnRenovation

Address

P. O. Box 7
Whittaker, MI

Website

http://www.rabbitsanctuary.org/, http://linktree.com/greatlakesrabbit

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On the tenth day of Bunmas, we bring you a very special bun -- Bebe! 💙 Bebe came to us in November 2021 from Missaukee Humane Society and was born with a severely deformed leg. Her leg was completely twisted upside down, causing her hip and spine to twist as well. While she was still able to get around, our vet decided amputation was necessary to keep her comfortable and improve her mobility -- and she's doing great as our only tripod bun! 🐰 For Bunmas, Bebe would love some comfy blankets and sherpa pads to keep her and her housemates cozy, @oxbowanimalhealth joint support biscuits to keep her remaining legs in good shape, and donations toward their ongoing medical care. Links to our wish lists and donation page are available in our bio! 🎁 #greatlakesrabbitsanctuary #nonprofit #animalsanctuary #bunnies #bunniesofinstagram #bunniesofig #bunniesofinsta #bunnylovers #cutebunnies #instabunnies #instabunny #bunniesworldwide #rabbits #rabbitsofinstagram #rabbitsofig #rabbitsofinsta #rabbitlovers #cuterabbits #instarabbits #instarabbit #rabbitsworldwide #veganfortheanimals #vegananimalrescue #vegansanctuary #vegananimalsanctuary #veganrescue #michigananimalrescue #rabbitrescue #adoptdontshop

Meet April (and her babies)! 🐰 We introduced you to April back in June when she developed pyometra and had to be rushed to the vet. Her uterus was so infected the vet couldn't see the SEVEN babies growing inside! 😮 The babies are now six weeks old and living on their own, and mama April was spayed last week and will be ready for her forever home soon! #greatlakesrabbitsanctuary #nonprofit #animalsanctuary #bunnies #bunniesofinstagram #bunniesofig #bunniesofinsta #bunnylovers #cutebunnies #instabunnies #instabunny #bunniesworldwide #rabbits #rabbitsofinstagram #rabbitsofig #rabbitsofinsta #rabbitlovers #cuterabbits #instarabbits #instarabbit #rabbitsworldwide #veganfortheanimals #vegananimalrescue #vegansanctuary #vegananimalsanctuary #veganrescue #michigananimalrescue #rabbitrescue #adoptdontshop

⭐Learn more about our barn renovation campaign at https://givebutter.com/GLRSBarnRenovation or learn more about the work that we do at http://www.rabbitsanctuary.org. ⭐ Every day, Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary feeds, houses, and cares for over 70 adoptable rabbits. While we take great pride in the care that we provide our rabbits and other lifelong residents, we desperately need to renovate our Adoption Barn and Binkyville. Our primary goal is to replace our barn floors - there are cracks in the concrete that do not allow us to fully sanitize the floors. The Department of Agriculture has given us a timeline to get these floors fixed. Even after a nonprofit discount, the floors will cost $12,000 to replace. Because of the fumes associated with replacing the floor, we will also need to find a space to house our bunnies for approximately one week. We do not yet have a space to do this, and we are still researching options and costs. (If you have a commercial space or contact for a commercial real estate agent who may be able to help us, please email [email protected]) This is a huge undertaking, but it also allows us to make other much-needed improvements while the rabbits are removed from the Sanctuary buildings. These additional costs add up quickly, which is why we have set our fundraising goal of $25,000. We rely solely on our devoted and passionate donors for financial support. YOU are the reason we have saved lives every day for almost thirty years. Can you help us save lives for thirty more? If you have any questions or would like to discuss other opportunities to financially support Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary, please contact our fundraising coordinator, Liz Swaynie, at [email protected]. Want to help us with the labor involved with the Bunnovation Project? Reach out to our volunteer coordinator, Kate Przybylo, at [email protected] for details. Gratefully, 💙 Your Friends at Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary

Juniper (adopted in November) and her new husbun Noel are getting into the holiday spirit! How cute is their little romaine tree 🎄 Juniper and Noel's family say she's doing well and they're working on their bonding during the day. Juniper is still timid but curious and slowly exploring her new home. 💚 #greatlakesrabbitsanctuary #nonprofit #animalsanctuary #bunnies #bunniesofinstagram #bunniesofig #bunniesofinsta #bunnylovers #cutebunnies #instabunnies #instabunny #bunniesworldwide #rabbits #rabbitsofinstagram #rabbitsofig #rabbitsofinsta #rabbitlovers #cuterabbits #instarabbits #instarabbit #rabbitsworldwide #veganfortheanimals #vegananimalrescue #vegansanctuary #vegananimalsanctuary #veganrescue #michigananimalrescue #rabbitrescue #adoptdontshop

Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary

01/14/2025

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01/04/2025

12/31/2024

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12/25/2024

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