Why Adopting a Rabbit from NEMO Humane Society was a Great Idea

I am now a rabbit dad. I didn't expect to be a rabbit dad, but now I am. My family made the decision a few days ago to adopt a bunny from the Northeast Missouri Humane Society and I'm now ready to share why I think that was a great idea.

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Some quick backstory. My youngest son is a fan of rabbits. Loves them. That was one of the reasons why my wife and I started talking about the possibility of having a rabbit as a pet someday. We were both a bit uncertain and never did anything about it.

Fast forward to last Friday when the NEMO Humane Society shared this status on Facebook.

As soon as I saw that, I messaged my wife and asked what she thought. She nervously thought it might be perfect, so I called the NEMO Humane Society and learned that no one had spoken for the little girl on the left yet. So, I proceeded to drive to Hannibal.

It's been a long time since I've adopted an animal from the NEMO Humane Society, so I was unsure how complicated the process might be. Happy to say that it wasn't at all. For a very fair $20 adoption fee and a simple form to fill out to prove I wasn't a serial killer, I was now heading home with a bunny sitting next to me. They also gave me the cage and some supplies the previous owner had dropped off with her. We were set.

How do you come up with a good name for a rabbit?

We made a family decision to rename her. I didn't want one of the more common rabbit names like Fluffy or Bugs. Since my wife's favorite flower is a daisy and my Doc Holliday name is famous for the phrase "Isn't that a daisy?", Daisy it was.

I can now report after a few days with Daisy as a member of our family that this was one of the best things I've ever done. (Admittedly that bar hasn't been set very high by me unfortunately) My kids absolutely adore Daisy. I would estimate their time on devices has been cut in half as they are now obsessed with how to best take care of and love on a rabbit. Best thing ever.

In the past 4 days, I've learned a lot about how much hay a rabbit can eat every day and how they really need to run free out of the cage and bond with the family often. I've also witnessed how fast a rabbit can run (35 mph seriously) as she zooms around her cage sometimes which is a sign of happiness.

I've also learned that I am apparently a rabbit whisperer as she'll flop down in front of me so I'll pet her and she'll nearly go to sleep. Yes, we got her for our kids, but she is now a full-fledged family member that all of us adore.

If you've ever thought about adopting a rabbit from the NEMO Humane Society, I'd highly recommend it as long as you're committed to really taking care of the animal and not just leaving him/her in a cage. The NEMO Humane Society staff could not have been more friendly and they made the process a breeze.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I now need to convince Daisy it's time to get back in her cage. (*deep breath*)