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MAC Rabbit Case

McKamey Animal Center and the Humane Society of the United States are working to remove more than 100 rabbits from a local Chattanooga home.

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One of the many bunnies pulled from the hoarding house. Photo taken by McKamey Animal Center.

McKamey Animal Center (MAC) has been on the scene this week in a local Chattanooga home that is overflowing with rabbits. The tenant of the home was living in devastating conditions with their beloved pets, over 100 rabbits and bunnies. MAC called in additional support and has partnered with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) to take on this case.

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For the person who resided in this home, they simply became overwhelmed at a time when they needed support the most. 

Unfortunately, the situation has resulted in over one hundred rabbits residing in one place with extremely unsanitary conditions throughout the home. Thankfully the owner sought help before the circumstances got any worse and has been completely compliant with all help and removal offered. They were simply an overwhelmed caregiver that needed help but didn’t know where to turn.

 

In partnership with the Humane Society of the United States, we are actively responding to this devastating situation. At this time, we have found dozens upon dozens of rabbits, but know there are more hiding inside furniture and burrows under the house. Some are pregnant, have just given birth, are ill, or have special needs. Your support right now is absolutely critical.

Conditions the rabbits were living in. Photo taken by McKamey Animal Center.
A picture of one of the rabbits removed from the home. Photo taken by McKamey Animal Center.
Conditions the rabbits were living in. Photo taken by McKamey Animal Center.
A picture of one of the rabbits removed from the home. Photo taken by McKamey Animal Center.

How can you help?

  • Donate Funding. These situations are very costly and require lots of resources and staffing. Even a donation of $10 makes a big difference in the lives of these animals. You can give now here: click here to donate.
  • Open Up Your Home. While MAC will not be keeping ALL of these rabbits (thank you to the rescue partners!!) we will be keeping a handful of them and looking to place them into loving homes. If you are interested in adopting one of these bunnies, please continue to monitor our website and social media pages. We cannot guarantee which ones and when they will be available for adoption, but will keep updates coming as we are able to.
  • Volunteer Your Time. HSUS has us covered with volunteers right now, but these cases can, and will, happen in the future – it’s just a matter of time. MAC is always in need of volunteers and fosters. Learn more here about volunteering.
  • Check on Your Neighbors. All too often we find that neighbors are forgotten about in the busy hustle and bustle of day to day life. For this caregiver, they simply got overwhelmed and didn’t know what to do until it was too late. If you or someone you know is struggling to care for your pet, please reach out. We are here and happy to help as we can, or provide resources to help you care for them. Learn more about our community resources.

We thank our community for the anticipated outpouring of support these special rabbits will be receiving. Lots of our staff are away from their typical duties this week, assisting with this special case. Please be patient with our team if you call or visit our Center this week. We will return your calls and messages as soon as we are able to.

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To make a life-saving gift to McKamey Animal Center, please click the button below.

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If you or someone you know are in need of pet care support and assistance, please click the button below to learn about MAC Programs.

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Media Relations

To read the official press release, please click the button below.

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Case Updates

August 27, 2024: It’s been just one week since MAC and The Humane Society of the United States removed more than 100 rabbits from a local Chattanooga home. Overall, the rabbits are doing well and adjusting to their temporary shelter as they continue to be monitored by our dedicated teams.
Many of you have reached out and asked about adoption.
 
Unfortunately, we do not have a set timeline for when these rabbits will be available for adoption. As soon as we do know, we promise we will post an update here on Facebook and on our website. It will likely be a couple weeks per recommendations from veterinarians to give the rabbits time to decompress. The HSUS will be handling placement of the rabbits, so if you are a rescue group who is interested in helping, please reach out to the HSUS.
 
For now, the rabbits are being safely housed and treated for medical conditions. Nearly every single rabbit that was pulled from the home was suffering from a severe flea infestation, which in turn has caused a ripple effect of health issues. Others are healing from fight/bite wounds and some are recovering from other health conditions. But we are seeing signs of improvement and are looking forward to being part of their recovery. It was very clear to all of our team members that the rabbits were definitely loved and cared for by their caretaker despite the circumstances.
 
We are very thankful to our community who have donated supplies and monetarily, those who have come by with treats for our staff and those who have just been simply kind to our team. We are also incredibly appreciative to the HSUS for helping us handle and manage this case. A situation like this requires a ton of resources, staffing and time behind the scenes.
 
While the rabbits are in their waiting period for next steps, we could use some help in keeping them entertained! If you have cardboard tubes from toilet paper or paper towels, please consider the rabbits! We are stuffing them with goodies to make enrichment treats for them. Tubes can be dropped off at our main shelter location, 4500 North Access Rd. Chattanooga, TN 37415.
 

September 30, 2024: We’re thrilled to finally share that the rabbits we helped to rescue from an overwhelmed caregiver just over a month ago are now available for adoption.

Over the last few weeks, some of these buns have remained in our care and have been in an isolation period, receiving veterinary care and were treated for an extreme flea infestation. Others were sent off to rescue partners and have already found loving homes! As we have shared prior, many of them have scars and healed wounds that are typical from overcrowded conditions.
 
The rabbits have all been spayed and neutered now and are ready to find a home of their own! Rabbits can make excellent pets, provide lots of snuggles just like a dog or cat, and can even be litter box trained. The rabbits are $25 each to adopt.
 
We would like to extend a sincere thank you to so many of the agencies that helped us with this case – we truly could not have done it alone. Thank you to the Humane Society of the United States for assisting in this critical effort, the Orange Grove Center for helping us to provide a discreet location to care for them, Dr. Ashley of the Chattanooga Zoo, and Dr. Woods of the Ooltewah Veterinary Hospital. These two veterinarians provided exams and evaluations for them while they were in isolation and Dr. Woods donated his time this past Saturday to ensure that each rabbit was altered. Thank you to the HSUS volunteers, staff and MAC staff and volunteers who helped to tirelessly work around the clock and ensure these buns were safe and cared for.
 

We also want to extend a sincere thank you to all of you! Those of you who showed up with supply donations, or made a monetary gift to support the animals, we cannot thank you enough. This case was extremely costly to take on, and we are so grateful to know we had your support to help ease that burden.


We open tomorrow at noon for adoptions! We’ll see all of our bunny-lovers soon!

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McKamey Animal Center

4500 N. Access Rd.

Chattanooga, TN 37415

(423) 305-6500 

hello@mckameyanimalcenter.org

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McKamey Animal Center was founded in 2008, serving the pets and people of the cities of Chattanooga, Red Bank and Lakesite, Tennessee. MAC is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit charitable organization.