The Bunny Brigade is a dedicated group of specialized VCAS volunteers who provide care and enrichment for Ventura County Animal Services’ rabbits, works to place shelter rabbits in loving forever homes, educates the public regarding proper rabbit care, raises funds for supplies and medical treatments, and promotes rabbit welfare and spaying or neutering throughout the county.
VCAS rabbits are loving indoor members of your family. They are litterbox trained and go home spayed or neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and flea treated. Each adoption comes with a free bag of hay, a grass mat, and a complimentary vet visit!
Due to the prevalence of the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD) in Ventura County, we encourage all prospective bunny parents to read additional information about this disease from the California Department of Food And Agriculture’s (CDFA) website. All VCAS rabbits are vaccinated against RHD prior to leaving our care.
Ventura County Animal Services cares deeply for the animals who enter our shelter. While some animals arrive happy and healthy, others may arrive scared, injured, ill or have behavior issues requiring attention from our dedicated teams to mend broken bones and heal broken hearts. Our top priority is to reunite lost pets with their owners. Stray animals are placed on a 5-day hold to give their owners time to find them. Animals who arrive with any form of ID that leads to a known owner, are placed on an extended 7-day hold. If you recognize your lost animal, please reclaim them during normal business hours. Visit our Lost and Found to view animals found by good Samaritans. Animals who have not been reclaimed by their owner can be made available to adopt after their stray hold has passed. If you are tracking an animal on our website and they suddenly disappear, it is likely because their owner came to pick them up.
Bunny Brigade Schedule
Walk-in Adoptions | Adoptions by Appointment | Bunny Boutique + Hay Sales | Nail Trims + Grooming | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Monday | Closed | Closed | Closed | Closed |
Tuesday | ||||
Wednesday | 3pm - 5pm | 3pm - 6pm | 3pm - 6pm | |
Thursday | 2pm - 4pm | By appointment | ||
Friday | ||||
Saturday | 1pm - 4pm | 11am - 3pm | 1pm - 4pm | 1pm - 4pm |
Sunday | 1pm - 4pm | 11am - 3pm | 1pm - 4pm | 1pm - 4pm |
Hours are subject to change. Contact the VCAS Bunny Brigade for an appointment for other days. vcasbunnybrigade@gmail.com
Bunny Services
Adoption Appointments | Save time (and money) by scheduling an appointment with a knowledgeable and experienced VCAS Bunny Brigade Volunteer. They can provide information to ensure you purchase the correct items for your indoor enclosure. Email VCASBunnyBrigade@gmail.com to schedule an appointment. |
Bunny Boutique | Where you can buy toys, treats, supplements, food and supplies for your rabbit. |
Bunny Dates | By appointment only. Please email VCASBunnyBrigade@gmail.com. Bunnies participating in Bunny Dates must be spayed or neutered and in good health. Please see the IMPORTANT WARNING below regarding RHDV. |
Hay ($5.00/bag) | Hay can be purchased through the front office Tuesday - Sunday from 9:00am - 6:00pm. Hay can also be purchased at the barn during Bunny Boutique hours listed above. |
Nail Trims & Grooming | Walk-in hours listed above. Contact the VCAS Bunny Brigade for appointments on other days. Grooming includes basic brushing. Appointment and advanced notice required for extensive grooming needs. Please see the IMPORTANT WARNING below regarding RHDV. |
IMPORTANT WARNING: Please be aware that Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV), a deadly and highly contagious disease of domestic and wild rabbits, is present in Ventura County. For the protection of your rabbit(s), it is strongly advised that your rabbit(s) be vaccinated for RHDV before entering VCAS. All VCAS rabbits are vaccinated; however, some risk for disease transmission remains due to the nature of this virus. VCAS is not liable for any illness or injury sustained onsite. Rabbits entering VCAS property must be secured in a pet-safe carrier.
Bunny Adoption Process:
LEARN about rabbits. Rabbits are an 8-12-year commitment and adding a rabbit to your family should be given plenty of thought and consideration.
SUBMIT Adoption Application. Tap/click here to submit an adoption application for review by the Bunny Brigade. Please allow 24-72 hours for review. You will receive an email from the Bunny Brigade after your application is received. We will work with you to ensure you understand: rabbit care, proper supplies, and discuss whether a rabbit is the right fit for you and your family, as well as other pets you may have. If you are looking for a companion for your current rabbit, please email the VCAS Bunny Brigade at VCASBunnyBrigade@gmail.com for information about scheduling a bunny date and finding your bunny their perfect match.
SCHEDULE an appointment. Once your application is submitted and approved, the Bunny Brigade will work with you to schedule a time to come to the shelter and meet rabbits. Adoptions are also by walk-in, but scheduling an appointment is preferred and is given priority.
VISIT with the rabbits. Bring everyone in the family/household when planning to adopt a rabbit. Plan to spend 1-2 hours meeting our shelter rabbits and going through the adoption counseling process. You will have an opportunity to ask questions of our trained adoption counselors and learn how to handle rabbits safely and properly. Each bunny has a unique personality and the VCAS Bunny Brigade works diligently to find the best fit for your whole family.
ADOPT. Once you have determined that a rabbit is a good fit for your home, it’s time to pick your new best friend and take them home! The adoption fee is $50, and each rabbit is spayed/neutered prior to adoption. Your bunny will also be eligible for a free wellness visit with a rabbit-savvy veterinarian and will receive a free bag of hay and a chewable grass mat upon adoption!
Please, don't abandon bunnies!
Domestic rabbits will NOT survive on their own outside. If you cannot keep your rabbit, please try finding them a home. Make a flyer and advertise on social media and Next Door. It’s okay to charge a small adoption fee to dissuade those with ill intentions. We strongly advise screening and educating potential adopters to ensure your rabbit gets a loving, safe, indoor home with proper care. Helpful information is readily available on a variety of subjects, such as diet, housing, and the Importance of Spay and Neutering. Please CLICK HERE for other helpful ideas from the House Rabbit Society. For additional resources to help re-home your rabbit, visit our Pet Retention page.
If you were unsuccessful in re-homing your rabbit on your own and you live in areas serviced by Ventura County Animal Services, please email KeepMyPet@ventura.org for support or to schedule a time and day (based on space and availability) to bring in your bunny. There is a $45 – $110 fee per rabbit to relinquish an owned rabbit. Please note that VCAS does not euthanize rabbits for space or length of stay, but it can take a while to find the right home for them.
Animal Legend
ANIMAL DESCRIPTION: Data is collected on every animal brought into our care. This data may change throughout an animal’s time with us.
Animal ID | Please use this unique number when referencing animals. |
Name | Some animals come in with names. Once animals become available for adoption, VCAS staff and/or volunteers are free to name animals. |
Age | This is our best guess based on body condition, teeth, eyes, etc., at their time of impound. |
Weight | Animals are weighed upon intake and at subsequent medical check ups. |
Gender | If an animal does not have “spayed” or “neutered” preceding their gender, this indicates they are either still intact or have not been verified to be altered. |
Breed | This is our best guess based on our team’s experience, not a DNA profile. |
Intake Date | The date the animal has been impounded into our system. |
Adoptable Date | The date the animal can be adopted out. Animals are usually on a 5-day or 10-day hold in order to give their owners time to find them. Appointments cannot be made for animals who have an “Adoptable Date” in the future. |
Kennel | Kennels 001-899 are at the Camarillo Shelter. Kennels 900 - 998 are at the Simi Valley Shelter. Animals in Kennel “Foster” are in foster care and are available for adoption. Animals in Kennel “Offsite” are being temporarily housed in a partner location (Petco, PetSmart, etc.) and can be adopted from that location. |
City Found | The city in which the animal was found or reported found. |
Shelter | Location where the animal is currently living. |
TAGS: This color-coded system provides additional information about animals in our care. These tags may change during the animal’s time with us.
TAGS | DESCRIPTION |
|---|---|
Pending Adoption | This animal has an adoption pending. |
Rescue Transfer Pending | This animal is pending transfer to a transfer rescue partner. |
Under Evaluation | This animal is under a medical and/or behavioral evaluation. |
Rescue Transfer Preferred | This animal would best be suited for a Rescue Transfer Partner. |
Medical Hold | This animal is under a medical hold. |
Quarantine | This animal is under a quarantine for health and/or safety reasons. |
█ – Animal is spoken for and is not available for adoption.
█ – Animal is currently not available for adoption.