Pet Bunnies In Hong Kong Enjoy a Bunny Resort While Their Owners Are Gone

Rabbits rush about a play area in a climate-controlled structure in suburban Hong Kong, with some scaling a wooden castle and others exploring a cotton tunnel.

Rabbits are popular pets in one of the world's most densely inhabited cities, where most flats are modest to minuscule.

When their owners are away, bunny lovers at Bunny Style, a luxury rabbit resort, are ready to care for their lonely pets.

This is especially visible this month, as the relaxation of COVID-19 limitations in Hong Kong has sparked an increase in travel for the Lunar New Year, ushering in the Year of the Rabbit.

Donna Li, the owner of Bunny Style, stated that she is completely booked for the holiday and keeps her bunnies entertained with frequent exercise, parties, spa treatments, and lots of carrots.

"We aim to provide a secure environment," Li stated.

Li, who owns two pet bunnies, founded Bunny Style in June, beginning with merely a playground that provided space to hop and reprieve from Hong Kong's hot, humid weather.

"Initially, I planned to create a safe indoor play space for rabbits at a suitable temperature," Li explained.

When the government lifted COVID-19 limitations in September, Li saw a need and quickly established boarding facilities. They were completely booked for Christmas, and Li has already begun taking reservations for Easter.

With 15 bunnies, Li and her employees will be kept busy over the most important festival in the Chinese calendar. Aside from feeding (some owners pre-order special veggie cakes), there is hair-brushing, nail trimming, and exercise to be done.

"I believe rabbits understand what people are saying." "They can tell if we are nice to them and taking care of them," Li explained. "And so, when I look after them, I talk to them a lot, telling them how beautiful and cute they are."

There is also a live stream and video clips, "so we knew that our rabbit was out actively hopping and enjoying itself," said Rainbow Li, who found Bunny Style on the internet and boarded her rabbit when she and her spouse went over Christmas.

Bunny Style charges approximately $15 each night, which includes a half-hour of supervised playtime. Extra charges apply for beauty treatments and special menu items.

Because of the animals' popularity in Hong Kong, some owners have found themselves biting off more than they can chew. There are shelters like Tolobunny, which was founded in 2015 and is dedicated to finding new homes for abandoned bunnies, frequently during public adoption events.

Bridget Ng, the shelter's spokesperson, anticipates an increase in calls to the 24-hour rescue hotline in the months after the new year. Its volunteers are already temporarily housing 42 rabbits surrendered by their owners.

"Our observation is that throughout the year, especially during festive holidays like Valentine's Day, Easter, or Christmas, there are more people who want to keep rabbits, but after a few months, there will be more abandoned rabbits," Ng explained.

Homeless dogs and cats continue to receive special attention, but "I hope there will be more attention and resources for all kinds of abandoned animals," said creator Winky Cheng.