Bunny bans seek to stop Easter holiday purchases of rabbits that end up in shelters

Purchasing a live bunny for Easter may sound like an adorable idea. It's not. Rabbits, it seems, are not easy-to-care-for balls of fur -- and many get discarded at shelters in the weeks following the holiday.

Bunnies are the third most abandoned pet in the U.S., as well as being the third most euthanized, according to the House Rabbit Society, which cited a 2010 study of animal shelters.

The problem of pets getting abandoned or left at shelters exists year-round, but it's especially acute for rabbits after Easter. In the U.K., for instance, Pets at Home bans the sale of rabbits ahead of Easter. The 370-store chain instead gives would-be bunny buyers a voucher for after the holiday in an effort to stem impulse purchases.

More