San Diego Bunnyfest is scheduled for Sunday, September 20, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Liberty Station, 2705 Cushing Road, according to the San Diego House Rabbit Society. The annual open-air event will feature more than 50 vendors, a silent auction and rabbits available for adoption, with proceeds supporting the rescue's work. FOX 5 San Diego/KUSI reported that organizers consider it the group's largest annual fundraiser.
The FOX 5 San Diego report said the San Diego House Rabbit Society cares for hundreds of rabbits and has annual rabbit-care operating costs exceeding $630,000. Bunnyfest proceeds help support those costs, including food, housing and medical care for rabbits in the organization's care.
The San Diego House Rabbit Society says Bunnyfest has been its largest annual event and fundraiser for more than 30 years. The group's event information lists an open-air program that includes a silent auction, art social, educational lectures, a bunny photo booth, games, children's crafts and vendors; San Diego House Rabbit Society is also promoting this year's gathering as a family-friendly event.
Vendors, Readings and a Caricature Artist
The event's more than 50 vendors will be joined by activities and services including a pet psychic, turf demonstrations and caricatures, according to FOX 5 San Diego/KUSI. The lineup is intended to appeal both to rabbit owners and to visitors interested in learning more about the animals and the rescue's work.
Tickets are priced at $5 for online presale, excluding fees, and $6 on the day of the event, the outlet reported. Children ages five and under get in for free, and organizers say the festival welcomes guests of all ages.
Bringing Your Own Bunny? Read the Fine Print First
Guests are welcome to bring their own pet bunnies, but any rabbit attending must be up-to-date on the rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus type 2 vaccine, per FOX 5 San Diego's reporting. The House Rabbit Society is even more direct about the risk on its own event page, discouraging bringing unvaccinated house rabbits to Bunnyfest and other outdoor events at this time, and specifying that any rabbit brought must have a current RHDV2 vaccine administered by a veterinarian.
The rescue also advises owners to take precautions against potential RHDV2 exposure beyond vaccination status. That guidance includes avoiding placing bunnies directly on grass or concrete and skipping collars, leashes and backpacks for the animals, according to the group's posted advice for the event.
What to Know About RHDV2
According to the California Department of Food and Agriculture, rabbit hemorrhagic disease is highly contagious, and morbidity and mortality rates are high among unvaccinated rabbits. California veterinary guidance says RHDV2 can spread through direct contact between rabbits and indirectly through contaminated objects and mechanical transfer by people, dogs, rodents and insects.
