More than a rescue: The Bunny Hop Haven gives animals a second chance
The Bunny Hop Haven is home to different animals, but its mission goes beyond rescue to rehabilitation, responsible rehoming and proper animal care.
For the past six years, pot-bellied pigs Spekkie and Pixel have called The Bunny Hop Haven home.
Unlike many of the rescue’s smaller animals, the pair will spend the rest of their lives at the sanctuary, where they continue to receive the proper care they need.
Their story reflects the ideology behind the haven, where every rescue is focused on the well-being of the animals.
While rabbits, guinea pigs, ducks and chickens are carefully matched with individuals that will provide them with a lovely home, the sanctuary’s larger animals remain at the sanctuary permanently.
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“Our larger animals, the pigs and the sheep and the goats, we don’t adopt them out; they come in from a situation, and they live their days out here,” The Bunny Hop Haven’s Andrea Berzen said.
For the smaller animals, helping them find a secure home is just the first important step; however, making sure that they are placed in an environment where families understand their needs is equally important.
Berzen said the haven has a very strict adoption process because a lot of people minimise the commitment involved in caring for small animals. “We won’t allow guinea pigs or rabbits to be adopted by a family because they’re looking to teach their four- or five-year-old responsibility. You can’t put that kind of responsibility on a child.”
Instead, she believes parents should take the lead and teach their children how to take care of their pets. She said many people also assume that because guinea pigs and hamsters are small, they can comfortably live in small cages.
“People think these hamsters are tiny. They might be the size of an adult thumb, and they need a small cage. No, they need a bigger space to move around in.”
The rescue also sees the consequences when animals are not given adequate care and kept in enclosed spaces. “They’re just packed in. These poor things have to fight to get food. It’s hard for them to live like that. It’s very sad.”
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Beyond caring for rescued animals, the sanctuary also relies on the community’s support.
The rescue regularly receives donations of fresh vegetables and financial contributions through donations, while volunteers come to lend a helping hand from time to time. “We’re on a constant lookout for donations, whether it’s food, building materials or financial.”
She noted that schools often choose the haven as part of their community service projects. “We’ll say we need brooms, seedlings or whatever it is, and they’ll come for a volunteering visit and bring whatever they’ve raised for us.” The community’s acts of kindness have also had an impact on the rescue.
“A family created a whole big chicken run here for us. They paid for it. They built it. They did everything.
Although the rescue continues to care for many animals, Berzen said the team’s priority is ensuring every adoption is the right fit for each animal.
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“We would rather keep the animals with us than adopt them out to families that are not going to be responsible going forward.”
For The Bunny Hop Haven, rescue is about more than providing shelter to the animals. It is about giving every animal, whether it stays for life, such as Spekkie and Pixel or eventually finds a new family, the opportunity to live in a safe and caring environment.
Extra info:
The Bunny Hop Haven and Educational Centre is open for visitors and volunteers, Tuesday to Sunday from: 10am to 4pm.
- Entrance fees are R60 per child, which includes a bag of vegetables to feed the animals, and R50 per adult. Extra buckets are R25 per bucket.
No booking required. - For volunteering and community service hours, bookings must be a minimum of 48 hours before.
- For any other information, send an email to info@bunnyhop.org.za
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