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By Dave Boyce
Almanac Staff Writer

Two tame rabbits were believed to be still roaming the woods along upper Alpine Road in Portola Valley, the other 20 to 23 having been caught, with around 12 adopted as of Friday, Aug. 17.

"It's been a wonderful community effort," rescue coordinator Annaloy Nickum told the Almanac. "Hopefully, we're going to find homes for all of them and keep them out of the system." Animal shelters tend to be overwhelmed with rabbits, leading to their euthanasia, Ms. Nickum said.

Rabbits native to Portola Valley are wary of humans, a trait not evident in the 22 to 25 rabbits seen being released from a big crate by someone unknown on Monday morning, Aug. 13, Ms. Nickum said. The rabbits were tame and well cared for, she said.

A community rescue effort began after a hiker "saw all these bunnies hopping alongside the road and into the road," Ms. Nickum said. Volunteers rallied with food, humane traps, pet carriers and pet gates to fence the road from the rabbits, Ms. Nickum said.

A few were trapped, but most were attracted to rescuers holding out food. The rabbit nibbled, the rescuer grabbed, said Lisa Rockwell, a Portola Valley native with long rabbit-rescue experience and involved in this undertaking.

While the rabbits had trimmed nails and seemed well fed, the animals had not been fixed, Ms. Nickum said. Babies are probably on the way.

A veterinary technician was expected to check them all, and someone has offered to pay for spaying the females; as for neutering the males, no one has yet stepped forward, Ms. Nickum said. And many remained without homes. "The community has been very forthcoming," she said. "We're hoping they'll be forthcoming with homes as well."

Anyone interested in adopting one of these rabbits should contact Ms. Rockwell at 465-7679.

Rabbits are the third most euthanized animal, she said. At one point in the interview, she choked up. "I get moved by the large effort and large sacrifices that go toward such small animals, such small beings," she said. "I cry anytime I do rescue work (and see) people who are willing to sacrifice and get covered in poison oak."

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