Where to get a rabbit: rescue, breeder or pet shop

How much does it cost to buy a rabbit?

Usually £30 to £100 each in the UK, and $50 to $150 to adopt in the US. The Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF) budgets £60 to £200 for two rabbits in its 2026 cost guide. Wood Green, a large UK rescue, charges £45 for one rabbit and £22 for each extra, and that includes neutering, vaccinations, a microchip and four weeks of free insurance. In the US, Adopt a Pet puts rescue fees at $50 to $150, usually with spaying or neutering done.

Compare like with like. Neutering alone costs about £120 to £150 per rabbit in the UK and $150 to $250 in the US, so a cheap unneutered rabbit soon becomes the expensive one. Our rabbit cost guide has the full set-up and monthly costs.

How much is a bunny at PetSmart?

PetSmart does not sell rabbits. As of November 2026, its US live small pets range lists guinea pigs, hamsters, fancy rats and mice, gerbils and a chinchilla, but no rabbits. Range can vary by store, so ring your local one if you want to be sure, but in practice US rabbit seekers go to shelters, rabbit rescues and House Rabbit Society groups, or to breeders.

Why adopt a rabbit from a rescue?

The RSPCA calls it a rabbit crisis: unwanted litters keep filling rescue centres, and it has hundreds of rabbits in its own care. It encourages adopting instead of buying, including from pet shops. The RWAF adds that adopting reduces demand for breeds bred with flat faces and lop ears that bring tooth and ear problems.

• Rabbits are usually already neutered, vaccinated and microchipped
• Many come as bonded pairs, so no tricky introductions
• Adults have known personalities, sizes and sexes
• Staff match rabbits to your home and help afterwards
• Some, like Wood Green, offer lifelong behaviour support
• Pedigree breeds, including lops and Lionheads, turn up too

Where to adopt a rabbit in the UK and US

Start with the big national groups, then look for a local rabbit rescue.

• RSPCA (England and Wales): the Find a Pet search covers its centres and branches. Rabbits are usually rehomed in pairs.
• Wood Green (UK): its small pets adoption page lists rabbits, all neutered and vaccinated.
• Blue Cross and the Scottish SPCA: both rehome rabbits through their centres. PDSA names Blue Cross and the RSPCA as the leading charity rehoming centres.
• Local rabbit rescues: often small and run from homes. PDSA advises checking the rabbits' health and living conditions at any rescue not run by a big charity.
• US shelters: search Adopt a Pet for shelters and rescues near you.
• House Rabbit Society (US): its rabbit centre rehomes single rabbits, bonded pairs and special-needs rabbits.

How to adopt a rabbit: what to expect

1. Get your setup ready. Rescues will ask about space. Plan at least 3 x 2 x 1 m (10 x 6 x 3 ft) for a pair, open all the time. Wood Green does not supply housing.
2. Find a rabbit vet. Many vets treat rabbits as exotic pets. Find one before you adopt.
3. Browse and register. Look at the rabbits listed and register interest or start an application.
4. Talk it through. Expect questions about your home, time, other pets and children. Be honest: it helps them match you well.
5. Meet the rabbits. Visit at a quiet time, sit on the floor and let them come to you.
6. Pay and collect. Take a secure carrier with hay in it, and the food they have been eating.
7. Settle them in. The RSPCA suggests keeping new rabbits in their enclosure for at least 48 hours before opening up more space.

Buying from a breeder: what to ask

If you want a particular breed, a good breeder is the next best route. The British Rabbit Council keeps a breeders directory listed by breed, but it does not vouch for any rabbit's health: that is up to you to check. In the US, the MSD Veterinary Manual suggests asking any seller what the rabbit eats and how it has been handled. Our guide to rabbit breeds shows what each breed needs.

• Can I see the mother, and where the rabbits live?
• How old are they? Not under 8 weeks.
• Has a vet confirmed the sex?
• How big will they be as adults?
• What are they eating now, and how much?
• Have they been handled every day?
• Any health problems in the line, such as teeth or ears?
• Will you take them back if things go wrong?

A good breeder will ask you questions too. Be wary of anyone with lots of breeds and ages on offer at once, who won't let you see where the rabbits are kept, or who suggests meeting somewhere else.

Buying from a pet shop

PDSA says pet shop rabbits can be fine if they are healthy and were raised in a clean place. The common problems are age, sex and pairing. Shop rabbits are often very young and unneutered, and Wood Green says even experienced breeders often get the sex wrong in young rabbits, so "two girls" can turn into a surprise litter. If you buy from a shop, get both rabbits sexed and neutered by a vet as soon as they are old enough. Our guide to neutering and spaying rabbits explains the timing.

What does a healthy rabbit look like?

Whoever you get your rabbit from, check it over before you agree. These signs come from PDSA and the MSD Veterinary Manual.

• Bright, alert and curious when awake
• Clear eyes with no discharge or weeping
• A clean, dry nose, and no sneezing
• Clean ears with no crusts or smell
• Clean, dry bottom and tail
• Shiny coat with no bald patches, wounds or wet fur under the chin
• Moves easily, with no stiffness, limping or head tilt
• Front teeth that meet neatly

Visit in the early morning or evening if you can. The MSD Veterinary Manual points out that rabbits are most active then, so you see their real personality.

How many rabbits should you get?

Two. The RSPCA says rabbits must not live alone unless a vet advises it, and PDSA says never to buy one rabbit to live on its own. A neutered male and neutered female is usually the easiest pair. A bonded pair from a rescue is simplest of all; otherwise our guide to bonding two rabbits walks you through introductions. For everything your new pair will need, see our complete rabbit care guide, and if you are still deciding, read rabbits as pets.