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Businesses aid Long Island Rabbit Rescue
While Easter comes with the surprise of stumbling across hidden eggs courtesy of the Easter Bunny, some kids receive an even bigger surprise when they receive their very own bunnies. When parents learn how much work raising rabbits takes, though, they often release them into the wild, where they rarely last long.
This prompted Brittany Perillo, of Oyster Bay, to adopt a stray rabbit in 2016 from Long Island Rabbit Rescue, a nonprofit that saves abused, neglected and abandoned rabbits, provides medical treatment for them, and finds them loving homes. The group doesn’t have a shelter, so it depends on volunteers to house the rabbits.
Now Perillo, 24, has become a vocal advocate for Long Island Rabbit Rescue, and on Dec. 1 she brought together local businesses from across the North Shore to host a Holiday Boutique fundraiser in her native Glen Cove.
“The Long Island Rabbit Rescue is an amazing organization that throws together a lot of events, so I wanted to do one myself in order to help,” Perillo said. “I want to do anything we can to save more bunnies.”
Perillo has made many connections on the North Shore through her business, Brittany’s Dog Grooming and Pet Services. She reached out to her contacts to solicit donations for a Chinese auction. Among the businesses were the Glen Cove Salt Cave, chiropractor Dr. Maxine Mayreis, BrainCore Neurofeedback, Ashlee’s Dog Training, Younique Products and Finklepotts Fairy Hair.
Stacie Locascio, who runs a Braincore Neurofeedback on the Glen Cove-Locust Valley border, said she was surprised to learn about the dangers that domestic rabbits face in the wild, and she was happy to join Perillo’s cause. She’s an animal lover and volunteer at the nonprofit Glen Cove Animal Shelter and No Kill Project in Bay Shore, which works to start no-kill shelters for stray animals.
“I’ve known Brittany for a while since she grooms my dog, so I was so happy that she reached out to me to get involved in the cause,” Locascio said. “Brittany is a dynamo when she’s helping others.”
“There are only 29 no-kill shelters in all of Long Island,” Suzanne Lagalante, of Finklepotts Fairy Hair, said. “I wanted to do what I could to help.”
Perillo said she was thankful for the support, which was personal for her. Long Island Rabbit Rescue helps care for her adopted rabbit, Bridget, an older, ailing rabbit with one eye. Normally, Perillo said, the bunny wouldn’t have been adoptable. But because Long Island Rabbit Rescue pays for rabbits’ medical bills, those wishing to help, like Perillo, don’t have to worry about the expense. Perillo only has to care for and play with Bridget.
Perillo noted there are many ways to help, including fostering a rabbit, buying food for strays and volunteering at fundraisers. She had never hosted a fundraiser, but she plunged in anyway. She wanted to bring Bridget to the event, but the rabbit was at the veterinarian.
“I think most places would have just put down animals like her,” Perillo said. “That’s what makes the Rabbit Rescue so different. They just want someone to love and care for them.”
Snow kept most people home on Dec. 1, but Perillo still raised $300 for Long Island Rabbit Rescue at the fundraiser, and the support that she received from local businesses encouraged her to ponder hosting another one. She added that people could learn more about Long Island Rabbit Rescue at its annual Easter event at Still Partners in Sea Cliff.
Those interested in helping Long Island Rabbit Rescue can visit longislandrabbitrescue.org, or contact the group at information@longislandrabbitrescue.org.
