Chicago, IL — Local rescues are calling on Petland to end live rabbit sales, citing repeat hoarding cases, overwhelmed shelters, and a rising owner-surrender waitlist in the Chicago area. This page collects the facts, the stories, and the actions you can take today.
Sign to Stop Rabbit Sales at Petland
Hosted on Change.org — every signature helps strengthen the call for humane reform.
Why this matters in Chicago
The House Rabbit Society of Chicago (HRS Chicago), Red Door Animal Shelter, and It’s All About The Paws (IAATP) have each handled complex intakes they say are tied to retail rabbit sales. The downstream effects are predictable: impulse purchases, mis-sexed pairs, accidental litters, medical crises, and overcrowded rescues.
- Owner-surrender waitlist: Red Door reports 330+ rabbits currently waiting to be relinquished.
- Tracebacks: Based on intake records and microchips, about 22% of unwanted rabbits were linked to Petland Hoffman Estates and 46% to other Petland locations; the remainder came from breeders (Red Door data).
- National context: Rabbits are widely recognized as the third most frequently abandoned companion animal in the U.S. (ASPCA / HRS education materials).
Two Schaumburg hoarding cases
Case 1 — Hotel room intake (May 2021)
What responders saw: 47 rabbits in a long-stay hotel room; 15 were pregnant. Red Door took in 22 rabbits (medical costs exceeded $7,000); DuPage County Animal Services received 25.
Sourcing: According to Red Door, the caretaker reported the first two rabbits were purchased at Petland Hoffman Estates.
Case 2 — Single-family home intake (July 2023)
IAATP responded to a Schaumburg home with more than forty rabbits; within 24 hours the team, working with animal control, removed 29 rabbits (including newborns).
Sourcing: According to founder Erika Seibert, the owners told investigators they purchased the original pair from Petland in Hoffman Estates. IAATP coordinated placements with HRS Wisconsin, Hoopy Haven Rabbit Rescue, and Lost Woods Animal Sanctuary.
Voices from the front lines
“Petland is a major source of rabbits who later end up abandoned or in crisis… We regularly see mis-sexed pairs adopted from stores that lead to repeated litters. While Petland profits, rabbits suffer.” — Rachael Sanders, Director, HRS Chicago
“We managed back-to-back mass-intake crises in Schaumburg—each beginning with owner-reported Petland-origin pairs—stretching volunteers, foster space, and medical budgets to the breaking point.” — Toni Greetis, Vice President, Red Door Animal Shelter
Take Action {#take-action}
- Sign the petition: https://www.change.org/petland-rabbits
- Share locally: Post this page with #StopRabbitSales and tag @therabbitorg, @hrschicago, @reddoorshelter, @itsallaboutthepaws.
- Support Chicago rescues:
- Donate to HRS Chicago: https://hrschicago.org/
- Donate to Red Door Animal Shelter: https://www.reddoorshelter.org/
- Donate to It’s All About The Paws: https://itsallaboutthepaws.org/
- Back the national effort: Donate to The Rabbit.org Foundation: https://rabbit.org/donate
Sign to Stop Rabbit Sales at Petland
Hosted on Change.org — every signature helps strengthen the call for humane reform.
Need help with a rabbit in Chicago?
If you’re overwhelmed, there are options—please don’t abandon an animal outdoors.
Emergency/stray: Contact your local animal control or municipal shelter for guidance on safe intake.
Read the Chicago press release
Related coverage:
Quick facts about rabbit care
- Lifespan: 10+ years with proper care.
- Diet: Unlimited grass hay, measured pellets, leafy greens; avoid seed mixes.
- Healthcare: Rabbit-savvy vets; annual wellness recommended.
- Spay/neuter: Prevents accidental litters and improves health/behavior.
- Housing: Indoor, daily exercise; not a “cage pet.”
Photos (Use permitted for press coverage with credit.)
- Media (Chicago): Rachael Sanders, HRS Chicago — info@hrschicago.org
- Rescue case (2021): Toni Greetis, Red Door Animal Shelter — info@reddoorshelter.org
- Rescue case (2023): Erika Seibert, It’s All About The Paws — erika@itsallaboutthepaws.org
- National campaign: The Rabbit.org Foundation — paige@rabbit.org
