The Lumber Buns are our two pet bunnies, Benjamin and Penelope. More commonly, we refer to them as Benny and Penny, or Big Bun and Little Bun, respectively. I adopted Benny from the Dane County Humane Society in early 2015. Of all the bunnies there, he had been waiting to be adopted the longest. I was told that many people do not like to adopt all black pets. Admittedly, he does not always photograph particularly well. However, his list of negatives ends there. He is my number one sidekick.

Over time, Jonathan and I worried about how much time Benny spent alone during the day. After some discussion, we decided to adopt a little lady friend to keep him company during the day. Enter Penelope, his younger and naughtier partner in crime.

Our bunnies have the run of the house and are not kept in a cage at any time. They both are trained to use a litter box, which surprises many people. This is actually quite easy to do, but both bunnies are fixed (spayed and neutered), which is what makes litter box training feasible. With some patience and willingness to scrub a few accident spots, bunnies can be excellent urban pets.

That being said, bunnies are also quite a bit of work. They will chew any and everything they can get their little bunny teeth on. This is because bunnies’ front teeth grow indefinitely, and they must chew to keep the length of them at bay. This can be dealt with by providing them adequate chew toys, such as baskets and cubes made of dried apple wood.

In addition, your home must be properly bunny-proofed. All our wires are strategically tucked away behind furniture or corralled neatly with cord protectors that can be purchased from most home improvement stores.

Many do not realize that bunnies are the third most common animals to be found in Humane Societies - just after cats and dogs. There are thousands waiting for to find a forever home, and I encourage everyone to always adopt their pets as opposed to buying from a pet store or breeder. Be sure to do your research before adopting a bunny, but know that with the responsibility comes great joy and a bond that is unmatched by any other.