West
California 30-pound bunny rescued from slaughterhouse, is now a therapy animal at hospitals, airports
A bunny is making an impact on others just by being – well, himself.
Alex is a 30-pound bunny who was rescued from a slaughterhouse in 2020 by Josh Row and Kei Kato, SWNS reported.
The pair rescued the Flemish hare from a meat market in Modesto, California — and he now “works” as a therapy animal.
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The three-year-old bunny has attended over 200 events in which he shows off his good looks and large stature.
Kato, a restaurant owner, told SWNS that he and Row take Alex wherever he can go in their hometown of San Francisco.
Alex is often taken around town in his stroller for people to stop and admire him. (SWNS)
“When we got Alex, we thought, Why not bring him along, as we knew people would love him as much as we do,” he said.
The pair have brought Alex to local hospitals and airports to calm the nerves of patients and fliers, Kato said.
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He and Row do lots of volunteering in the area, Kato added, and they are always looking for a fun, new way to show off their bunny at events.
“Row had LED lights fitted on Alex’s stroller that has his name going across it,” Kei said to SWNS.
Alex was gifted an electric car — which is dressed up in San Francisco 49ers gear. (SWNS)
After the bunny took a liking to the stroller that the pair transport him in, they decided to “upgrade” his ride by getting him a mini electric car.
“So, we got him a Mercedes SLK — and he even learned how to use it pretty fast,” he said.
Although the bunny owners never expected Alex to gain such popularity, they said showing him off is exciting because they know he puts smiles on people’s faces.
Alex’s owner said he’s “volunteered” at over 200 events and always puts a smile on people’s faces. (SWNS)
“We love showing him off because he makes people feel better, and he loves the attention, too,” he said.
The bunny has over 26,000 Instagram followers and nearly 34,000 TikTok followers — with some videos getting over one million views.
Fox News Digital reached out to the pet owners for additional comment.
For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyle.
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BOISE, Idaho — A Boise neighbor said she trapped the largest rat she has ever seen in her backyard, and a local pest control expert said he has already responded to multiple Treasure Valley homes this year to remove the rodents. As sightings increase, Idaho lawmakers are also taking action.
Britni Killeen, who grew up on a farm in East Idaho, said nothing could have prepared her for what she found in her West Boise backyard.
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“I’m a 5th-generation Idahoan, and I’ve never seen something that big,” Killeen said.
Killeen believes the rats may be swimming through the Hyatt Hidden Lakes Reserve and making their way into nearby neighborhoods.
“We live next door to the refuge, and if you have a gap between your fence, which we do, it’s about 3 ft, they come into your yard, and they can go under fences,” explained Killeen.
Alpha Home Pest Control has served the Treasure Valley for over 10 years. Owner Mike Hill said he has been receiving weekly calls about rat sightings. While some turn out to be false alarms, he has already visited seven Treasure Valley homes this year to remove rats. Hill said many of them may be arriving from out of state and staying because of the mild weather conditions.
“Washington, California, the shipping, the freight coming back and forth, they’re kind of stowaways,” Hill said. “Then with the mild winters that we’ve been having, [it] hasn’t really been killing them off.”
RELATED | ‘It was like an explosion of rats’: Neighbors report rise in pests
Hill said Norway and Roof rats can pose serious risks to both health and property.
“They carry disease, they carry fleas, ticks, they can chew through your wiring in your home,” Hill said. “Their teeth grow very rapidly, so there have been cases where they’re up there chewing on wires, [and] the house burns down.”
If you spot a rat, Hill recommends calling a professional to ensure there are not more hiding nearby. He also offered several prevention tips.
“The droppings of the fruit, excess fruit, keep that stuff picked up. Make sure that your trash is enclosed in either a hard plastic or metal container,” Hill said.
RELATED| Rodents of Unusual Size Act advances to House after 28-3 Senate vote
As rat sightings increase across the Treasure Valley, lawmakers are taking notice. On Thursday, the Idaho Senate passed the Rodents of Unusual Size Act, which would declare Norway and roof rats a public health and safety nuisance and requires the state to take action to control and remove them. That bill now heads to the House.
Killeen said the legislation is a step in the right direction.
“Considering how big that rat is, I would definitely say so,” Killeen said. “I didn’t even know that big of rats could exist in Idaho, but maybe I’m just rural.”
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been, in part, converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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