Blind Bunny Seeks Furever Home
In March, Bunny was rescued from local animal control agencies. Bunny came to us with her eyes bulging out and eventually, her eyes had to be surgically removed. Bunny was soon fostered by our Dog Care Supervisor, Ruben Cantu.
It is not the first time Valley Animal Center has taken on the care of blind dogs. Ruben himself has worked with blind dogs at the shelter, but Bunny was the first he took home to foster.
“She was so scared and uncomfortable,” Ruben said, “and I knew life in a kennel would not be good for her.”
Ruben currently has five dogs and lives with his family. One of the great joys of fostering for him comes from being able to teach his young daughters about the joys of fostering and animal care. When Bunny first arrived at their home, Ruben was very slow in introducing Bunny to his dogs, one at a time. He also had to educate his daughters about caring for a blind dog. For example, Bunny can’t see when someone is approaching her, so it was important that she just not be picked up out of the blue, or else she may nip at those hands.
“I was surprised at how fast she learned in navigating the house layout,” Ruben said. “She quickly knew where our ottoman was, the bed, the couch. She did not like the backyard.” For a blind dog, Ruben’s backyard was sensory overload. After a while, with time and the companionship of Ruben’s other dogs, Bunny did eventually venture to play outside, but little Bunny is definitely most comfortable as an indoor dog.
Even when Bunny can’t see, she is still a spirited and spunky dog. She can be super jealous of other dogs. “If she’s in your lap,” Ruben said, “she won’t want other dogs around. Bunny is definitely a lap dog!”
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- Bunny sitting on grass.
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- Bunny lying on Ruben’s shoulder.
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- Bunny napping beside Ruben’s daughter.
With all her spunkiness and spirit, Bunny does have some challenges. Ruben has said Bunny is very comfortable jumping up on things but she lacks confidence jumping down. “She can jump high up on my bed,” said Ruben, “but she’ll need help coming down.” Bunny also has separation anxiety so a household where someone is home often is ideal. She also has a tendency to walk right in between your legs, so if you’re someone who trips a lot or if a fall will hurt you, we ask that you please take this into consideration.
After having spent almost half a year with Ruben, Bunny will soon be available for adoption! We are looking for a quiet home for her. Although she did well with Ruben’s full household, we believe she would thrive best in a home that is peaceful and calm, and a home who can dedicate time and attention to her. “She’d be best in a quiet home,” Ruben said, “maybe other small dogs but no cats as Bunny does NOT like cats. Older kids are OK but toddlers tend to annoy her.”
Bunny’s new owner will also need a lot of patience. Ruben may make it sound easy, but he’s had years of experience working with rescue dogs and from being a pet owner himself! It would be ideal for Bunny’s new owner to have had experience working with a blind dog before, or with small rescue dogs, but even if you haven’t, we invite you to come meet Bunny if you think you can give her all she needs! Our dog adoption center is open for walk-ins every day from 10:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. We’re all hoping Bunny finds a furever home soon!
UPDATE: Bunny has been adopted!
Ruben Cantu started working for Valley Animal Center the day after his birthday in 2016 and it has been an amazing gift. He started in the animal care field in 2015 and has always felt a need to help stray, sick, and injured animals. He started as a Dog Care Associate here at Valley Animal Center, and has now been promoted to Dog Care Supervisor. One of his goals is to help educate the Fresno community about the importance of spaying and neutering and to help dogs who need a second chance find a new and forever home.
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Valley Animal Center is dedicated to serving animal companions in the Central Valley and beyond. Our mission is to unite dogs and cats with loving people. We believe every animal deserves a loving family and furever home. Donate to support our endless mission as we care for hundreds of homeless dogs and cats throughout the year.
