House Rabbit Society

What House Rabbit Society does

House Rabbit Society (HRS) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit animal welfare organization founded in 1988 and headquartered in Richmond, California. It operates as one of the oldest and largest rabbit rescue networks in the world, with national and international chapters and a single main facility in the San Francisco Bay Area. The organization is volunteer founded and led, with a small staff of approximately 23 employees, and serves four primary customer segments: prospective rabbit adopters and owners in the Bay Area; volunteer foster families; municipal animal shelters and rescues; and veterinary professionals and students. Its flagship programs include a foster-to-adopt Adoption Program (single rabbit $50, bonded pair $75), low-cost Medical Services ($300 spay/neuter, RHDV2 vaccination) delivered through the only rabbit-only on-site surgery suite of its kind at any U.S. rescue, Boarding ($10/night for Golden Ears members) and Grooming services, and the Golden Ears Program that provides free ongoing veterinary care for special needs rabbits.

HRS generates revenue through a diversified mix of earned income and donations, with more than 60% of funding coming from individual supporters and charitable contributions. Earned revenue streams include one-time adoption fees, unit-priced medical and grooming/boarding services, the Hop Shop e-commerce store (rabbit supplies, toys, hay — shipping nationwide with a 15% foster discount), and the Rabbit Essentials Pantry, which distributes free rabbit food and supplies to prevent surrenders. The organization also operates the Veterinary Training Initiative, partnering with Carrington College and UC Berkeley to provide hands-on rabbit spay/neuter and medical training, and runs multilingual educational resources in English, Spanish, Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, and Japanese. Distribution is hybrid: in-person services and adoptions are concentrated at the Richmond facility, while virtual classes, the Hop Shop store, and educational handouts extend reach nationally.

HRS has no proprietary technology platform; the website is built on Squarespace and there is no app, API, or SDK. The competitive moat rests on community ecosystem (35+ municipal shelter transfer partners, volunteer-driven foster network), institutional knowledge (37 years of brand equity, GuideStar Platinum Seal, 2025 GreatNonprofits Top Rated Award), and unique clinical capability (staff veterinarian Christine Austin, DVM, and RVT Grace Santos). Strategic posture emphasizes national reach through educational content and shelter partnerships rather than geographic expansion of physical facilities, with the Shelter Assistance Program formally launched in 2024 to address post-COVID shelter surges and the Golden Ears Program providing post-adoption lock-in for special needs rabbits.

Name

House Rabbit Society

Legal name

House Rabbit Society

Website

https://houserabbit.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1988

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

House Rabbit Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1988 in Richmond, California, operating the only rabbit-only on-site surgery suite among U.S. rescues. It serves individual adopters, volunteer fosters, 35+ municipal shelter partners, and veterinary students through adoption, low-cost medical/boarding services, and multilingual education.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Animal Welfare Services

NAICS

Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (812910), Pet Care (except Veterinary) Services (81291), Veterinary Services (541940), Veterinary Services (54194)

akta.pro primary industry

Spay/Neuter & Population Control Programs (BPAGAIAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Small Mammal Grooming & Boarding (Rabbits/Guinea Pigs/Ferrets/Chinchillas) (HSANAKAA), Exotic & Small Pet Boarding (Birds/Reptiles/Rabbits/etc.) (HSANADAI), Pet Cleaning & Habitat Maintenance Retail (Cage/Aquarium cleaners, filters) (CRALAHAN)

Keywords

• Rabbit rescue services
• Animal welfare education
• Rabbit adoption programs
• Veterinary training services
• Pet care retail

Headquarters

HQ city

Richmond

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Adoption Fees: Fee-based adoption program where rabbits are spayed/neutered, vaccinated, microchipped, and receive veterinary exam before placement. Single rabbit adoption fee is $50 and bonded pair adoption is $75.
2. Medical Services: Low-cost spay/neuter and vaccination services. HRS charges $300 for spay/neuter procedures and provides RHDV2 vaccination services.
3. Hop Shop Online Store: E-commerce store selling rabbit care products including toys, treats, hay, and supplies. Available online nationwide and in-person at the Richmond facility.
4. Donations: Charitable contributions from supporters. HRS is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax-deductible donations support ongoing rescue and education efforts.
5. Boarding Services: Boarding services for rabbits while owners are away. Emergency rate of $10 per night available for Golden Ears program members.
6. Grooming Services: Grooming appointments including nail trimming and fur brushing to maintain rabbit health.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

House Rabbit Society provides rabbit rescue, adoption, medical, boarding, grooming, and education services through its Richmond, CA facility and online channels. Offerings include low-cost spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping, radiology, the Golden Ears specialized-care program, and a veterinary training initiative. The organization also operates the Hop Shop retail store, multilingual digital educational resources, virtual and in-person classes, and a shelter partnership program launched in 2024.

Product overview

House Rabbit Society operates as a unified service organization offering rabbit rescue, adoption, and welfare programs rather than a traditional product company. The core offerings include an Adoption Program with foster-to-adopt services and rabbit speed dating, complemented by direct service programs such as Medical Services (low-cost spay/neuter and vaccinations), the Rabbit Essentials Pantry (monthly food bank), Boarding and Grooming Services, and the Hop Shop e-commerce store for rabbit supplies. Educational initiatives span Online and In-Person Classes (including free Zoom sessions), the Veterinary Training Initiative (professional training for vets), Humane Education outreach, and multilingual resource materials. Special support programs include the Golden Ears Program for special needs rabbits and the Shelter Assistance Program. Rescue Coordination connects rabbits from 35+ shelter partners to care and adoption. All programs are coordinated through the main Richmond, California facility with national and international chapter reach.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Hop Shop: Online store selling rabbit essentials, toys, and treats. Ships nationwide.
• Golden Ears Program

Products and services

• Hop Shop Online retail store operated by HRS selling rabbit-care merchandise and supplies, with proceeds supporting rescue operations.
• Medical Services Low-cost on-site veterinary services for rabbits including spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchipping, and radiology, delivered by HRS's staff veterinarian and RVT.
• Pantry Community support program providing rabbit-care supplies and resources to rabbit owners in need.
• Boarding Rabbit boarding services offered at the Richmond, CA facility for owners needing temporary care for their rabbits.
• Grooming Rabbit grooming services delivered on-site, supporting companion-rabbit health and hygiene.
• Classes (Online and In-Person) Behavior and care classes for rabbit owners delivered virtually and at the Richmond, CA facility.
• Adoption Program Rabbit adoption services placing rescued rabbits with approved adopters, supported by intake, matching, and post-adoption guidance.
• Golden Ears Program Specialized-care program for rabbits with complex medical or behavioral needs requiring advanced support.
• Veterinary Training Initiative Training program for veterinary students and professionals in rabbit medicine and surgery, leveraging HRS's on-site surgery suite and clinical staff.
• Rescue Coordination Coordination of rabbit rescue intakes from the public and partner shelters, providing a national point of contact for rabbit surrenders and rescues.
• Shelter Assistance Program Partnership program launched in 2024 providing rabbit-specific training, resources, and support to 35+ partner shelters and rescues across the U.S.
• Rehoming Services Support services for owners needing to rehome their rabbits, providing intake, matching, and placement assistance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Thousands of rabbits served annually with adoption and low-cost community programs
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• Carrington CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide veterinary students with hands-on training in rabbit spay/neuter procedures as part of their veterinary programs.
• UC BerkeleycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide pre-veterinary students with hands-on rabbit medical care training at the HRS facility.
• 35+ Municipal Shelter PartnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNetwork of shelter transfer partners including Animal Services City of Elk Grove, Antioch Animal Services, Berkeley Animal Care Services, Bradshaw Animal Shelter, Contra Costa County Animal Services, East County Animal Shelter, Friends of Alameda Animal Shelter, Hayward Animal Services, and many others across California. Partners transfer rabbits to HRS for medical care, socialization, and adoption placement.
• Contra Costa County Animal Benefit FundsupportingOthersFunding partner that made possible the Vietnamese language translations of HRS educational materials.
• CAL Volunteer Health Interpreters OrganizationsupportingOthersPartner that contributed to the Vietnamese language translations of HRS educational resources.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Peers

• Humane Society of the United States (HSUS):

Direct peers

• SaveABunny: Milpitas, CA rabbit rescue focused on adoption, education, and low-cost spay/neuter — operates in the same Bay Area geography as HRS with overlapping services (adoption, medical, education).
• Bunny World Foundation: Los Angeles-based rabbit rescue providing rescue, adoption, and education — the most direct geographic peer to HRS among California rabbit rescues with similar foster-based programs.
• Rabbit Rescue & Rehab: Rabbit-specific rescue serving the NY/NJ metro with adoption, fostering, and education — directly comparable to HRS in mission, species focus, and grassroots nonprofit structure.

Broad incumbents

• ASPCA: National animal welfare organization with rescue, spay/neuter, and shelter assistance programs — comparable in population-control and shelter-support mission but broader in species and geographic reach.
• Best Friends Animal Society: Largest no-kill animal welfare nonprofit in the U.S. with sanctuary, adoption, and shelter assistance programs — broader in species but directly comparable in shelter partnership and national education/advocacy model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/house-rabbit-society

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about House Rabbit Society