Emotional Support Animals

Simply put, it's a pet that provides comfort. It may (or may not) be prescribed by a licensed mental health professional. It's not a service animal and hasn't been trained to perform any specific task. Most businesses aren't required to accept it onto their property. (Local laws, airline laws, etc may vary especially if there's a prescription.) No licensing, certification, or registration is required by the seller of the animals.

The nurturing instinct of a dog is why they make excellent ESAs. Rabbits are different because they are prey animals. Driven by fear and the instinct to survive, their natural reaction is to run away. If they can't run away, they frantically flail, causing injury to the handler by scratching. They may even bite.

So, why do I advertise BUNNIES as ESAs??
Their genetics play the biggest role. It is not nearly about what I do but about who the rabbit is at its core. Most rabbits could never be an ESA. No way, no how, for the reasons I gave above. They must naturally be calm enough themselves to play a calming role to a human.

That being said, because of their nature, they must be handled correctly from birth. Handling them assertively, calmly, and confidently every day is key even for the most genetically calm rabbit because they will never be an ESA without it.  Still... I think the average (in my barn) is one in twenty that I can pass as an ESA.

Do the ESA bunnies get special treatment?  Generally speaking, because my goal is for all of them to be like this, I treat them all the same. They just all react differently because every rabbit has a different personality. No two are alike!

One process I have is to hold them each in my hands before their eyes are open. While standing, I hold them away from my body so they get the sensation of being high in the air early on. Once they open their eyes and are calm in this same position (as you see in my videos) I expect them to be ESAs at least to some extent, but this can change.

Each person wanting an ESA has different requirements and I take that to heart. I discuss their individual needs in person and explain what the bunny will be like to the best of my ability. I may never have an ESA bunny that can fit your needs. (A dog may be a better fit.) I will not try to sell a rabbit to you just to sell a rabbit. I want you and the rabbit to be a good match.

If anyone is trying to offer you an ESA bunny, my advice is this: ask for live proof. A real time, live video with them holding and interacting with it will be the most honest proof you can get.
An ESA rabbit must be brave, too. If it isn't used to dogs or wild screaming children for example, and is suddenly exposed to one in your home, its behavior can be unpredictable. The environment the rabbit is in at the breeder's will not be the same as your home environment so the results may be different. The skill of the handlers will be different too. To sum it up, there are really no guarantees when you buy an ESA from me or from anyone else. Always be responsible in your choices and take responsibility for the results.