Hopping mad rabbit enthusiast, Harriet Pearce has opened up her very own hotel for the small furry creatures, and she’s called it Penelope and Pals.
Harriet, from Mauchline, picked up her first bun, Fluffy, back in 2019, when after a holiday to Krakow where she saw a shop window rabbit in a sorry state.
She wanted to rescue that rabbit right there and then, but knew that she couldn’t take it home, and would only be perpetuating the trade.
So, she decided to rescue Fluffy from the SSPCA instead. And then one year later she took Penelope home from the rescue centre too.
Harriet was enamoured with the creatures and found herself constantly looking out for more to rescue, but she realised that she couldn’t possibly take them all in. That’s when she decided to set up her five-star hotel for rabbits.
Speaking of the project, Harriet said: “I wanted to rescue more and more animals and I was never off of the Scottish SPCA website. It was then I realised that as much as I would like to sometimes, because of circumstances you can’t help every single animal.
“I then decided to open Penelope & Pals, which is my five-star bunny hotel for buns to check in to when their owners do the terrible thing and go away on holiday... much to their rabbit’s disapproval.
“I always wanted to create a home away from home for them. Whether you have an indoor or outdoor bun, I want to make their time with me as stress free and normal for them as possible. I worked so hard and spent a lot of money getting the bunny hotel built just right.
“Penelope & Pals is just the start of a massive dream of mine, and it is only coming true because I met Penelope.
“Rehoming Penelope and Fluffy has changed my life so much for the better, and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”
Harriet said, “My dream has always been to be a veterinary nurse but I just never went ahead with it. I’ve been working as a nurse assistant for nine years.
She added: “I have a massive passion for animals…more than humans sadly! I will never get enough of working with animals.”
If you are interested in rehoming a rabbit, visit the Scottish SPCA’s website. More on Penelope & Pals at: https://bit.ly/3sH9Vvy
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here