Six months.

That’s how long 9-year-old Sadie Brewer spent researching bunnies before she finally adopted Willow. She saved up all her pocket money, bought everything her new companion would need and convinced her parents she was responsible enough for the task.

Lindsey Provost didn’t have nearly as much time to prepare when, the day before Easter, her roommate gifted her Ember.

She wasn’t quite ready for a bunny, but as an animal lover she jumped in with both feet. Little did she know that decision would change her life.

“Ember is the bunny that inspired me to start Ember’s Wildflower Bunny Rescue,” Provost said. “Obviously I tell people, ‘Please don’t give bunnies as gifts,’ but he showed me how special bunnies are. I learned a lot through him and then quickly learned how often they are abandoned and how they are just very misunderstood.”

Ember’s Wildflower Bunny Rescue, located at 2584 SW 58th St., has a mission to reduce the cycle of bunny abandonment though education and provide sanctuary to unwanted domestic bunnies. Bunnies are the third most abandoned pet after dogs and cats, and, at any one time, there are 60 bunnies waiting for adoption at the rescue. A select few are chosen for permanent sanctuary.

Most of the bunnies end up with Provost because they are misunderstood as low-maintenance animals that make good starter pets for children, Provost said. In reality, bunnies are social animals that make affectionate companions on the same levels as dogs or cats.

“We definitely get a lot of different excuses. One of the more common ones would be like kids losing interest or they’re more busy with sports and stuff. But, we get people moving or losing housing, financial issues,” Provost said.

That’s how Arlow, an affectionate large brown rabbit, ended up at Ember’s Wildflower Bunny Rescue, just outside Redmond. As a kit, Arrow was rescued by his previous owner from becoming snake food. He grew up in a loving home until his owner lost her housing and had to surrender him to Provost.

“He’s a very sweet boy,” Provost said sadly.

The quickest adoption Provost has seen was a six days, but many of the bunnies at her rescue have been there more than three years. It’s a lot easier to adopt the smaller bunnies, she said, than the larger ones that can grow to the size of a large cat.

Even so, Provost said there are several success stories that have stuck with her throughout the years. Her favorite adoption story was a small bunny named Blackberry, who came to the rescue as either feral or a long-time stray.

Blackberry lived at the rescue for two years. At one point he was living with a foster family and at another point he had actually been adopted, only to be returned because he wasn’t a good fit for the family’s other bunny.

“It really broke my heart because it took him so long to trust people. Even after all those years of being cared for, it was still really hard for him,” Provost said.

Then, two years ago, Blackberry found his forever home. And Provost has been able to keep up with how he’s doing in his new home because Blackberry comes back to the rescue every time his new owners go away on vacation.

“He gets to free roam in her house, and he’s starting to finally warm up to her and like to be pet. He’s spoiled now,” Provost said, smiling.

For anyone interested in adopting a bunny, there are a lot of research and items people need to get first, Provost said. For one, bunnies need to have a pen at least 4-feet by 4-feet wide. They need enrichment, lots of vet care and require an engaged owner, like 9-year-old Sadie.

Sadie, who volunteers at Ember’s Wildflower Bunny Rescue, showed her thorough knowledge about bunnies by listing off facts about them. She showed how to pet them, gave care instructions and admonished that they should never be picked up by their ears.

“It’s really good to brush them, especially at the bottom of their legs because you get knotted up balls, and it can get dangerous and they can really hurt their feet,” Sadie said.

After hearing about some care tips from Provost, Sadie’s dad, Dennis, said he plans to build Willow a bigger pen for when she’s not allowed to roam around the house. Sadie is doing an excellent job, he said, but there’s always something new to learn.

“This is a parent thing, but if you’re going to have rabbits as a pet for your child, make sure you have responsible-ish child. It’s not like a golden retriever where you can let your 2-year-old just like grab on. (A bunny) is a little more fragile,” Dennis said.

These are things Provost looks out for when someone submits an adoption application at Ember’s Wildflower Bunny Rescue.

Provost said it’s not easy to care for a rabbit, so her adoption requirements are a little strict. Ultimately, what she’s looking for is an applicant who has educated themselves about caring for bunnies and who is dedicated to creating their forever homes.

For more information about Ember’s Wildflower Bunny Rescue and how to adopt, visit Provost’s website, http://emberswildflower.org/