NIMISHILLEN TWP. ‒ The Stark County Humane Society is asking the public to help provide food and other supplies for 97 rabbits removed from a Canton home.
Jackie Godbey , executive director of the Stark County Humane Society, said the agency needs Timothy hay, rabbit food pellets, fresh vegetables, pine bedding, rabbit chew toys, bowls, rabbit cages and cage water bottles to meet the new demand.
The animals were taken Thursday from a home on Seventh Street NW. Participating in the operation were the humane society's investigator and representatives of the Canton police, law, building and health departments.
The nonprofit also collected four parakeets, seven cats and a dog from the same two-story home.
What is the Stark County Humane Society animal rescue record?
The 109-critter total is the most the humane society has ever collected in a day, according to Godbey's recollection.
She said the rabbits received veterinary care, which included nail clipping. Their ears were checked for mites.
After a few days at the humane society, they are starting to show their personalities, Godbey said. One chased a caretaker's feet. She said their previous owner confined them in pet carriers, cages and plastic totes without bedding.
She said it takes 12 hours of work daily to tend to the 97 rabbits, which are kept in a pole barn that was just completed in January on the humane society's property.
Godbey said some people have asked whether any of the rabbits in the humane society's custody may have once belonged to them. She said they are to be given the first opportunity to adopt the rabbits when they become available. Some have ear tattoos that serve as permanent identification for breeding and showing, but most do not.
Rabbits from Canton home being held as evidence
The animals are not available for adoption yet because they were part of a hoarding situation, and are needed as evidence, she said. Information about case and any possible charges was unavailable Tuesday afternoon.
"We don't know how (the owner) accumulated all these. We really don't know if she was purchasing them, if she knew somebody who was breeding them. We feel that a lot of mental health issues played into this," Godbey said.
COVID-19, inflation drive up Stark Humane Society numbers
She said the humane society's animal investgator is responding to an increased number of calls and cases, likely constituting a record high.
"I think during COVID, people got animals and didn't realize to spay and neuter," Godbey said. "The economy plays into that because a bag of dog food went from $12 to $20 to $30 to $50."
Supplies can be taken to the Humane Society at 5100 Peach Street, preferably when the shelter is open. Hours are 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It is closed Wednesday. The phone number is 330-453-5529. The organization is on the web , Facebook and Instagram.
Supplies may also be taken to four satellite collection spots operated on behalf of the humane society at Diehl Subaru, 4231 Lincolnway E, Perry Township; Cathy Cowgill Flowers, 4315 Hills and Dales Road, Plain Township; and PetSmart stores at 2026 Lincoln Way E, Massillon, and 5465 Dressler Road, Jackson Township.
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Reach Nancy at 330-580-8382 or nancy.molnar@cantonrep.com. On X, formerly known as Twitter: @nmolnarTR.
This article originally appeared on The Repository: Record number of rabbits removed from Canton home; Stark Humane Society asks for care help
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