Stop the Franklin County Fair from giving live rabbits as a prize for winning games.

The Franklin County Fair in Hilliard, Ohio is allowing vendors to give away live rabbits as a prize for winning games. The vendor provides very little education to the people who won the rabbit. They provide no home checks to ensure the animal is going to a suitable situation and they provide no follow up with the family to ensure the animal is being cared for properly. These rabbits are not spayed or neutered which also adds to the problem.

Most of these rabbits end up in shelters or rescues which are already overrun. Rabbits are the third most abandoned pets after cats and dogs. We have encouraged vendors to visit local shelters to see how many abandoned rabbits there are so they can get a better idea of how this practice increases the problem. We cannot get an answer as to what happens to the rabbits that are not won. Would a fair give away a dog or cat as a prize for winning a game? This is no different. These rabbits deserve to be cared for like any other pet.

We oppose the awarding of rabbits or any other live animal as a prize and respectfully request the Franklin County Fair to reconsider its position on allowing this practice to continue.