Valley bunny shelter looking for a new home

PHOENIX (KSAZ) - It's a place that 80 bunnies from all different circumstances call home.

"Anybody that does live together, stays together because bunnies do bond for life," Kelly Ames said. "They can die of a broken heart if they're separated."

Kelly Ames is the executive director of Tranquility Trail Animal Sanctuary, which is one of three bunny shelters in all of Arizona.

Today, there's a summer camp for kids and therapy sessions are held here, as well, but the primary focus is on these dozens of bunnies and giving them the chance to live a happy life.

"Rabbits are actually the third-most surrendered animal in the shelter system, so a lot of what we do is education because there's so few resources for them," Ames said.

But now, the shelter needs a home after their current landlord decided to sell and Kelly tells us the search hasn't been easy.

"When people hear you have animals, they don't really want to continue the conversation because they have a view that maybe isn't accurate, so we're just asking that people open their minds a little and come see what we do," she said.

But they don't have much time with a six-week deadline.

"We're just looking for someone to give us a chance," Ames said. "We pay rent on time every month, we're low maintenance tenants, we bring in hundreds of new people into the complex (and) that we're in helping the others business."

With 800 bunny surrender requests this year alone, it's the kind of place Kelly says benefits whatever community they're in.

For information on how to help out the bunny shelter, click here.