Over the two-and-a-half years that Herman shared her life with the Harrimans, she taught them a thing or two about rabbits: That they can open doors, be litter box trained, love affection, and have many special dietary, social, and health care needs. Marinell took the lessons she learned from Herman and wrote a book that has become a legend: The House Rabbit Handbook, first published in 1985 and now in its fourth printing.

But Herman's legacy did not stop there. Out of the handbook has grown an entire organization, the House Rabbit Society, and its publication, the House Rabbit Journal, along with a nationwide network of rabbit owners, fosterers, vets who provide expert and discounted care, and volunteers seeking to educate rabbit owners.

If your only exposure to rabbits has been caged bunnies in a classroom or backyard, you will be astonished at the potential complexity and depth of the human-rabbit relationship. While they have needs different from dogs and cats, they are no less capable of finding a place in your heart. It is the sterility and boredom of their limited lives that makes caged rabbits seem uninteresting; bring them in and make them a part of the family, and you will be amazed at what you've been missing.

The switch from hutch to home will benefit the rabbit as well as the humans in the family. Domestic rabbits have not changed very much from their wild ancestors. As renowned small mammal veterinarian Dr. Susan Brown points out, "The normal territorial space of an adult of this species is about two acres but may be even larger if food is in short supply. This is the area over which the rabbit would wander each day to feed and to look for mates. We know that the rabbit requires large volumes of high fiber food that would necessitate traveling great distances each day, particularly during winter months. In addition, rabbits are anatomically designed to be able to move at great speed in order to elude predators. Observe the powerful back legs built to run and leap.

"So, we take this beautiful, graceful animal that is designed to range over a large area, at times even at great speed, and put it in a cage that is 24" x 24" x 18"H for most or all of it's life and expect it to thrive and do well."

In addition to boredom and loneliness, a life in a hutch or cage leads to a number of health problems as well.

If a rabbit shares your life, or you know of a rabbit who could use something to brighten his or her day, the House Rabbit Handbook is a must-have. Packed with over fifteen years' worth of stories, tips, information, and health care resources, it is liberally illustrated with photographs and the stories of individual rabbits.

Even if a rabbit isn't the pet for you, the heartwarming stories in the House Rabbit Handbook earn the book a place on the bookshelves of every pet owner.

Consider joining the House Rabbit Society or supporting them with a donation; they help abandoned rabbits, rabbits in shelters, and rabbits in inappropriate living situations or with health and behavior problems, and they do it with 100 percent volunteer power - no high-paid office or administrative staff for them!

You can send your donations, or requests for more information, to House Rabbit Society, 148 Broadway Richmond, CA 94804. You will also find a world of information on house rabbits, links to join the Society, email addresses to get rabbit advice, and a place to make online donations, on their award-winning website at http://www.rabbit.org.

Copyright 2005 by Christie Keith. Used with permission.