Residents urge board to preserve Bunny Lou rabbit rescue; county staff told to study options

Multiple residents, adopters and volunteers urged the Augusta County Board of Supervisors to allow Bunny Lou — a volunteer-run rabbit rescue operated by Mary Ellen Whitehouse — to continue operating in its current single-family residential location. Dozens of speakers described rescues, vet care and rehoming services and asked the board to work with staff to find a solution rather than force closure.

Public commenters described Bunny Lou’s role in spay/neuter, rehabilitation and placements and said the rescue reduces pressure on municipal animal shelters. Mary Ellen Whitehouse, who identified her address and said she has operated for 26 years and served Augusta County for about seven and a half years, told the board that a composting-related complaint had been investigated and “thoroughly fully addressed and rectified.” Supporters said Bunny Lou is a nonprofit public-service operation — not a commercial business — and emphasized volunteer labor, regional veterinary relationships, and education of adopters.

Attorney and advocate Jonathan Kettler — speaking during public comment — summarized statutory and zoning arguments on Bunny Lou’s behalf. He cited provisions he identified as relevant in both the Code of Virginia and the Augusta County zoning ordinance and argued that private residential dwellings caring for fewer than five companion animals and persons whose primary purpose is rehoming animals are not subject to animal-dealer restrictions. Kettler also noted county zoning sections that allow accessory sales and certain small-scale animal-related uses and argued that Bunny Lou meets vehicle-trip and parking limits cited in the ordinance. He urged the board to support an appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals or to consider county action that would allow the rescue to remain.

Speakers included adopters and volunteers who described emergency medical care they had provided or arranged (some said they travel out of the area for rabbit-savvy veterinary care), frequent surrender requests from backyard breeders or owners unable to keep rabbits, and the consequences for rabbits if Bunny Lou were forced to close. A child speaker, Abigail, described adopting two rabbits and the family’s experience preparing and learning to care for them; several volunteers described administering medications, grooming and stabilizing rabbits in veterinary emergencies such as gastrointestinal stasis.

Board members thanked the speakers and said staff would study possible remedies. Wayne District Supervisor Scott Seaton and other supervisors described the matter as complicated and not a simple zoning or parking question; Seaton and staff said they would work to find a solution and requested time to review options. The chair told speakers staff is working on the issue and that no action would be taken tonight while staff evaluates possible remedies.

Why this matters: Commenters argue that Bunny Lou provides specialized rescue services not available at municipal shelters and that closure could increase surrenders and euthanasia risk for domestic rabbits. The board directed staff to study options and report back; no code changes or permits were approved at the meeting.

What the board did: No formal action to close or to grant a zoning exception was taken. Supervisors asked staff to develop options and find workable countywide solutions rather than one-off exceptions; staff was asked to report back to the board.

Key statements (selected) - Mary Ellen Whitehouse: “For 26 years, Bunny Lou has been a lifeline for rabbits and their guardians… In that time, we've witnessed and addressed critical needs that often fall through the cracks of traditional support systems.” - Jonathan Kettler: Summarized Code of Virginia provisions and Augusta County zoning sections as they relate to animal adoption versus commercial sale and urged an appeal to the Board of Zoning Appeals or county-level remedies.

Clarifying details from the record - Supporters reported high surrender requests in recent weeks and provided multiple case examples (dates and descriptions provided to staff by volunteers). - A composting complaint cited by county zoning staff was described in the record as having been addressed by the rescue operator. - Bunny Lou volunteers and adopters said the organization arranges spay/neuter, veterinary stabilization and regional referrals for rabbits; volunteers named Northern Virginia clinics used for specialized care.

Next steps: Staff will follow up, review zoning code and county options, and return with recommendations; Supervisor Scott Seaton and staff indicated a short review period to pursue solutions.