Rabbits are sweet, affectionate creatures, and can be the ideal children's pet. They can be excellent teachers of responsibility, hard work, and compassion. They all have individual personalities that will charm and delight their owners. That being said, there are a good many circumstances in which a child should NOT own a rabbit. If you are looking into getting around it for a child, there are several things you must consider.
The child should not be the sole caregiver of the animal. They should be encouraged to do as much of the work as possible, but the rabbit should not be only their responsibility. This is a recipe for disaster. Before purchasing a rabbit, it's important to ask yourself what the plan will be if the child loses interest and refuses to care for the rabbit. A pet is a lifelong commitment, so you must be fully prepared to take complete responsibility for the rabbit if the child loses interest.
Small children should not ever be left alone with rabbits unsupervised. I cannot stress this enough. Even if the child is trustworthy and knows not to grab, chase, or startle the rabbit, a very young child does not have the physical capability to hold onto an animal if it decides to struggle. They also will not be able to reach the animal's signals as well as an older child or adult would. If you have a young child, make sure to always supervise their interactions with the rabbit.
If you have small children, always purchase a rabbit from a breeder rather than from a rescue or shelter. Rescue or shelter rabbits have unknown backgrounds and tend to be flighty and impossible to handle. Instead, talk to ethical breeders who raise breeds that are known for laidback temperaments. As tempting as it is to get a baby rabbit, it would likely be a better idea to get a retired breeding rabbit as these rabbits have their temperaments already established, so the rabbit will better accept handling from young children. Retired breeding rabbits tend to have wonderful, laid-back temperaments, which is perfect for life as a pet for a small child. :)
Of course, every child is different, so use your best judgement and make sure that whatever rabbit you pick is the right one for your family.
The child should not be the sole caregiver of the animal. They should be encouraged to do as much of the work as possible, but the rabbit should not be only their responsibility. This is a recipe for disaster. Before purchasing a rabbit, it's important to ask yourself what the plan will be if the child loses interest and refuses to care for the rabbit. A pet is a lifelong commitment, so you must be fully prepared to take complete responsibility for the rabbit if the child loses interest.
Small children should not ever be left alone with rabbits unsupervised. I cannot stress this enough. Even if the child is trustworthy and knows not to grab, chase, or startle the rabbit, a very young child does not have the physical capability to hold onto an animal if it decides to struggle. They also will not be able to reach the animal's signals as well as an older child or adult would. If you have a young child, make sure to always supervise their interactions with the rabbit.
If you have small children, always purchase a rabbit from a breeder rather than from a rescue or shelter. Rescue or shelter rabbits have unknown backgrounds and tend to be flighty and impossible to handle. Instead, talk to ethical breeders who raise breeds that are known for laidback temperaments. As tempting as it is to get a baby rabbit, it would likely be a better idea to get a retired breeding rabbit as these rabbits have their temperaments already established, so the rabbit will better accept handling from young children. Retired breeding rabbits tend to have wonderful, laid-back temperaments, which is perfect for life as a pet for a small child. :)
Of course, every child is different, so use your best judgement and make sure that whatever rabbit you pick is the right one for your family.