by Shelley Preston

Rabbits have a reputation for being as smart as a bar of soap and prolific sex addicts. Although those premises would be great fodder for an animal version of Jerry Springer, theyre just not true.

False assumptions have made a lot of little rabbits out there sad and neglected, especially around Easter when many people take home the little fluff balls for a few hours of fun and then relegate them to a bleak life inside a hutch.

But bunny awareness is catching on. Hipsters, urban pet lovers and celebrities are finding the charm and satisfaction of being a bunny lover. Any responsible bunny owner will tell you how much personality and character a pet rabbit can have. Some of the proud bold face names whove cared for rabbits include: musician Beck, tennis star Andy Roddick, comedian Amy Sedaris, and actress Gretchen Moll.

What do bunnies think about? Eating carrots? Global domination? The world may never know...

Little Eloy, as Sayer named her new pet, was much more complex than she initially believed.

"I dont think people realize how much care they need, but also what great pets they make. Bunnies are social creatures with needs similar to a dog or cat," she says, which includes plenty of time to play with toys and lots of human interaction.

Some house rabbits prefer to be in the rabbit equivalent of a monogamous relationship with another rabbit pal; these happily "married" bunnies are called bonded pairs, and usually mate for life. But others would rather be the top rabbit and enjoy undivided attention from their favorite Homo sapiens.

Adopting a bunny form a bunny shelter is the best way to find a rabbit that fits well with your personality and living situation. It also puts needy bunny in a good home where many others may be neglected or put to sleep under less auspicious circumstances.

Sob stories about animal neglect are never pleasant to hear, especially for those of us who care about the impact we make on living creatures every day. But what many might not know is there is almost always a loving bunny shelter nearby with people who will take care of the animal until it can find a good home or can recommend a place for the pet until it can be cared for.

One dedicated bunny rescuer is Marcy Schaaf, of Save A Bunny shelter in Marin County, Calif. Schaff gets to know every bunny in her care and documents their history and personality traits on her website saveabunny.com. There is Corbett, for example, who was found with four of his offspring in Golden Gate park cold, hungry and scared.

Or, Adam and Eva, a mated pair who love each others company but need a human companion to keep them healthy and safe. Isabella was raised to be food, but was saved when her owner couldnt bring herself to butcher another bunny. Scout was bought for a little girl, who was too young to appreciate her pet.

Bunnies are friendly when fixed.

The biggest obstacles bunnies face are their biology. Rabbits that arent neutered are prone to aggressive sexual behavior, digging, scratching and more general hell raising than their "fixed" friends. A neutered bunny is another creature altogether, with a sunnier disposition and ability to be trained. Bunnies apparently find relief in not being solely motivated by the urge to hump everything in site, and achieve a Zen-like existence with fellow bunny and human friends.

And, just like male cats that havent been fixed, rabbits will spray their territory with pungent urine. Neutered or spayed rabbits, on the other hand, have better manners and will gladly use a litter box.

Because of the companionship she enjoyed with Eloy and her new friends Bebe and Maykin, Sayer put her fashion sensibilities into action by creating T-shirts that would help spread the word about the joy of rabbits. The cool shirts, designed by Los Angeles-based Helen Kim, are available for men, women and kids, and are made with 100 percent organic cotton. 20 percent of the proceeds go to the buyer's local rabbit shelter of choice.

"Its easier to wear a shirt than to adopt a bunny," Sayer says. The shirt is helpful for those who wish to increase owner responsibility but dont have the time or space to invite a rabbit into their lives.

And, in case you are worried, you wouldnt have to sport some banal statement such as "Save the Bunnies!" No, Sayer has made a shirt hinting at rabbit awareness allowing an observer to ponder the message for more than a few seconds. Curious? More info on Sayer's shirts can be found at her website goodgirlgoods.com/bunny and are quite a bargain at $16.95 for adults and $13 for kids.

Shelley Preston freelances from Florida. Check out more info about goodgirlgoods and their bunny-saving aspirations at their website.