We are pleased to share there’s something fun and super chill you can now do in East Van. That is, visit the Bunny Cafe which is now open at 1696 Venables Street near Commercial Drive. This space is the first of its kind in North America and is the mastermind of Michelle Furbacher. She is the owner and founder of Catfé, which was the first cat cafe in Vancouver. During a time when Michelle did not have any cats for the cafe, she brought in rabbits for a pop-up event and it turned out to be a huge success. Thus the idea was born for a new concept of rabbit rescue, adoption and advocacy. We had the pleasure of checking out this new space just before its official opening and got to spend time with their 22 rabbits and Michelle.
The Bunny Cafe is a beautiful open space that same may recall was previously Venables Laundry. They have renovated the space and divided it into 2 distinct spaces. One is a glassed in room in which the bunnies roam free, eat hay and hide if they so chose under various benches and other spots. The idea being that if the rabbits don’t feel like being social, they can just hide out and chill. The other half of the cafe is a retail space with everything bunny you can think of including t-shirts, pillowcases, tote bags, mugs, tea towels, rabbit food and the best bunny slippers we’ve ever seen. The future intention is create an actual cafe in the retail space which would allow visitors to sit on stools and overlook the windowed room where the bunnies roam. Due to Covid this aspect of the cafe was put on hold for the time being.
So how does it work if you wish to spend time with the rabbits? You are asked to book online at BunnyCafe.ca where you can pay and book your time. Each time slot is for 1 hour and the space is open between 11:00 am and 8:00 pm with nap time for the bunnies between 3:00 pm and 4:00 pm. The cost is $15.95 per person including children who must be over 5 years of age. You enter the windowed room with the bunnies with a volunteer and you are requested to wish your hands and then given some greens to feed the rabbits and a few instructions. Speaking of greens, if you are an avid gardener near the Bunny Cafe and have extra greens and carrot tops, the Bunny Cafe would love to connect with a few locals who have any extras to offer.
All the bunnies in the Bunny Cafe are available for adoption. If interested in adopting a rabbit in their care, adoptions are handled through Rabbitat Rescue. If you wish to check out the Bunny Cafe on social media, you can find them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Tik Tok. This is a super chill and relaxing space we invite you to check out.
ILiveInEastVan.com 
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