The Best Bunny Mom
At House Rabbit Network, we are incredibly lucky to have dedicated volunteers who make a real difference in the lives of rabbits and their humans. This February, we’re excited to spotlight Dawn Orsi, our incredible Bonding Coordinator and Bunsitting Coordinator! Dawn’s expertise, compassion, and dedication ensure that bunnies find loving companions and safe temporary homes while their families are away. We all know how stressful it can be to leave our bunnies when we go away, but working with Dawn eases our worries! We know our bunnies are loved, safe, and completely cared for under the supervision of HRN bunsitting volunteers – all of which are trained and overseen by Dawn.
From Bunny Lover to HRN Volunteer
Dawn’s journey with HRN began after moving to New Hampshire in 2018. Following the loss of her beloved bunny, Jack, she found comfort in adopting a pair of boys—Gronk & Brock – and was persuaded by our founder, Suzanne, to also take Peach—from HRN of course! She bonded them together where they lived happily ever after. While she was at the shelter, she found out that there was going to be an HRN Flatbread fundraiser and she decided to go. There she met a wonderful group of bunny people and followed all our socials! She found on there a gorgeous Flemish boy and rearranged her birthday plans to drive 90 minutes to adopt Roy (HRN’s Crius). His foster mom, Palestina, mentioned the Friends of HRN page and she saw the plea for help for hotline and bunsitting volunteers in November 2021. I signed up for both and served on the hotline for 2 years while bunsitting.
Dawn quickly jumped in, spending two years on the hotline while also helping with bunsitting. Her passion for rabbit care and her keen eye for bunny behavior naturally led her to develop HRN’s bonding program, which launched in August 2023. Today, she oversees both the bonding and bunsitting services, helping countless rabbits and their families.
Helping Bunnies Feel Safe & Loved
As Bunsitting Coordinator, Dawn connects bunny parents with experienced sitters who provide a safe, loving environment while they’re away. Finding the right sitter can be a challenge—especially for long-term stays—but Dawn’s problem-solving skills and the dedication of HRN’s volunteer network ensure that every bunny has a cozy place to stay.
“As a sitter, you can give a bunny parent peace of mind and a bonder the greatest gift of giving their bunny a new friend.” – Dawn
Her role as Bonding Coordinator allows her to educate adopters, analyze bunny personalities, and develop tailored bonding plans to help rabbits form strong, lifelong bonds. She finds great joy in seeing a once-nervous pair become best friends. Bunnies thrive with companionship – especially from members of their own species.
Her biggest advice for successful bonding? Follow the 3 C’s:
🐰 Be Calm – Stay relaxed; human anxiety can cause bonding attempts to fail.
🐰 Be Consistent – Regular sessions are key—pausing too often can slow progress.
🐰 Be Creative – Not all bonds follow the same formula. Thinking outside the box can make all the difference!
One of her favorite bonding success stories? Grace and Gus. After two unsuccessful bonding attempts, a change in scenery and a little patience led to a perfect match!
A Day in Dawn’s HRN life
“A typical day coordinating bunsitting depends on the time of the year! Summer and holidays are super busy and I am either sending out a message to the group to see who can cover a request, sending an introduction email to the clients and bunsitters so they are connected, sending donation invoices and keeping track of payments, and/or sitting for bunnies myself. One challenge is to connect the client with a sitter that suits their needs (space and location mostly), but the biggest challenge comes with long term requests. We occasionally get a request for months at a time. A few times I was able to place bunnies with one sitter for the duration, but a lot of the time these requests require some creative coordination (getting the bunny or bunnies to multiple sitters to fill the request). Luckily, I have a great group of dedicated volunteers to work with and they always seem to step up, especially when someone is in dire need of a place for their bunny or bunnies. ”
Meet Dawn’s Bunny Family
Dawn’s love for rabbits started with Mickey, the bunny who bonded to her instantly and even traveled on her honeymoon! She shares, ” I was on a trip to a local farm when I saw a bin full of baby bunnies and mentioned how adorable they were to a worker. He scooped Mickey up and put him in his sweatshirt (I know that makes all of us cringe, but Mickey had a safe and loving home). That boy immediately bonded to me and we were inseparable (we brought him on our honeymoon and all of our trips)”
Over the years, she’s shared her life with many special buns, including:
❤️ Jack & Bella – Her first bonded pair
❤️ Gronk, Brock, & Peach – Her HRN-adopted trio
❤️ Roy (HRN’s Crius) – Her beloved Flemish Giant
❤️ Obi – A part-Flemish single bun who’s bonded to her
❤️ Rigby (HRN’s Sully) – A recent HRN adoption and new friend to Gronk
Dawn’s dedication to her own rabbits fuels her passion for helping others find the same joy in bunny companionship.
Dawn’s life outside of HRN
When she’s not helping bunnies, Dawn loves to draw, bake, and make music. She has played several instruments, including violin, saxophone, keyboard, and drums, and recently started playing saxophone again! She also helps her drummer son create music and videos for his YouTube channel.
Fun fact? She has a Master’s in Psychology and a minor in music!
Thank you SO much, Dawn!
Dawn’s hard work and dedication have transformed HRN’s bunsitting and bonding programs, making a lasting impact on countless bunnies and their families. We are beyond grateful to have her as part of the HRN team!
🐰 Interested in volunteering? Consider joining our bunsitting or bonding teams—your time and effort can change a bunny’s life! Connect with Dawn at dawno@rabbitnetwork.org
