Wichita couple expanding therapy bunny program

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — A Wichita couple is working to bring more therapy bunnies to south-central Kansas.

For four years, Nancy and Clint Bradfield have been taking therapy rabbits all over Kansas with their nonprofit Rosie’s Snuggle Bunnies.

The couple and their 4 1/2-year-old, 15-pound Flemish Giant rabbit — Rosie the Rabbiter — joined KSN on Kansas Today to share how they are working to grow the program.

Rosie is one of their three therapy rabbits. The other two are Radar and Amelia Earhart.

They visit hospitals, senior homes, and veterans. They also help people dealing with things like natural disasters.

The rabbits are certified through Pet Partners, a therapy animal program.

“The Flemish Giant rabbits, by nature, are very docile and calm. They seem to sense those around them who are anxious or stressed or can just use their services to provide a sense of peace and calm,” Nancy Bradfield said.

They’ve gotten a big response from how the rabbits help people going through life’s hardships.

“We have two short-term goals for Rosie’s Snuggle Bunnies. One of them is to develop a bunny barracks or bunny barn, where we can rescue other breeds of rabbits, who might lend themselves to be therapy rabbits and certify them with volunteers,” Bradfield said.

Volunteers would be trained to help bring rabbits to and from visits such as schools or hospices.

Rosie’s Snuggle Bunnies is working with the local pet therapy group Hands and Paws Inc. to train and certify people who have their own rabbits to help create rabbit teams for Hands and Paws.

“The second goal that we have for Rosie’s Snuggle Bunnies is to develop a program for Kansas veterans to provide their own personal emotional support animal. We were blessed to do this with two rabbits for two veterans in Oklahoma, and would like to get this program started in Kansas for qualified veterans,” said Bradfield.

The nonprofit is holding its first-ever fundraiser to help bring the bunny barn and bunny program for Kansas veterans to life.

The Rosie the Rabbiter Poker Run and Big Fat Fun Concert are on Saturday, Sept. 9.

The 120-mile poker run kicks off at 9 a.m. at the VFW 3115 in Wichita and ends at X-Rated Offroad in Towanda.

Starting at 4:30 p.m. is the Big Fat Fun Concert at X-Rated Offroad in Towanda.

A concert and live auction with a raffle will benefit Rosie’s Snuggle Bunnies.

The 50/50 raffle will also help one of the patients the couple met at Wesley Children’s Hospital.

Cooper Holloway will get 50% of the proceeds. Holloway is recovering from a traumatic brain injury that happened during football practice last fall.

To learn more about the event and grab tickets, click here.