Rescue Story
Jo’s Story: The Bunny Who Needed Someone to Say Yes
Jo was not on our intake list that day. We were already in the middle of a full clinic. We did not have a plan for another intake. But Jo was there. He was hurting. And he needed someone to say yes.
A couple of months ago, we were in the middle of one of our spay and neuter clinics at Houston Spay Neuter when Jo came through the door.
Our foster bunnies were there getting fixed. Volunteers and clinic staff were moving through the busy rhythm of a clinic day. Bunnies were being checked in, monitored, and cared for.
Then Dr. Hanna let us know that someone had brought in a rabbit asking for him to be euthanized.
They were moving with four other bunnies and said they could not care for him or his injuries.
His name is Jo in honor of Jo, the awesome tech at Houston Spay Neuter who is always there helping us and the bunnies.
Jo was not on our intake list that day. We were already in the middle of a full clinic. We did not have a plan for another intake.
But Jo was there.
He was hurting.
And he needed someone to say yes.
So we did.
Jo needed help immediately
Jo was in rough shape.
He had numerous wounds on his back from being attacked by two other unneutered male rabbits. These were not little bites. These were not small scratches that just needed to be cleaned and watched.
He had been badly hurt.
Jo also had a deep inner ear infection that was causing a bulge to protrude from the side of his face. What may have looked like a facial swelling was actually tied to a serious infection that needed medical attention right away.
It is hard to look at injuries like Jo’s and not feel your heart sink. It is even harder to look at the bunny attached to those injuries and see how sweet he still is. Jo had every reason to be scared, defensive, and shut down.
Instead, he was just Jo.
Gentle. Quiet. Trusting.
So while our clinic continued, Jo became one of ours.
View Jo’s medical recovery photos Graphic images are hidden by default.
When Jo came to us
Intake photos
These photos show Jo’s condition when he first arrived and why he needed help immediately.
Receiving medical care
Treatment photos
Jo’s recovery took veterinary care, pain management, antibiotics, wound cleaning, flushing, and follow-up treatment.
Jo in recovery
Healing photos
These photos show Jo as he started to heal, rest, and feel safe again.
His first day as an HRR bunny
That same day, Jo was placed under anesthesia so his injuries could be treated.
His ear abscess was drained. His many bite wounds were cleaned and treated. He was started on antibiotics and pain management so his body could begin the healing process.
Jo was supposed to be neutered that day too, but after everything his little body had already gone through, we decided it was safest to wait. Keeping him under anesthesia any longer was not the right choice for him.
His recovery had to come first.
That was the beginning of Jo’s long road back.
Healing was not simple
Jo has spent weeks fighting these infections.
His wounds have needed flushing, cleaning, a host of oral medications, injectable antibiotics, and close monitoring to make sure they healed the right way. He has also needed three additional surgeries to continue debriding his wounds and helping his body recover.
Jo has been through the wringer with medical treatments.
With injuries and infections like his, healing is not just about what the outside looks like. Infection can hide deeper in the tissue. A wound can look better one day and still need careful care the next. It takes time, patience, and a lot of follow-up to make sure the body is truly healing from the inside out.
And through all of it, Jo has been so, so good.
That is the part that gets us.
He has been through pain. He has been through fear. He has been through treatment after treatment. And somehow, he is still gentle.
When you look at Jo, it is hard not to wonder how a bunny who has been through that much can still be so willing to trust.
The team who helped Jo heal
Jo’s recovery has taken a team, and we are so grateful for every person who stepped in for him.
We are especially thankful to Dr. Hanna at Houston Spay Neuter for always looking out for animals in need and for jumping in to help Jo the moment he arrived. In the middle of an already busy clinic day, she saw a bunny in pain and made sure he was not overlooked. Because of her, Jo’s ear abscess was drained, his many bite wounds were cleaned and treated, and he was given the immediate care he needed to start healing.
We are also incredibly thankful to Dr. Morales and the wonderful team at Cypress Lakes Animal Hospital for continuing Jo’s care through the hardest parts of his recovery. Jo recently stayed with them for a week while Dr. Morales and her amazing clinic staff cared for him, monitored his healing, flushed and cleaned his wounds, managed his medications, and gave this very good boy the care and comfort he needed on his way back.
Jo had people in his corner from the moment he came through the door, and that changed everything for him.
How did this happen?
From what we were told, Jo’s original owner left the country, and someone else took over caring for the rabbits. Jo was then placed with other rabbits he had never been properly introduced to, including two unneutered males.
That is extremely dangerous.
Rabbits may be small and soft, but they are territorial animals. Rabbits who have never met should never just be placed together, especially if they are not spayed or neutered.
Unfixed rabbits can be more likely to show hormone-driven behaviors like mounting, chasing, circling, and fighting. Even rabbits who seem sweet on their own can seriously injure each other if they are placed together too quickly or without proper introductions.
Rabbit fights can escalate very fast.
They are not always little scuffles. They are not something rabbits should be left to “work out.” Rabbit fights can cause deep wounds, torn skin, severe infections, and sometimes fatal injuries.
Jo is living proof of that.
He did not walk away with a little bite.
He came to us covered in wounds, fighting infection, and needing a team of people to help him survive what never should have happened to him.
His injuries were preventable.
Rabbit care matters
Bonding rabbits takes time
Rabbits can absolutely have wonderful companionship with another rabbit. Many bunnies are happiest with a bonded friend.
But bonding has to be done safely.
Safe bonding usually means rabbits are spayed or neutered, fully healed from surgery, and introduced slowly in neutral spaces with close supervision. It takes patience. It takes watching body language. It takes knowing when to pause, when to separate, and when to slow down.
You cannot rush it.
You cannot force it.
And you should never place unfamiliar rabbits together and hope they figure it out.
For rabbits, “figuring it out” can end in serious injury or death.
We share Jo’s story not to shock people, but because he should never have had to survive this in the first place. If his story helps even one person stop before putting unfamiliar rabbits together, then Jo’s story can protect another bunny.
Jo now
Jo is safe now.
He is healing. He is loved. He is getting the care he always deserved.
And now Jo is ready for a foster home.
He still needs a quiet, gentle place to land while he gets ready for his next chapter. After everything he has been through, Jo deserves the softest, most boring, most peaceful life possible.
The kind of life where nothing scary happens.
The kind of life where meals show up, hands are kind, and every day feels safe.
Houston Rabbit Resource will provide supplies, guidance, and medical support. Jo just needs someone willing to give him a calm space and the love he has been waiting for.
Foster Jo
Jo needed someone to say yes.
Now he needs someone to help him write the rest of his story.
If you can foster Jo, please reach out to us.
If you cannot foster right now, please share his story. Talk about safe bonding. Talk about spay and neuter. Help us turn something heartbreaking into something that teaches, protects, and maybe even helps Jo find the foster home he deserves.