Hopped up: Vancouver Bunny Cafe unveils new coffee shop (PHOTOS)
Now you can get all hopped up on caffeine while you pet fuzzy bunnies in Vancouver.
The creators of Vancouver’s first Catfe are back at it again with rabbits, and the actual “cafe” portion is opening at the end of March.
The Vancouver Bunny Cafe has been a lounge since July 2021, but its all-vegan cafe is opening officially by the end of the month.
View this post on Instagram
That means you can sip an espresso or cup of tea while soft, fuzzy buns sniff and munch away all around you. There will also be sweet and savoury items on the menu, yet to be unveiled.
It’s a bun-derful place to be, according to its owner, Michelle Furbacher.
She set up the establishment during the pandemic, when it wasn’t safe to have people gathering for coffee. The building functioned as an adoption centre for rabbits instead after opening in June 2021, with staff celebrating their 25th adoption at the beginning of March.
The cafe’s not quite set up yet, but we do what we can to get by in the meantime. Last day to visit the buns before next weekend… we are open til 8! We’ll be closed Monday to Thursday to continue working on the cafe construction (P.S. Sound on) pic.twitter.com/b7A54PeFTv
— The Bunny Cafe (@bunnycafe_van) January 24, 2022
They throw all sorts of cute events, from “speed dating for bunnies” — when the rabbits get to meet new friends — to a “bunny lounge” where people can hang out with the buns, give them pats, and feed them fresh salads.
Garlic & Usopp is the love story we all need right now. These two hit it off really well on their speed date, so much that Garlic was sad to see him go! But Usopp swang by in his carrier today to whisk her away to her furever home, and they’ve been grooming each other ever since. pic.twitter.com/lz8jInzFzO
— The Bunny Cafe (@bunnycafe_van) March 5, 2022
Here’s what you can expect from a visit:
Start at the retail shop — full of bunny-themed merchandise and rabbit care products, no less — before chatting to a bunny whisperer, who will tell you the rules for interacting with the animals. Remember: We don’t want any hot, cross buns.
“Then they escort visitors into the lounge and you get a snack cup of veggies that you can feed the bunnies,” says Furbacher.
“It’s basically just an hour of hanging out with bunnies.”
@bunnycafevancouver The most recent cohort of buns who went off to their furever homes #adoptedbunnies #adoptdontshop #rescuerabbits #bunnycafevancouver Buttercup – MixAndMash
If you have your own bun, you can bring it for a little spa day too. They’re treated to nail trims and grooming, plus tons of pets.
Then you can chill in the cafe, enjoy a sweet or savoury bite, and unwind with the bunnies.
But be warned: if you don’t have snacks for them, they may not carrot all.
@bunnycafevancouver here’s your serotonin for the day #bunnyzoomies #zoomies #bunnycafevancouver #rescuerabbits #adoptdontshop ♬ оригинальный звук – _malifisenta007_
The Bunny Cafe collaborated with a Lower Mainland rescue called Rabbitats to find adoptable buns in need of a home.
“In the Lower Mainland, there’s such a huge overpopulation crisis. We just wanted to see if we could help with that by helping bunnies,” says Furbacher.
“I feel like as more people become aware of it and get to know their personalities, they’ll become a more popular pet as well.”
She hopes it takes off in other cities as well, like Catfe did. The Bunny Cafe is the first of its kind in North America, so she’s on the cutting edge again, and can’t wait to see the impact.
She also sees the cafe as being educational, teaching people about local ecology and the importance of animal care and rescue.
All the bunnies there are available for adoption, so go ready to fall in love.
They come and go quickly, so if you want to visit a particular rabbit, Furbacher suggests showing up sooner rather than later.
View this post on Instagram
“As more and more people become aware of us, we’re having more and more adoptions happening,” she says.
“We’re really excited to open up the cafe.”
Visit the website to book a reservation. It’s $16.75 for an hour of quality bun-time.
Weekends fill up fast, so visit on a weekday for a more private experience.
Bunny Cafe
Address: 1696 Venables Street, Vancouver
Follow Channels and Categories