By Jarret Liotta

WESTPORT — If you’re really an animal lover, you might want to consider opening your home — and your heart — to two under-served and too-often neglected groups in the pet kingdom — domestic rabbits and guinea pigs.

Since the pandemic the Connecticut Humane Society — which has operated a branch at 455 Post Road East in Westport for over 60 years — has seen a sad influx of the small-size pets looking for homes.

“Most shelters aren’t set up to deal with them, so they’re not getting ideal care,” explained Bliss Kern, longtime district manager of the facility, which is doing its best to accommodate the critters and — hopefully — find them good, loving homes.

“The degree to which rabbits are disregarded is a disaster,” she said, with people mistakenly told by uneducated pet dealers that they’re so-called “starter pets” not requiring much care.

“They are not starter pets,” she said.

In fact, rabbits — which can sometimes be as playful and affectionate as dogs or cats under the right circumstances — require some initial specialized adjustment and understanding of their needs.

“Rabbits will die if they’re too stressed,” said Kern, noting that contrary to some belief, they can’t just be let loose into the wild, as they won’t survive — something she has been sad to see happening in Westport.

But with intelligent care and a little learning, pet owners may find a rabbit — or two, as they do especially well with a friend — an awesome addition to their household.

The CHS only offers rabbits and guinea pigs that have been spayed or neutered — another key component to really caring for these animals, Kern said, and something many pet shops don’t warn customers about before neglectfully selling them a pair that’s primed to breed.

Kern herself — an authentic lover and caretaker of animals — truly practices what she preaches.

In her own home she is the proud owner of a constellation of critters, including rabbits and guinea pigs, dogs and cats.

For more information people are encouraged to reach out to Westport’s CHS branch at 203.227-4137, as appointments are required. People may also visit the state website.