Augusta County Declares War on Bunnies—One Nonprofit at a Time

Written by: Sam Orlando

AUGUSTA COUNTY, VIRGINIA – At long last, Augusta County has done what no one else dared to do: Crack down on the scourge of underground bunny rescuers. And leading the charge? Bunny Lu Adoptions, a rogue operation that's been—brace yourself—saving rabbits from neglect and educating people about pet care. All from a residential home. The audacity.

Let’s be clear: Bunny Lu Adoptions is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, which means no sales, no profits, just volunteers, donations, and lots of hay. But when one neighbor complained about a rabbit manure compost pile last fall, the County sprang into action.

Zoning inspectors descended, and the Board of Zoning Appeals quickly determined that Bunny Lu was obviously a retail business. Because when you’re handing out rescued rabbits and educational pamphlets in your spare time, that’s practically commerce.

The rescue appealed the decision. The county charged them $250 for the privilege—because nothing says “access to justice” like a paywall. Unsurprisingly, the Board denied the appeal. After all, if you let one bunny rescue slide, next thing you know it’s goats and gerbils running amok.

And while Augusta County claims it only investigates based on complaints, Bunny Lu supporters aren’t buying it. Maddy Olive summed up the mood: “Are they also targeting every other home-run business? Or are they just picking on BunnyLu?”

Cathie Jackson warned that any home-based effort accepting donations is now fair game. And supporters like Mary Lynn Meyer joked that Bunny Lu should start selling bags of bunny poop as fertilizer—a business plan the County might find refreshingly honest.

Meanwhile, Supervisor Scott Seaton visited the rescue and called it spotless. He’s now pushing for zoning reform, probably after realizing the county looks a bit silly for trying to evict rabbits in the middle of spring.

So here we are: a rabbit rescue under threat, a county bureaucracy digging in its heels, and a growing public chorus asking whether zoning codes should be wielded like a hammer against nonprofits.

In the meantime, Bunny Lu is raising funds, rallying support, and continuing to care for its rabbits—because someone has to do it.

As one commenter dryly put it: “Hopefully the county allocates extra money to their SPCA to pick up the slack. Easter’s coming.”