She was all by herself
By Ashley Ortiz
Published on July 3, 2026 at 6:34 PM
While soccer fans across British Columbia, Canada, gathered in downtown Vancouver to celebrate the World Cup, one tiny animal found herself caught in the middle of the festivities alone, frightened and desperately needing help.
The vulnerable bunny had somehow wandered into the bustling crowd and, overwhelmed by the noise, huddled beside a row of outdoor planters in search of safety. Luckily, a group of Good Samaritans near the Vancouver Art Gallery spotted her and quickly called for help.
The team at Rabbitats Rescue (Rabbitats) rushed to the fan festival with x-pens and an assortment of bunny treats in hand. The little bunny led them on a merry chase up and down the busy block but she eventually took cover beside a busy food truck.
“She must have sensed the good vegan vibes, sticking by the Chickpea food truck,” Rabbitats wrote on Instagram.
Without skipping a beat, the rescuers placed their x-pens all around the bunny’s hiding place, then waited for her to come out. When she eventually emerged, they quickly scooped her up, and Rabbitats’ Sorelle took her home for assessment.
You can read more about her rescue here:
At Sorelle’s house, the little bunny, whom they lovingly named Chickpea, appeared to be skittish at first. She would run away the minute she saw a human approaching her, but before long, Chickpea’s bubbly personality began to emerge.
“Her gregarious spirit took her through her enclosure, out of the room, past various other bunnies, and cuddled up near a handsome boarder, Felix,” Rabbitats wrote.
While Chickpea quickly developed an affinity for her caregivers, the folks at Rabbitats do not believe she was someone’s abandoned pet. Instead, they believe she is the offspring of an abandoned pet — a common origin story for many of the rabbits in the area, and a growing issue throughout North America.
“There are thousands of feral domestics living outside in a local municipality, Richmond, that often travel in the undercarriage of cars to other municipalities,” Sorelle told The Dodo. “They don’t belong out there and are the descendants of past dumped pets. The mothers will often give birth in the undercarriages of cars and the babies and juveniles also seem to think it’s a good idea to hide there.”
While it’s not uncommon for a feral bunny in Richmond to accidentally hitch a ride to another city, Chickpea ended up in a particularly dangerous area when she chose to hunker down at the fan festival. Thankfully, she was found just in time.
Chickpea has since been transferred to Rabbitats’ headquarters where she’ll soon have access to supervised outdoor time every day as part of her rehabilitation, alongside three other rescued babies, Hubcap, Barbie and Parq, who all came to Rabbitats separately around the same time under similar circumstances – seeking refuge in a safe space that wasn’t so safe!
While the team is heartbroken that Chickpea was ever in need of rescue, they’re incredibly grateful she found her way into their care.
“We’re happy to know her,” Rabbitats Rescue wrote.
To help bunnies like Chickpea get the care they need, you can donate to Rabbitat Rescue here.