The Eastern Shore Rabbit Rescue and Education Center (ESRREC), is based in Rock Hall, Maryland. ESRREC ensures the health, safety and emotional well-being of abandoned pet rabbits on Maryland’s Eastern Shore through shelter and care, with guidance to the families who adopt them as companion animals.
ESRREC is a nonprofit corporation and has 501(c)(3) status. We are 100% volunteer-run, including our Board of Directors.
Our geographic coverage focuses primarily on Maryland counties to the east of the Chesapeake Bay: Kent, Queen Anne’s, Cecil, Talbot, Caroline, Dorchester, Wicomico, Somerset, and Worcester.
We began operations in April 2015.
Activities include:
- Manage a foster network for 40-50 rabbits & any related medical care including RHDV2 vaccination
- Conduct educational programs at the ESRREC premises and other locations
- Partner with animal welfare organizations on Maryland’s Eastern Shore
- Arrange with local animal hospital to spay/neuter rabbits before adoption
- Manage adoptions
- Organize and manage volunteers
- Conduct fundraising activities
- Conduct outreach at local animal shelters, pet stores
NOTE: We cannot accept wild rabbits. We are not licensed to rehab injured wildlife. If you have an injured wild rabbit, we recommend that you contact Department of Natural Resources or find your local rehabilitor on the Maryland Wildlife Rehabilitors Association website.
From 2015-2022, ESRREC managed a shelter on Main Street in Rock Hall, which served as the organization’s headquarters. In January 2023, ESRREC closed the shelter and became a foster-based organization. However, ESRREC maintains a smaller “Outreach Building” in Rock Hall Village to hold occasional meet-and-greet events and adoption appointments.
Read the 2023 Annual Report (PDF)