If you are considering adding a real live "Easter Bunny" to your family, being realistic about what is involved in the proper care of a pet rabbit is no laughing matter.

Even the most responsible child will need you to be the ultimate caregiver for the family bunny. And if you are thinking about giving a rabbit as a present, remember that your "gift" is an extra mouth to feed with vet bills to pay. Proper hare care requires daily cleaning, weekly grooming, a specialized diet with unlimited hay and hours of exercise to keep a bunny healthy and happy.

Most people, even children, prefer to pick their own devoted companions - that's part of the fun and bonding process. So, this Easter, the most thoughtful gift might be a delicious chocolate bunny, a gift certificate to adopt a rabbit at a later date, or a sponsorship or donation in the giftee's honor to a shelter or rescue group.

For families, keeping it realistic means that YOU want a rabbit and YOU are willing to make a seven- to 10-year emotional, financial and physical commitment.

Marin has two great resources for companion rabbits - the Marin Humane Society (www.marinhumanesociety.org or 506-6225) and SaveABunny (www.saveabunny.org or 388-2790). Adopting a rabbit from a shelter or rescue group, rather than buying one from a pet store or breeder, is a much more compassionate, cost-effective and environmentally friendly choice.

Similar to dogs and cats, shelters and rescue groups offer rabbits of all types: purebreds, mixed breeds, babies and adults - happy and healthy bunnies just waiting to be loved by you. Typical adoption fees average $35 to $90 and, very importantly, your rabbit will be spayed or neutered.

If you buy a rabbit at a pet store, plan to spend an additional $100 to $300 to have your rabbit fixed. All rabbits should be spayed or neutered for health and behavioral reasons - even if they are single rabbits. Unspayed females have an 80 percent chance of getting cancer by 4 years old and tend to be aggressive and destructive. Unaltered males spray urine. By adopting and not buying a rabbit, you help yourself, the animals and the community.

The sad truth is that most Easter rabbits either die before their first birthday from improper care or end up at shelters when the novelty wears off. According to the ASPCA, rabbits are the third most frequently euthanized animal in shelters.

Contrary to public perception of rabbits as cuddly, low-maintenance companions, rabbits are much more work than cats. As prey animals, rabbits prefer not to be held (even when hand-raised as babies).

Rabbits can be seriously injured or killed with improper handling, and will bite, scratch and kick when frightened or annoyed.

For the right person or family, rabbits can be a good match. They are vegetarian, quiet, can learn their names, play with toys and, when spayed or neutered, use a litter box. Rabbits are highly intelligent and frequently live peacefully with cats and well-behaved dogs.

Rabbits should live indoors with you in a bunny-proofed area where their natural inclination to chew and dig is acknowledged. Cover electrical wires with hard plastic tubing (found at hardware and stereo stores), and remove plants or furniture that can be chewed. Outside hutches, no matter how secure, leave a rabbit vulnerable to disease, weather, predators and boredom.

This Easter season, please practice compassion and respect for the Easter Bunny - real or imagined.

Marcy Schaaf is the founder of SaveABunny, a Marin rabbit rescue organization.

Tails of Marin appears every Saturday in the Home & Garden section of the Marin Independent Journal