Ohio State club combines rabbit care and community service to teach students about diversity of rabbits

Buckeye Bunnies, a new Ohio State student organization, is drawing attention with its quirky focus on all things rabbit care, handling and use.

The club — named the 2024 Outstanding New Student Organization by Ohio State’s Office of Student Life — was founded in April 2023 by nine students in the College of Food, Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, including Jacob Lansing, a fourth-year in animal sciences.

Lansing said the idea for the club came to him when he could not find an on-campus organization that appealed to his passion for rabbits.

“I actually raise rabbits and travel across the country to show them,” Lansing said. “When I came here and didn’t really see anything that fit that interest, I thought it was time that we bridged that gap.”

Lansing said though the concept for Buckeye Bunnies started with just him, the club was officially born out of a collective effort from the 10-student executive board.

“This club simply would not be what it is if it was not for the people who helped found it and those who continue to help run it,” Lansing said. “College students are busy and when they are overloaded, they shut down, so we had to make sure that this was not going to overburden anyone.”

Lansing said whether it’s through volunteering to build bunny habitats or hearing from researchers, the ultimate goal of Buckeye Bunnies is to give students a fun way to better understand how far-reaching the rabbit world is.

“You can learn so much through rabbits,” Lansing said. “You can learn professional development through rabbits, but you can also learn how to be a good community member through rabbits. They really are more than meets the eye.”

Remy Hirsh, a second-year in animal sciences and Buckeye Bunnies’ community service and outreach chair, said the club opened her eyes to the versatility of rabbits.

“After learning about their diets, their anatomy, how to domesticate them and how to show them, I quickly realized just how complex rabbits were,” Hirsh said.

Lansing said when it comes to rabbits, Buckeye Bunnies does not shy away from any topic — whether it’s care, companionship or even cuisine.

“We explore all of the different functions of rabbits, and that does include if someone comes to us and wants to learn about eating a rabbit, we will explain that to them,” Lansing said.

Lansing and Hirsh said Buckeye Bunnies is open to all majors, with its members’ majors ranging from political science to astrophysics. In fact, Lansing said the club is all the better for the diversity it has cultivated.

“I love sharing my hobby with others, so it has been really rewarding to see people of all different walks of life come to our meetings,” Lansing said. “When you have a room that represents the makeup of your student body, you are doing your job right.”

Elissa Wood, a first-year in environmental science, said Buckeye Bunnies has made learning about rabbits not just informative, but also welcoming and fun.

“I came here because I have always loved animals, but the welcoming learning environment for new members to learn comfortably, free of judgment, is what got me to stay,” Wood said.

Lansing said the club’s mission extends beyond just rabbits, as it aims to foster professional development and enhance community involvement as well.

“We help run career fairs, student-life events and we help donate to clothing drives through our college,” Lansing said. “Yeah, rabbits may not be immediately involved, but it shows everyone in our club that, hey, this is about so much more than rabbits; this is an entire learning experience.”

Lansing said Buckeye Bunnies meets biweekly, Tuesdays at 5:30 p.m. He said the club’s next meeting — which is Tuesday — will include rabbit trivia and a board game social.

For more information about Buckeye Bunnies and its upcoming events visit its Instagram account .