Parker Leavitt

The Republic | azcentral.com

A rescue sanctuary that cares for about 80 rabbits in north Scottsdale is scrambling to find a new home after the current landlord declined to renew its lease earlier this week.

Tranquility Trail Animal Sanctuary, which has operated a small shelter near Hayden and Redfield roads for five years, has just six weeks to find a new building, Executive Director Kelly Ames told The Republic. The group is setting up temporary foster homes where it can send the rabbits if it does not find a new location in time, she said.

"It's extremely difficult to find a landlord who will allow animals, and with bunnies, it's even more difficult because often they don't really know about them," Ames said. "We do a lot for the community. We're just looking for someone to give us a chance."

Tranquility Trail is a non-profit sanctuary that has rescued hundreds of domestic rabbits, including many abandoned by owners or found in hoarding situations, Ames said.

The group took in 132 rabbits from a backyard hoarder about six years ago and still has about 35 of them, Ames said. Four white rabbits arrived last summer after being found abandoned in the forest near Prescott, she said.

Tranquility Trail receives more than 1,000 requests to take in rabbits each year and has a year-long waiting list for owners who no longer want to care for the rabbits but want them to go to a safe place, Ames said. Rabbits are the third-most-frequently surrendered animal after dogs and cats, she said.

The sanctuary adopts out about 20 to 30 rabbits each year but typically requires would-be adopters to foster the rabbits first. The average stay for a rabbit at Tranquility Trail is about four years, Ames said.

"We want to make sure they are going to a better situation," Ames said.

The sanctuary pays about $6,000 per month for its 6,200-square-foot space in an industrial/office building at 7848 E. Redfield Road, Ames said. The landlord has raised the non-profit's rent twice in the past year but had initially agreed to let Tranquility Trails stay on a renewed lease, she said.

County approves permit to save Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center near Scottsdale

That changed suddenly when the time came to sign lease papers, Ames said. Greater Airpark Realty Services manages the building and declined comment when contacted by The Republic.

While Ames hopes to find another location for the sanctuary in Scottsdale, where most of its volunteers and customers live, she said the organization could move to another city if needed.

Tranquility Trail is one of three rabbit sanctuaries in Arizona and the only one that takes animals from the public and is open for visitors, Ames said. The group depends on about 200 volunteers who clean cages, provide water for the rabbits and restock a pet-supply and secondhand goods store, which helps raise money for the non-profit.

The sanctuary also runs a summer camp for kids and organizes the annual Holiday Pet Festival at WestWorld of Scottsdale.