In El Dorado, California, it’s not uncommon to come across animals while walking near the lake.
Mathilda was well aware of this, but even she wasn’t expecting to stumble upon a small ball of fur wriggling in the dirt during one of her visits.
Curious, she walked closer to see what was going on, and the moment she saw what it was, she knew exactly what she needed to do.
Dumped And Lonely
As she leaned in for a better look, Mathilda realized the creature rolling around in a dusty hole was actually a rabbit. Although she didn’t have much experience with bunnies, she could tell something wasn’t right.
Then the rabbit made the first move, as if to answer any questions she had. “She came up and asked me to pet her,” Mathilda shared in a Facebook video posted by The Dodo.
At that moment, Mathilda knew this rabbit was no wild animal—it was a domestic pet who had likely been dumped and left to fend for herself. And she was so desperate for companionship, she eagerly approached a stranger for affection.
Touched by the rabbit’s gentle nature, Mathilda decided right then and there to bring her home to Los Angeles.
At the veterinary clinic, the vet confirmed what she suspected—there was no microchip.
That sealed the deal. Mathilda officially adopted her and gave her a name: Honeybun, or Bun Bun for short.
She thought giving this sweet bunny a forever home was the happiest twist her day could take. But she was about to discover an even bigger surprise.
The Heartwarming Truth
Not long after settling into her new surroundings, Bun Bun began behaving oddly. “She started ripping out fabric, nesting a lot, gaining a lot of weight,” Mathilda said.
At first, Mathilda assumed she had simply been overfeeding her. But it soon became clear that wasn’t the case.
“The next thing I knew, I just saw three little feet popping up from underneath her belly,” she recalled.
It turned out Bun Bun had been pregnant the entire time—and her new family had just grown overnight!
Despite the unexpected news, Mathilda was overjoyed. “I felt so proud,” she said. “I was really happy just looking at them.”
As the tiny babies grew into bouncy little bunnies, so did Mathilda’s affection for all of them. Taking care of four rabbits was no small task, but her love for them only deepened.
In fact, the experience inspired her to think even bigger.
“Having these bunnies in my life has made me want to foster more rescue bunnies in the future,” Mathilda said. “And even start a rescue.”
Here’s hoping her dream becomes a reality!