You may have heard of cat cafes, or perhaps even the capybara, micropig or hedgehog cafes popular in Japan. Among these fun petting-zoo-meets-snack-purveyor destinations are bunny cafes, and San Francisco is about to get its first.
Behind the vision is Kathreen Kato, who adopted Alex the Great, a San Francisco Flemish giant rabbit, with her fiancé. Alex worked as a therapy bunny and was known as the San Francisco Giants’ “rally rabbit.” He was also part of the Wag Brigade, a group of pets providing animal-assisted therapy to visitors at SFO, before he was diagnosed with cancer and died in July.
The Bunny Cafe, at 1327 Columbus Ave. in San Francisco, is set to open in late November or early December, and is being built as an homage to Alex, according to Kato. “He paved the way,” she says. “Bunnies can do more. They should be loved.”
She’s driven to create a more convenient place than some of the outlying animal shelters where people can learn more about rabbits as pets and meet adoptable bunnies. The cafe will change shelter nonprofits regularly, and are so far partnering with three rescues. The rescue space will be separated from the cafe, which will be vegetarian and vegan, with grab-and-go options. Food and drinks are not allowed in the bunny lounge. There’ll be items like Korean instant ramen, bunny merchandise and cruelty-free products, with a portion of profits going toward bunny rescue nonprofits, she says.
People who want to visit with the bunnies will be expected to make online reservations. When they show up, they’ll receive complimentary non-slip socks and put their belongings away in lockers before they start interacting with the rabbits. The bunnies can’t be picked up, but they’re available to pet and befriend. The bunny lounge will also be ADA-compliant, Kato says. And the cafe is looking to provide discounts to first responders and medical providers, as well as free visits to kids at Family House, a San Francisco nonprofit that houses families with children undergoing cancer treatment and other life-threatening illnesses.
The bunnies, all adoptable as pets, are “bun unionized,” and will have limited shifts for socializing with humans, Kato says. They’re also planning to offer “BYOB” — that’s bring your own bunny — days, where bunny owners can bring their pets for grooming tutorials and more.
Since it’s a San Francisco bunny cafe, some high-tech gear will be used, naturally. They’re planning to use PiFi feeders, which use facial-recognition technology to track how much food and water the bunnies are taking in. Bunnies will be quarantined temporarily, then watched closely for signs of any distress, she says — there will be poop, pee and weight charts.
Lots of people in the bunny community are passionate about the animals’ care and welfare, and sometimes the criticisms can be harsh, she says. But she’s building the project intentionally, and is deeply committed to honoring Alex the Great’s legacy, she says. “I’m putting everything I have into this.”
Details: Opening 7 a.m.-9 p.m. daily at 1327 Columbus Ave., San Francisco, in late November or early December; bunnycafesf.com
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