Shelter Rabbit Turns White After Bathing: The Reason Shocked Volunteers.

Amazing Transformation of the Shelter Rabbit

According to The Sun: A chocolate-colored rabbit left at an animal shelter stunned the staff after its bath.

During the water treatments, its fur transformed from brown to completely white, as rescuers discovered that the animal was dirty from smoke from cigarettes.

Volunteers from Sweetie’s Rescue shelter in Ontario, Canada, reported that they were aware of the rabbit's dirty condition when it arrived, but were "completely astonished" when it changed color.

After several baths, it was found that the rabbit was contaminated with tar and nicotine and actually had no brown coloration.

Rabbit rescuer Ashley Muhl, 36, noted that the smell of smoke was so strong it made her feel nauseous.

The rabbit, initially named Krusty, is now called Rio, and he has undergone an impressive transformation.

“We were shocked when we first found him,” Ashley said.

“His face was brown and dirty.”

“We took him to the vet. He was frightened and trembling, not coming out of the cage,” she added.

Ashley noted that bathing rabbits is generally not accepted, but in this case, they decided to make an exception.

During several baths, the water initially turned red, then yellow; Rio began to smell like cigarette smoke again.

“The smell made me feel nauseous,” she confessed.

When one of the volunteers gave him another bath and trimmed some fur pieces, Rio became completely white.

Ashley was amazed by the visible changes.

“He looked so happy, he jumped in the air and twirled around,” she said.

She noted that the team managed to wash away “years” of entrenched tobacco smoke from Rio's fur.

Since no one claimed the rabbit, he was put up for adoption. Rio is currently waiting for a new foster family.

“We are so happy for him,” said Ashley.

“The best part of our job is seeing them find a new home and become happy,” she added.

“It’s very sad to find homeless animals. We have saved many rabbits, but this is the first time something like this has happened.”

Ashley also advised smokers who have rabbits to “smoke outside.”

“It does more harm than you realize,” she noted.

“And do not abandon your pets. Over the last two years, we have seen more and more abandoned rabbits,” she added.

Rio is currently up for adoption and will soon join a new foster family.