How to protect a bunny nest from dogs

Please enjoy this AI picture as we could not convince a cottontail to sit still and pose for us with a laundry basket...

If there’s a bunny nest in your yard, your dogs will probably happily find it for you!

… great …

Eastern cottontails often make their nests in yards with dogs. While sticking close to humans helps keep rabbits safe from other wild predators, they often overlook the domestic predators that live with people!

We want to protect the babies from dogs, but moving the nest is not an option (mom knows where the nest is, but won’t know to look for her babies elsewhere if you move them. Cottontails also cannot move their babies themselves). So, how can we keep those bunnies safe from Fido?

There are several different ways to protect a nest in your yard. The easiest is to take a laundry basket and turn it upside down over the nest. Put a large rock on it to weigh it down if your dogs are big (or determined) enough to move the basket (see our totally realistic AI image above).

You can also use a wooden pallet or a wire dog crate with the plastic tray removed from it. By covering the nest, you can deter the dog, but mom can still get underneath to feed her babies. Alternatively, you can put the laundry basket over the nest just during the day, and remove it for dusk and dawn when she will come around to feed her babies.

Feel like this is too big a commitment? Never fear—it’s a short one! Baby cottontails only stay in the nest for around 3 weeks, so they will be moving on soon.

Remember to keep an eye on your dogs while they are outside, as they are more likely to find a bunny nest than you are! And as always, keep cats indoors where they cannot harm our native wildlife.

If your dog or cat does get into a bunny nest, please contact Heights Wildlife Center or another licensed wildlife rehabilitator right away Any animal that has been in a dog's or cat’s mouth should be brought into rehab due to the risk of infection. If you are unsure, give us a call at (216) 232-3270.

Related reading: I Found a Bunny Nest… Now What?