Hoppy to help
Hop over to Bayside and one may run into Simba, a five-year-old rescue lionhead bunny. Senior Megan Goldschneider rescued Simba two years ago, and since getting him, he has been working as an emotional support animal (ESA).
“Simba is an ESA on campus and he truly does his job. Without going into too much detail, when I am upset, Simba can sense it and will sit with me for long periods of time to comfort me,” Goldshneider said. “He was never trained for this, I am so grateful for Simba and the comfort that he brings me. He is my best friend and I could not imagine life without him.”
Simba loves to cuddle, but only on his own terms. He also grinds his teeth as a sign that he is happy when cuddling or going for a walk. Goldschneider described the bunny as a huge character; he grunts to show he is annoyed or as a way to tell his mom it is past his feeding time.
Goldschneider then describes a typical day for Simba:
1. Starting at 9 a.m., breakfast is served. Simba loves to be fed no matter what, but he happily gobbles up his food while his mom gets ready for the day.
2. After breakfast, the bedroom door is open and Simba will run around the living room. He is a free roam bunny, and he is also litter box trained, so he is allowed to move about the apartment without supervision.
3. Between 12 to 3 p.m., one can find Simba taking a nap under the couch or in his wooden castle.
4. When Goldschneider returns from class at around 5 p.m., Simba runs up to her for cuddles.
5. At 6 p.m., dinner is served. He may pretend that he is starving, but Goldschneider warns to not let him fool you. He has hay available to him 24/7.
6. For the rest of the evening, Simba is the most active and playful, even sometimes trying to sneak into their suitemate’s room. But eventually, he will chill with his humans as they watch TV.
The personable bunny also found love last semester in his Bayside court. Simba met his first bunny in the fall semester, and after going through the proper bunny meeting precautions, he fell in love with Butterball. Butterball lives in the same residence hall as Simba, and he treats her like a princess. He follows her wherever she hops and showers her in kisses.
Goldschneider has created an Instagram account for Simba and his adventures, @simba_rwu. Keep yourself updated on Simba as he hops around outside with his girlfriend and eats grass to his heart’s content.
Emily Dvareckas graduated from RWU in 2022 with a degree in forensic science. She spent three years with The Hawks’ Herald as the photo editor...
