What’s up, doc?

WASILLA — Elmer Fudd missed out Sunday on bagging a few rascally rabbits Sunday at Pet Zoo.

The pet store was buzzing over bunnies as the Alaska Rabbit and Cavy Breeders Club hosted a show. Making a big splash was the show’s largest star — Eoli, a 19-pound grand champion Flemish giant. Laid back and mellow, Eoli seemed content to be handled, scratched and nuzzled by children attending the show.

“He’s like this all the time,” said Sheryl Granger, Eoli’s owner. “He just hangs out. He loves to be handled and is a great lap-rabbit.”

The gentle giant is one of about 60 adult rabbits Granger owns and an example of why rabbits make good pets, she said.

“There’s no way you can have a bad day, then come home and love on a baby bunny and stay in a bad mood,” she said.

Eoli has many more days like Sunday ahead, Granger said. She’s working to have him certified as a therapy animal so she can take him to local senior centers.

“He’s very good about being gentle with people who need a little extra care,” she said.

While Granger and Eoli were mellow, 11-year-old rabbit owner Cheryl Dunphy was hopped up about the show. She brought several of her pets, including Popsicle, a 3-month-old lopp, Cleo and a 3-month-old mini Rex.

“This one’s my favorite,” she said while nuzzling Cleo. “It’s soft and friendly and I had fun naming her. Rabbits are just funny. I like cats better, but I like rabbits because they’re funny and soft and cute and cuddly.”

Cheryl’s mother Carrie Dunphy organized Sunday’s show, which included grooming demonstrations, a rabbit-owner look-alike contest and a rabbit costume contest. The show serves to educate the public about how rabbits can make good pets, and allows club members to have some fun as well, she said. The only concern Sunday was making sure the rabbits were contained.

“We don’t want them running amok at the Pet Zoo because a lot of times people have their dogs there too,” she said.

Robert Cook looked on as his 3-year-old daughter Savannah reached out to pet Eoli. Although the family has a pet rabbit, “it’s only about the size of that guy’s head. That’s a huge rabbit,” he said.

“We have two cats, two dogs and the rabbit, and they all have their different personalities,” he said.

That strong personality is what stands out for young Troy Cook, who said the family’s small mini Rex dominates the other larger pets.

“I just like rabbits really much,” he said. “We have a smaller bunny, but I think this big one (Eoli) would scare my cats. My cats are big pansies.”

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.