MSU Library hosts rabbits for students alongside Gallatin Conservation District

Students did not find a portal to Alice’s rabbit-filled Wonderland in the library on Tuesday, Oct. 1, but rather an event hosted by the Gallatin Conservation District (GCD) — a subdivision of local government involved in natural resource management and education — in conjunction with the Renne Library.

As many students prepare their bodies and spirits for the crushing torrent of midterm essays and exams, a way to relieve stress on campus is certainly needed. The event was held in the Writing Center’s Library location, and the small room was packed with students and members of the Leporidae family — the scientific name for rabbits. The scene in the room-turned-burrow was one of peace, contentment and fuzziness.

“So, from the library's perspective we heard that students really like having animals [for] stress relief and just taking a break,” Jennifer Pawlak, a librarian helping facilitate the event, said, “We've been bringing in the therapy dogs for a while. And now we've partnered with [the GCD] for three semesters and then we're always looking for opportunities for other animals too. We've had many horses, we've had some reptiles, so we're trying to bring in as many animals as we can.”

The rabbits in question were of the Angora breed, a type bred for its fluffy fur. “​​There are several different breeds of Angora rabbits. They've been bred to have the long fur, so that you can spin it. It's super soft, it's seven times warmer than sheep’s wool,” said Emily Phillips, one of the rabbit owners who sat spinning the fur of a calm French Angora rabbit.

“They’re bred to be very chill, so that they can be brushed and, yeah, handled a lot. Also, the handling helps them too,” said Phillips.

The rabbits were brought in by employees of the GCD, according to the event's description on MSU’s website. “The purpose of this event is to educate,” said Sydney Ligotti, one of the individuals representing the GCD at the event. We're talking about agriculture over here and just informing the public and telling them about our services that we provide.”

After receiving their fill of fuzziness, students were able to peruse materials brought by the GCD which informed them on local issues, like water conservation, soil science and snow science. “We are a local government group, and we provide services of all kinds to people that live in our county. Education, we do stream permitting, we sponsor grants, financial assistance, things like that and events like this,” Ligotti said. The GCD’s office can be found in Manhattan.

Participants seemed to appreciate the bunnies. “I think they're really fuzzy and they make me feel better inside,” said Liv Utley, a liberal studies major and Writing Center tutor.

To learn more about the GCD, visit their website here https://gallatincd.org/about-gcd/.