Residents near Arrow Park have been raising alarms about a woman who regularly brings her pet rabbit — in a stroller, no less — to an area where dogs run free. Witnesses recently watched two large dogs chase the rabbit across the grass, one of them nipping at it, while the terrified animal ran for its life before freezing in place. The rabbit's owner reportedly told concerned bystanders that she "scans" the dogs beforehand and that it's "normally fine."

Let's be very clear: it was not fine.

Domestic rabbits are prey animals. Their entire biological wiring is built around avoiding being eaten. Being chased by two large dogs isn't enrichment — it's a near-death experience. As one local rabbit owner pointed out, "They absolutely can die from a heart attack in a stressful situation, and being chased by two large dogs, I'm surprised this rabbit didn't." Multiple experienced rabbit owners have noted that most experts recommend against even taking domestic rabbits outside due to disease exposure and aerial predators, let alone dropping them into an off-leash dog zone.

Another SF resident captured the broader issue perfectly: "Unfortunately a lot of pet owners, despite being self-described 'animal people,' are extremely self-centered. The animals are an extension of the owner's vanity and the proper care of the animal ends when the owner has personal desires about how they care for them."

That's the real story here. San Francisco prides itself on being a city of animal lovers, but love without responsibility is just negligence with better branding. We let people get away with all kinds of irresponsible pet ownership — aggressive off-leash dogs on sidewalks, abandoned animals, and now apparently using a prey animal as a dog park accessory — because confrontation feels rude and enforcement is basically nonexistent.

SFACC exists for situations like this. If you see someone putting an animal in genuine danger — yes, even if the owner seems nice and has a cute stroller — say something. File a report. We don't need more agencies or regulations; we need the ones we have to actually function. And we need pet owners to understand that "I want to" is not the same as "this is safe."

Your rabbit is not a dog. The dog park is not a petting zoo. Read the room — or at least read a basic care guide.