01/07/2025
It’s Brenda from The Bushy Tail here! 🐰
This message is coming from a really raw and vulnerable place — but also one full of love, urgency, and hope.
If we haven’t met yet — I run Minnesota’s first and only in-home hotel dedicated exclusively to bunnies and other pocket pets. For nearly a decade, I’ve been offering safe, loving, specialized boarding from my home, giving families peace of mind when they travel and offering small animals the kind of care they deserve.
Last week, everything caught up with me. I had a moment where I sat down and just broke — overwhelmed, exhausted, and completely maxed out. The truth is, I've been carrying the weight of this bunny hotel on my own for years, and this summer has pushed me beyond what I can handle alone.
I’ve run The Bushy Tail completely solo — every single day. I care for animals around the clock, coordinate pickups and drop-offs, manage medical care, clean condos, answer messages, stock the shop, make the toys for the shop and provide highly specialized care to animals who often have nowhere else to go. I do all of this while living in the same space I work in, without a break, while managing chronic anxiety and ADHD.
It’s not sustainable anymore.
As much as I love this work and the animals and people I serve, the truth is: if something doesn’t change soon, I won’t be able to continue running The Bushy Tail.
And that breaks my heart — not just because this is my livelihood, but because I know how much this business means to the families and pets who rely on it.
This isn't just about me — it's about the community we've built and the one we could build.
It’s time to get The Bushy Tail out of my house and into a real space.
This is no longer just a dream. It’s a necessity — for my mental health, my capacity, and for the growing number of families who need safe, loving, specialized care for their rabbits, guinea pigs, and other pocket pets.
What Needs to Happen Now:
I’m putting out a call to form a small, serious fundraising team — people who are experienced in (or passionate about) helping me figure out a real plan to raise the funds needed to bring The Bushy Tail into its next chapter.
At this time, I want to be upfront that this would be a volunteer-only effort — I don’t have the funds to pay anyone yet, as everything I earn goes directly toward rent, bills, and day-to-day living.
I know that’s a big ask, and I don’t take it lightly. But I also believe this community is full of people who care deeply about this dream and might have time or skills they’re happy to share.
I don’t know the exact amount we’ll need yet — that’s something we’ll figure out together. What matters now is creating a real, thoughtful campaign with the kind of heart and reach this mission deserves.
I’m looking for people who can:
Help brainstorm and map out a fundraising plan
Research platforms, grants, or local business support
Create a GoFundMe or similar campaign
Help spread the word and rally the community
If this sounds like something you’d love to be a part of — or if you know someone who would — please text me at (612) 751-5375 with a quick note about how you’d like to help.
Why This Matters:
I’ve already had to turn away dozens of families and their pets this season because I simply don’t have the space or capacity to meet the growing demand.
Every time I say no, it hurts — because I know there’s no one else quite like The Bushy Tail, and I know the care we offer fills a real need in our community.
The Bushy Tail has always been built on love. But now, it needs more than that — it needs a team, it needs support, and it needs a place to grow.
If you’re reading this, thank you. Whether you help fundraise, offer encouragement, or just send love our way — I’m so grateful you’re here.
Let’s build this together. Not later. Now.
With love,
Brenda
The Bushy Tail 🐰
