WHAT do bunny rabbits have in common with hyenas, wolverines and polar bears? The adorable little creatures are about to join a menagerie of wildlife prohibited for sale by New York City pet shops.

    The New York City Council voted to outlaw the bunny trade to help curb a glut of unwanted rabbits at city shelters by people who had second thoughts about caring for the cuddly creatures.

    “Rabbits are sometimes disappointing especially when you buy them for your child,” said Margo DeMello, president of the House Rabbit Society, in Richmond, California, which she described as the world’s largest rabbit shelter.

    Elizabeth S. Crowley, the New York councilwoman who is lead co-sponsor of the bill, said she expected Mayor Bill de Blasio to sign the legislation into law because of the strong support the measure received on the council.

    De Blasio is known as an ardent supporter of animal rights. The mayor made a campaign promise to outlaw Central Park’s famous horse-drawn carriages, popular among tourists but condemned by activists.

    Chicago, San Francisco and Los Angeles also have laws banning the sale of rabbits by pet stores.

    The bunny ban is part of a larger legislative package also regulating the sale of dogs and cats in pet stores.

    Animal Care & Control of NYC, a shelter contracted by the city, said it took in 376 rabbits between January and October. That compares with 283 rabbits in 2011 and 382 in 2013. The list of animals specially banned for sale by New York pet stores that includes skunks, cougars, wolves, pandas, bats and gorillas, among dozens of others.

    But city officials are currently weighing lifting the ban on ferrets. (SD-Agencies)