We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Nataliah Bannon a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Nataliah, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s start with the story of your mission. What should we know?

My mission began unexpectedly—with a trip to the pet store for cat food and a soft, round, impossibly fluffy rabbit being placed into my arms. He looked more like a Tribble than a bunny, and I was instantly in love. I brought him home and named him Pumpkin Latte.

Though I had been sold a cage, it seemed too small, so I improvised a pen made from X-grids. As I researched rabbit care, I discovered how little I actually knew—rabbits need to be spayed and neutered, require a specialized diet, and need far more space and enrichment than I had realized. I learned quickly through resources like Lennon the Bunny and 101 Rabbits, and I poured love and learning into Latte’s care. He blossomed. I spent over $600 getting him neutered—not knowing there were more affordable options with excellent care in my city—but I never regretted it. He deserved the best.

Wanting to help other rabbits, I sought out a local rescue. I offered my time, skills, and heart. While I was welcomed at first, I quickly saw that the rabbits were kept in small cages—over 40 of them—and I felt an ache that wouldn’t go away. I tried to advocate for better housing, enrichment, and adoption efforts, but my ideas were met with hostility and discouragement. I was told I wasn’t smart enough to make a difference on my own.

But that only strengthened my resolve.

I began to understand that rescue work didn’t require permission—it required commitment. So I did the work: I researched, filled out the paperwork, and by Christmas 2023, I received approval for my own 501(c)(3). That’s how Flufflepuff Rabbit Rescue was born: a safe haven where no bunny would be caged, and each would receive space, care, and love.

Our first intake came quickly—a family of six rabbits dumped in a local park. We caught them, cared for them, and gave them a second chance. The calls for help haven’t stopped since.

Flufflepuff stands for everything I wished existed when I met Pumpkin Latte: dignity, knowledge, space, and love. We keep our numbers low so every bunny gets what they need to heal and thrive. I believe that anyone with a heart for animals and the willingness to do the work can make a difference. I’m living proof that something beautiful can grow from being told you’re not enough.

And every time a bunny flops, plays, or finds a forever home, I know we’re doing something right.

Nataliah, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My name is Nataliah Bannon, and I’m the founder of Flufflepuff Rabbit Rescue, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit based in Wichita, Kansas. I started Flufflepuff with the belief that every rabbit deserves space to move, proper medical care, and a home built on compassion. What began as a single rabbit in my arms—my beloved Pumpkin Latte—grew into a life-changing mission to protect, rehabilitate, and advocate for one of the most misunderstood pets in America.

Flufflepuff specializes in rescuing abandoned, neglected, and abused domestic rabbits, with a focus on high standards of care. We don’t use cages—ever. Every bunny receives a minimum 4×4 living space, fresh greens daily, access to clean hay and water, and enrichment that encourages natural behaviors like digging, flopping, and binkying. We also ensure each rabbit is spayed/neutered and double vaccinated for RHDV2 before adoption, because prevention is essential to long-term health.

Our rescue is proudly women-founded and run, and we’ve built a community that believes in collaboration, education, and love over judgment. We help families understand what it really means to care for a rabbit—not just cute photo ops, but a 12+ year commitment. We also assist other rescues, offer foster-to-adopt programs, and frequently take in emergency cases that require immediate medical intervention.

What sets Flufflepuff apart isn’t just the standard of care—it’s the heart behind it. We’re not just saving rabbits; we’re changing the narrative around what it means to love them. I’m most proud of the lives we’ve touched—rabbits who came to us traumatized and left healed, families who’ve found lifelong companions, and supporters who’ve learned that rescue can be radiant, not just reactive.

To anyone getting to know us: we’re here to make a difference—not just in how rabbits are treated, but in how they’re understood. Every life matters here. And at Flufflepuff, every rabbit has a name, a story, and a chance.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

For much of my life, resilience wasn’t a choice—it was a necessity. I grew up in circumstances that no child should have to face: profound loss, abuse, isolation, and instability. My birth mother died by suicide and took my siblings with her, and I was adopted into a deeply dysfunctional home where I was expected to “fix” their marriage simply by existing. When I couldn’t, I became a target for pain rather than love.

I endured years of mistreatment, hospitalizations, and silence. I was gaslit, invalidated, and cast aside grounded to my room alone for months more than once—first by my adoptive family, then by partners who mirrored that same cruelty. It took me decades to realize that love should not feel like survival. That food, housing, and safety are not luxuries—they are the foundation of hope.

Everything changed when I started setting boundaries. I chose healing. I chose to stop trying to earn love through suffering. With the support of a good doctor, steady housing, and a kind partner, I was finally able to build something new—something for myself and something for others. I started volunteering for a local rabbit rescue, and eventually founded Flufflepuff Rabbit Rescue: a safe place for animals who, like me, had been misunderstood, mistreated, and left behind.

Flufflepuff is the physical embodiment of my resilience. Every rabbit we rescue, every life we change, is an act of defiance against everything I was told I couldn’t be. I share this not for sympathy, but to say: your time can start at any time. There is no expiration date on purpose. No trauma disqualifies you from doing good.

Resilience isn’t always loud. Sometimes, it’s a quiet choice to believe that better is possible—and to fight for it, even if you have to build it yourself.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Social media has been one of the hardest parts of running a nonprofit, but also the most vital. It’s the only way to get our story out to the world—every rescue, every emergency, every small miracle. I don’t consider myself a natural at social media, but I’ve learned that consistency, honesty, and vulnerability build trust. We post often, we post real updates, and we don’t shy away from showing the hard days alongside the victories.

What’s helped us grow the most is being active in online communities—sharing our posts to relevant groups, engaging in conversation, and offering help or advice when we can. People don’t just want to donate; they want to belong to something, to witness the change their support makes possible. That sense of belonging has helped us build a community that has literally saved lives.

My advice for anyone just starting out? Don’t wait for things to be perfect—start with where you are. Show up, speak from the heart, and be consistent. Social media isn’t about performing; it’s about connecting. You don’t have to be great at it to make a difference—you just have to be real.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Www.flufflepuff.org
• Instagram: @flufflepuffrabbits
• Facebook: HTTPS://facebook.com/FlufflepuffRabbitRescue

Image Credits

Madeleine Shuff
Hope Dale
Nataliah Bannon