The Lonely Pony by Catherine Hapka

At the Shelter
    â€œOh my gosh, this bunny has to be the cutest animal I’ve ever seen!” Lolli Simpson exclaimed.
    She was in the lobby of the Third Street Animal Shelter with her friends Janey Whitfield and Zach Goldman. The three of them were watching Zach’s mother examine a fluffy black-and-white rabbit who was a new shelter resident. Dr. Goldman was a veterinarian with a busy private practice. But she made time each week to donate her skills to the shelter.
    Zach looked at Lolli and grinned. “Really?” he said. “Cuter than Roscoe?”
    Roscoe was Lolli’s dog. He was part Lab, part Rottweiler, and part who-knew-what.
    Lolli smiled at Zach. “Okay, the bunny is one of the cutest animals I’ve ever seen,” she said.
    But she knew Zach was only teasing her. He loved to joke around and play pranks.

    Janey reached out and stroked the rabbit’s fur. “He’s so soft,” she said. “I’ve never seen a rabbit at the shelter before.”
    â€œWe do get some in from time to time,” said Kitty, the kids’ favorite shelter worker. She was a lively young woman with a blonde ponytail. “They can be a little tricky to adopt out.”
    â€œWhy?” Lolli giggled as the rabbit’s little nose twitched. “He’s adorable! I already want to take him home myself.”
    â€œIf Lolli doesn’t adopt him, maybe the Pet Rescue Club can help find this bun bun a home,” Zach said.
    The Pet Rescue Club was a group the three kids had started, along with their friend Adam Santos. The four of them tried to help needy animals in any way they could.
    â€œHow did he end up here, anyway?” Lolli asked Kitty. “I can’t believe anyone would give up such a sweet pet.”
    Kitty sighed. “This little guy’s previous owners bought him on a whim last Easter,” she said. “They thought having a cute little bunny hopping around their house would be fun. But they weren’t prepared for how much work a pet like this can be.”
    â€œSo they took him to the shelter?” Janey said with a frown. “That’s vile.”
    Vile was Janey’s new favorite word. She liked to use interesting or unusual words whenever she could.
    â€œHow much work could a little bunny like this be?” Lolli wiggled her nose at the rabbit, then smiled as he wiggled his nose in return.
    Dr. Goldman glanced up from examining the rabbit’s long, floppy ears. “Actually, rabbits require somewhat specialized care,” she said. “They need safe housing, and they do best with certain types of foods, and of course every species has its own health and behavior issues.”
    â€œOkay, I get it.” Lolli tickled the bunny under the chin. “But it would be worth it to have such a cutie pie around the farm! I think I’ll ask my parents if I can adopt him.”
    â€œReally? That would be fab.” Janey looked a little bit wistful, and Lolli knew exactly why. Janey’s father was severely allergic to animals, so Janey couldn’t have any pets at home. That was how the Pet Rescue Club had come to be. Janey had started a blogasking people to share their cutest pet photos. Someone had posted a picture of a sad, neglected dog named Truman. Janey and her friends had helped Truman find a new home with their homeroom teacher, Ms. Tanaka. The rest was history!
    Dr. Goldman gave the bunny one last pat, then stepped back. “He seems healthy,” she told Kitty.
    â€œGreat. I’ll take him back to his cage.” Kitty picked up the rabbit, who snuggled into her arms. “Lolli, if you really think you might like to adopt him, we can talk about rabbits’ special needs later.”
    â€œOkay, thanks,” Lolli said. “I need to ask my parents first.”
    â€œIt’ll be cool if you get a pet rabbit,”Janey said after Kitty had left with the rabbit and Dr. Goldman had gone into the