If a rabbit eats vegetation where other animals have gone to the bathroom (dogs, cats, raccoons, etc.) there is always a possibility that the rabbit can get worms. There are also plants outside that may be poisonous to rabbits if they have access to them. Unless there has been a killing freeze, there could still be fleas, ticks, and flies outside. Predators can come out of nowhere, over or under fences or hawks from the sky. Sometimes a rabbit can be so frightened by the sight, smell or sense of a predator, that the rabbit panics and injures itself. Or a sudden loud noise can frighten a rabbit. There are people who occasionally or regularly take their rabbits outdoors with no problems, but there are some scary things out there for rabbits.

I occasionally take my bunny for an excursion into my sisters fenced garden, he is confined to an xpen and is watched closely the whole time (usually a few hours). Alfred is a pretty confident sort of bun that likes to explore and run and really seems to enjoy his time in the garden. I think it depends on the rabbits personality. I would feel a little like I was depriving him if he didn’t get an occasional foray outside my apartment, but I know there are risks.

Last time we were in the garden he got to have a run outside the xpen in a harness and leash. I know this is somewhat risky and a bit controversial, and is not something I would advocate without weighing up the risks and benefits. But as I said Alfred is quite confident and really likes to run. The harness didn’t bother him, and he loved being able to run and explore. One thing I did do was tie a piece of elastic (the type used for sewing, approximately 1.5 cm wide) to the handle of the leash, and then tied a loop in the other end to use as a handle. This meant he wasn’t jerked back so hard when reaching the end of his tether, so to speak. It seemed to work really well.

If I were you I would try taking Dorothy outside if you think she would enjoy it. Just take precautions and be vigilant.

I think it really depends on where you live. We let Silas out in a fenced garden area (there is wire buried a foot underground and tall deer fencing) anytime we are home and the weather is nice.I was very concerned about it, and asked our vet if I it was a bad idea to let him go outside. Her response was: “Getting to graze fresh grass is the best possible thing for him. There are no dangerous tics or parasites here, you don’t have a dog or cat, it’s well-fenced, and you always supervise him. I think the benefits far outweigh the risks.” We do have to treat him with advantix though, and I’m sure it’s because of him picking up fleas from outside.