Up to his ears in bunnies and lovin' it!

Tim Patino grew up in a broken family, shuffled back and forth between his parents and without the love of a family pet many kids in similar circumstances confide in, turn to for solace and share an unconditional bond.

Patino rose above his troubled upbringing and developed a love for animals, despite not being raised with them. Today, he is leading Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary, providing a safe haven for rabbits waiting for adoption and a permanent home for unsociable, old and chronically ill rabbits. As President of the Great Lakes Rabbit Sanctuary’s board, Patino is the go-to guy for everything and has been serving as acting Executive Director, on a volunteer basis, while also working full time as a restaurant manager in Ann Arbor. “I’ve got to say, when my life is all said and done, I’ll be looking back and saying, ‘I made an impact on a cause that I cared greatly and deeply for,’” he says is among his motivations to spend untold hours on sanctuary business.
Patino’s volunteerism began in 2003 after adopting three bunnies. He started out cleaning rabbit pens and feeding the animals. In recent years, Patino has helped guide the sanctuary through challenging times, including the potential shutdown of the facility because of a lack of funding, using his business sense and fundraising skills. Patino says he would be hard-pressed to put a number on the hours he puts in as he promotes the sanctuary in daily conversations, rescues runaway rabbits, builds shelters for them, solicits donations and organizes events. “I find if you’re passionate about it, the hours go by and you don’t even notice them,” he says.