She's a cross between Ace Ventura and Dr. Dolittle and she is, by her own admission, obsessed with animals - especially rabbits.
The long-eared creatures dominate Krystal Grimm's world, along with the three dogs and two cats inside her home and the squirrels and hummingbirds she feeds daily on her deck.
In fact, Grimm says all her best friends are her "rabbit friends," pointing towards the humans who help her run charitable sanctuary Bandaids for Bunnies out of the garage of her single-family home near Williams and Garden City roads.
Such is vet assistant Grimm's adoration of sick and injured bunnies, she bought her current property with rabbit-caring space in mind and even turned her kitchen table into a mini maternity ward recently to ease the arrival of six newborns from an injured mom, found pregnant in Minoru Park.
At the last count - and she was reluctant to do the math with her mom looking on - there were at least 68 bunnies in her makeshift rabbit refugee camp; all in varying stages of health, from fully-fit and ready-tobe adopted, to special needs and recovering from and injury sustained living rough in Richmond.
She shells out at least $500 per month to look after the rabbits and that's before vet bills from examinations and medication, all of which keeps piling onto her credit card.
"It all started with a rabbit called Dodger about five years ago," said Grimm, who, when she's not at work at the vet, spends every day of her life caring for the rabbits, usually brought to her by members of the public.
"Dodger needed help but no one could catch him, so they called me in. I caught him within minutes.
"But within a few months, I had five rabbits in a basement suite and it grew from there."
Grimm's burning desire to offer respite and care for the rabbits grew arms, legs and big ears not long after she started working as a vet's assistant seven years ago.
"People don't realize the many horrible ways they can die," said Grimm, who used to work for pet stores until she couldn't abide their animal-selling practices any longer.
"Most of the time, they've been hit by a car and they don't survive. But there are many other times they can and that's where I come in, I guess."
Within two years, Grimm had 30 rabbits squeezed into her basement suite and it was time to move out.
She moved into her new home in a leafy corner of South Arm and started Bandaids for Bunnies, along with its own website and Facebook page. On the weekends, some volunteers come help exercise the rabbits in pens in the backyard.
Like most things with rabbits, however, they seem to pop up everywhere and Grimm needs help.
"Some of them we can adopt out, but only about six a year though, at the most," said Grimm.
"A few die, of course. But we're still taking in more than what leaves here."
Grimm said the charity does get some small donations, but "nothing to speak of."
She's able, along with long-suffering boyfriend Paul, to cart about 200 pounds of rabbit bedding and poop over to Harvest Power every week to dispose of for free.
But she still happily pays for the vet bills out of her own pocket, or credit card, a balance which sometimes stretches to $3,000.
"I have a good deal with Little Paws (vet) in Steveston. He lets me pay it up over time," added Grimm.
"The 17 babies will need to be spayed and neutered and that's going to cost about $140 each time. We're going to need more than $3,000 before the end of the year."
Given the countless daily hours of care and attention and the costs involved, why keep doing it? "I'm a soft touch, I guess," said Grimm. "I don't really know. I can't imagine doing anything else with my time. It's such a rewarding experience when you manage to heal a sick animal and you can't help but smile when you're around here with them."
None of this dedication comes as a surprise to Grimm's mom, Michelle, who recalls her daughter getting her first rabbit, called Fluffy, as a three-year-old.
"She kissed goats and rabbits and it would be impossible to get her out of the petting zoos," said Michelle.
"She's had bugs, reptiles, Guinea pigs, horses. You name it, she's had it as a pet. She just loves animals."
Bandaids for Bunnies is hosting its first ever fundraiser on Saturday, June 21 at the Pumphouse Taproom on Blundell Road from 7 p.m. Tickets are $20, which includes a burger and beer or wine. There will be a raffle, 50/50 and lots of prizes to giveaway.
The charity is hoping to sell at least 60 tickets. If you're interested in a ticket or would like to donate, go to bandaidsforbunnies.wordpress.com.
