Meet Alex the Great, the rabbit who escaped a kill farm and now rides a mini truck like a pro

Not everyone gets a second chance at life, especially the animals that once enter 'kill farms' or 'slaughterhouses,' where they are raised and then killed for food and other products. As per a report in Our World in Data, every year, more than 80 billion land-based animals are slaughtered for farming alone. Now, remember, these numbers only include the animals that live on land, and if we estimate the fish and other aquatic creatures killed annually, the statistics will be even higher. Notably, Alex the Great (@alex.thegreat100 on Instagram), the famous Flemish Giant bunny, was rescued from a similar cruel, inhuman farm that killed rabbits for meat.

Alex, the internet sensation, was born at a farm in Modesto, California, known for butchering rabbits for food. Fortunately, when Josh Row, 45, saw Alex, he immediately adopted the bunny, giving him the life he deserved. Later, in January 2021, when Row was in Las Vegas to meet a friend, he was surprised to see Alex enjoying roaming around the streets rather than being scared of the unfamiliar place, unlike most rabbits. Perhaps, it was this moment that Row understood that Alex wasn't any regular rabbit — he was special. Alex easily became everyone's favorite wherever he went, prompting Row to add "The Great" to his name, taking inspiration from the ancient Greek king, Alexander the Great.

"There’s just not a place that he’s not completely the center of attention," Row shared with The Washington Post. During one of Alex's medical checkups, a vet told Row that Alex could make a good therapy animal, given his outgoing nature. Soon after, the rabbit began training through the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, San Francisco, and today, the rabbit is a social media star who enjoys a massive fan base of over 50,000 followers on his Instagram account (@alex.thegreat100). His owner, a mechanical engineer, keeps posting stunning pictures and videos of Alex, which are quite popular on the platform. 

Alex's social media is filled with adorable videos of him riding a children's toy Mercedes after his owner, Row, literally broke the toy vehicle to make it functional for Alex. As per the report, Row revealed that although sometimes he relies on a remote control to limit Alex from driving too far, the rabbit is more than capable of riding alone. In a video of Alex driving his Mercedes mini truck, he could be seen moving through a busy road, as passersby cheered for him. Meanwhile, reacting to the now-viral Instagram reel, @gerardorojascol commented, "Beautiful, I love how he stays calm in the car."

Similarly, @drsamarkhandvm shared, "Please be careful crossing the road, Alex, we love you a lot! Buckle that seatbelt!" @run_cinnabun_run joked, "Alex is a better driver than I am. That’s a lot of tourists not really looking where they are walking to maneuver around." On the other hand, @love_purplestar, who was seemingly invested in the adorable video, wrote, "I wish this video was longer!" @have.you.seen.bryan said, "Alex out here living his best life!" @ekhithegolden, an ardent fan of Alex, wished, "I hope we can meet some day!"

You can follow Alex the Great's (@alex.thegreat100) official Instagram for more updates related to him.