'He's as big as a dog': Corcorans' giant rabbit still missing after escaping in North Knox

The family of Knoxville Fire Department spokesman D.J. Corcoran was still searching the snow-dusted ground Tuesday afternoon for a massive pet rabbit that escaped from his cage more than 24 hours earlier.

The docile, cuddly rabbit, named Barley, is a Flemish Giant — generally considered to be the largest breed of rabbit in the world.

“He’s as big as a dog,” Corcoran said. "He probably weighs about 20 pounds."

Barley, who is just under a year old, belongs to Corcoran's son Connor. The rabbit somehow got out of his cage around 8 a.m. Monday at Connor's house on Shaw Drive in North Knoxville and has been on the loose since then.

D.J. Corcoran's wife, Wendy, took to Facebook to share the news.

"Our grand bunny is missing in North Knox Fairmont Blvd area," she wrote. "Please keep an eye out. He's very large and loving and we love him and want to find him. He’s very spoiled so we don’t think he can survive on his own."

Hoping to find tracks in the snow

The family started searching using a grid pattern expanding outward from Barley's cage. The search continued even after snow dusted North Knoxville on Tuesday morning.

"We were looking for areas that might be rabbit habitats — bushes and things like that," said D.J. Corcoran, who spent his lunch break scouring the area.

“They thought, with the snow, they could find some tracks, but they had no luck,” he said. "We're still looking and will continue to look. I guess as time goes on you get a little less hopeful."

Fellow animal lovers joined the effort as Wendy's Facebook post racked up more than 2,000 shares. Many have showed up with pockets full of carrots, D.J. Corcoran said.

“It's amazing,” he said. “Social media really is amazing — the folks that reach out. There are a lot of people that are animal lovers. We see that in the fire department sometimes when there’s a fire where animals are affected.”

'Our comfort rabbit'

The search for the rabbit recalls the August 2017 saga of Pretty Boy Floyd, a pet monkey who lived for one week in the trees of North Knoxville after becoming separated from his owner. Concerned citizens wielding marshmallows and nets scoured the area but were unable to capture the swift critter. The owner's teenage daughter ultimately managed to lure the monkey into her arms.

The Corcorans are hoping for a similarly happy ending. Barley, the family noted, shouldn't be as hard to catch. He loves fruits, veggies and tummy rubs.

"If (someone sees) it, they will be like, 'Oh my gosh — what the heck is that?'" D.J. Corcoran said. "He's a really sweet animal."

Wendy Corcoran said Barley has helped comfort the family as they mourn the loss of their youngest son, Pierce, who was killed in a car crash on Chapman Highway last month. The 22-year-old's death drew national attention because the driver accused of causing the crash is thought to be an undocumented immigrant.

"He's kind of been our comfort rabbit for the past month," Wendy said. "We've really enjoyed it. He's a big baby."

The Corcorans ask that anyone who sees the rabbit contact Wendy through Facebook.

Reach Travis Dorman at 865-342-6315 or at travis.dorman@knoxnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @travdorman.