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Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Rabbit run

I thought I was developing quite the rapport the bunny that was hanging out in my yard. I bought him some rabbit food at Safeway and a food and water dish. I figured rabbit does not live on grass alone. He/she seemed pretty grateful when I put it out with a couple of carrots Friday evening.

On Saturday, he/she even hopped up to me and let me pet him/her. So obviously this was a pet rabbit. I felt sorry for it even though it seemed to be enjoying relative freedom. Suburbia is not a safe haven for domesticated rabbits to roam unprotected. I hoped that as long as he/she stayed in my fenced yard no dogs would get him (let’s just say it was a him to avoid this he/she crap, okay).

I toyed with the idea of catching it, buying a hutch and curtailing it’s dangerous freedom. It wouldn’t be free range any more, but at least it would be safe from dogs, cats, raccoons and cars.

Circumstances made this impractical at the moment. I plan on taking a trip in the near future and although cats can fend for themselves, rabbits are a bit more high maintenance. I reasoned that if the rabbit was still there when I returned, I’d go the hutch route. Maybe I’d keep it in my garage. I'd name the rabbit at that time, too. I'm not sure what I'd call him though. When I had a pet rabbit as a kid, I called him Bunrab. I could do better than that now.

It's funny how you let plans hop on down the trail past reality.

It rained on Sunday morning and I saw the little guy hopping around in the grass in my backyard for awhile. That was the last I saw of him. Sunday evening, the food I’d left in his dish was mush. I tossed it and put fresh stuff out, under cover of my patio table, but it didn't look to be touched on Monday.

So the rabbit is gone. I loved that rabbit like it was my own. I’d like to think he found his way back home. I’d like to think that.

It’s better than the other possibilities.

I miss that rabbit.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Did you think that one of the other neighbors might have had the same protective instinct for the rabbit? Hopefully he got scooped up and made into a pet or taken to the shelter. Keep a good thought.

Isabella said...

We have a lot of rabbits running around our place but they are wild and free until the foxes catch up with them. Then they are dead and headless. I hope your little guy met with a much happier outcome. If he comes back though and becomes your pet, how about Bugsy Malone????

anna said...

I'm sorry the rabbit is gone. I hope he's safe.

I was hoping you'd name him Elvis (or Priscilla if he turned out to be a she).

Naughti Biscotti said...

I'm so sorry to hear about the rabbit. He was probably a child's gift this last Easter. It angers me when people buy pets that they haven't the time or motivation to take care of. I ended up with a new cat that I really didn't need because I couldn't bear the thought of something bad happening to him.

Hayden said...

lets all agree to believe that someone else picked him him and kept him/took him to the shelter.

I've done that with cats before. So difficult to tell when I cat is really on his own, and when he's been dumped.

BlazngScarlet said...

I hope Elmer J. Fudd didn't get that wasscilly wabbit!

Be vewwy, vewwy, qwiet .... maybe he'll hop on back into your yard.

Time said...

Kristy,
Not sure about my neighbors. But I'm hoping that something like that happened.

Isabella,
Bugsy would have been a good name.

Anna,
He/she did appear around the anniversary of the King's so called death.

Shandi,
I suppose he could have been an Easter Bunny. It is sad when people don't think through the responsibility of pets.

Hayden,
I'm thinking the bunny went to live on a farm :)

Blaznfyre,
I think it is safe to say the bunny long gone.

Hayden said...

Good thought. much better than 'bought the farm.'