When I was younger I never thought of rabbits as anything more than cartoon characters, or stuffed animals. I was absolutely in love with Beatrix Potter and the idea of having a rabbit on my desk, next to my cup of tea is still a dream to me one day it may be. Until that moment I will enjoy being able to love my pet rabbits from a distance as they are prey animals--but oh, so cute!
So, why rabbits? Well, truth be told, when I was living in my first real apartment, I found myself feeling like I was "missing" something. I couldn't have a dog because my landlord would not permit it. Even though I really, really, love Japanese chins. They are just so cute! So no dogs, OK, not a worry. Well, I had taken in a "Unity Maine barn kitten" for a friend. If you haven't been to Unity Maine, let's just be real about this. This kitten was as feral as cats come. This cat was absolutely untamable, riddled with fleas, and just a really dangerous cat. This cat would get into, on top of, and behind everything. I've had cats before; as a family we've taken in plenty of strays, and let me tell you. This Unity cat was straight up demon spawn. So regardless, after that, I had a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. Because it was not "my" cat, I was not permitted to bring it to the vet. I did treat the poor kitten's fleas, but who knows if that cat ever got them back. So long story short, no cats.
Well this “missing” something feeling lingered and I decided I was going to get a bird! Secretary finches at that. I was going to buy an extravagant white apiary and my two finches were going to be the best of friends! Well, my apartment had 17-foot tall ceilings at the time, and the worries that these birds might find their way up, as far as they could go, only to never return, or worse, poop everywhere…got me a little worried. So I said, screw it--I’m going to get a fish! But you know what's the worst thing about fish? They’re not furry, and they can’t really adventure outside of their aquarium. Plus you have to clean their tanks, and they smell rotten!
I had so many options. I could get a guinea pig or a hamster, but their lifespan isn’t that long…and you can’t let them roam outside of their cage unsupervised for too long. I decided in the end to just take a search for adoptable pets online in my area. Low and behold I found this rescue organization that rescues rabbits! Well, I had always wanted a rabbit, but never thought of them as a “pet.” What I came to find out, is that like many sought after, or prized “pets,” people raise them, and sell them. Sometimes these rabbits are not kept in the best situations, treated poorly, or the people purchasing them for shows, or mating, end up discarding the rabbits they no longer need to an outdoor wire bottom hutch far off on the property. So far in fact, that they don’t need to pay attention when the rabbit isn’t fed for a period of time, or if the rabbit has fly larvae growing in their skin. When a “pet” no longer serves the individual in need of them, for whatever reason, sometimes it's best to forget about them and bury them later. So I contacted the organization. I was going to get a rabbit.
Most organizations like these offer the ability to foster an animal for a short period of time. This not only offers you, the foster, the ability to understand more about an animal that you may not know about; it also gives an animal a well-deserved loving home. When I went to go meet my new foster, I had a choice to pick one of two, there was one really hyperactive black furred, long-eared rabbit that sort of scared me a bit. And then, and then there was this gorgeous tiny little black, white, and tan rabbit with the smallest ears and the whitest of white “eyeliner.” I knew she was ours. We brought her home and loved on her, I doted on her like she was a baby we had brought home. It filled that “missing” feeling. I fell in love and never turned back, we fostered two more and adopted one of them! Now we are fostering another girl named Hazel with a cute face and a funny attitude.
So, why rabbits then? Well, there are so many reasons! No early morning walks, no slobbery kisses, no poo to pick up after, no crazy loud barking, and no need to worry about kenneling! Also, no smelly litter boxes (My rabbits are house trained, so they do use a litter box, but their poops are so small so it’s not as smelly!), No getting up on counter-tops, or behind refrigerators! They can’t fly, and no aquarium to clean out! What is the best thing in the entire world, though? Once you get to know them, and they get to know you, some rabbits are the best couch snugglers. They will hang with you on the couch and watch your favorite movie with you, even if they think the plot line's dumb.
