Tonight our local veterinarian took Ruffalo, the rabbit we unexpectedly inherited. Ruffy is a cute bunny, friendly and energetic. He needed a better home than we could provide. If we didn’t have two rabbits already, he would have stayed with us.
I am sad to see Ruffy go. He was part of our family. But he needs a better family. The vet deeply loves animals, and I am confident she will find him a home. Yesterday, she sent out an e-mail to people she knows at National Institutes of Health (I provided photos). Several people asked about taking Ruffy. The vet may even keep him. She reminisced about the days when an Angora bunny hoped around the office and people would come by just to gawk at her.
We tried to be as responsible as possible with Ruff. He came to us in a large bin. We set him up with a new cage and all the fixins’ a house bunny should need.
The vet told me that pet abandonment is a common scenario. Worst is when people haplessly let discarded animals loose in the woods. Rabbits are cute. But like any other pet, they are lots of work. They are a commitment. Some people expect cute and easy instead of cute and work. And if too much work, the bunny could be discarded.
Considering how many people badly treat other people, it’s not surprising the disregard they have for animals. I find that behavior strange, because anything you love becomes part of you. We loved Ruffy for the short time he stayed with us, which is why he felt part of the family.
But we also loved him enough to let him go. With two other rabbits, we couldn’t give Ruff all the love—and the freedom to run around—that he needed. I asked the vet for help, because I know she cares about the animals.
Bye, Ruff. May your new home be best.