Almost daily diary!

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

The first casualties

20 months ago I picked up two lovely bunnies from a rescue centre in Wiltshire. We (the children and I) had been asking for pets for years and one morning, at breakfast time, we were all whinging on about having rabbits (though I wanted a cat) and Husband suddenly said, "Well why don't you go ahead and get one then?"

I remember that Saturday morning, we were all very excited. We trawled the web for re-homing centers and came upon one in Wiltshire, run by a very dedicated but totally loopy woman who lived and breathed bunnies (as I'm sure you have to when you do that sort of job). The web site was very exciting. There were lots of photos of all the bunnies available, little bits of text about them and loads of info about what they needed in day to day care.

We didn't rush in straight away. We took our time, did some research and waited for the right pair of bunnies to become available! 

It was a warm sunny day when I went to pick them up. They were lovely and warm and bunny cuddly. The children were at school and I knew how pleased they would be to come home and see their bunnies at last.

That was 20 months ago.

The children's enthusiasm wained gradually, as I knew it would. I took on the responsibility of looking after them without question. I always knew it would be up to me and I re-homed them knowing I could look after them, 20 months ago.

But now things are different. They, the bunnies, are the first noticeable casualties of this family breakdown. I am being practical, in the future there may be no room to keep them, and believe it or not they cost a huge amount of money to keep. So it has always been part of the plan to sort them out somewhere else to live, if they were still alive that was. And they are very much still alive and kicking.Today I spoke to the re homing centre again, she said she could take them in within the next three weeks or not until September. So, this Saturday, I will take them back. The children don't know yet, though we have recently discussed the fact that the bunnies may have to go.

I know rabbits are by no means anywhere near the most important thing to sort out in a marriage breakdown, but to me it is one little symbolic step towards moving on. Yet I can't help remembering that when I brought them home, 20 months ago, I took on a responsibility that I now, have not fulfilled. 

Yet somewhere, perhaps not so far away, there will be a happy little family trawling through the web pages of the re-homimg centre, excitedly looking for bunnies to adopt, waiting for the right ones to come along. Strange how things turn out.


15 comments:

Eternal Worrier said...

We brought the girls 2 Guinea Pigs once. Unknown to us they were both with child. I sexed the resulting babies (wrongly) and a few months later we had more. Yep ended up with 11 of the things. I had to build a special run for them. At feeding time it was like being at the zoo. And the same as your rabbits, our girls quickly forgot them. On the subject of pets sometimes when I walk past my old back gate (you know the one) I reach up and give Moses the cat a scratch behind the ear. He’s looking old now but maybe he thinks that of me if he still remembers LoL.

Maggie May said...

Aw....... hope they find someone really kind. It is a great pity when the pets have to go.
That's the problem with pets, though, even a gold fish is a responsibility, when things go wrong.
Good luck with the rehoming/parting.

Steve said...

Life is full of lots of little endings and they are all sad in their way. It's how we cope with them that counts and it's best done in the knowledge that all endings are beginnings too.

Kitty said...

My kids aren't very good at looking after Herbie the hamster anymore either. Such is the way.

Don't beat yourself up about the rabbits. You have acted responsibly and are continuing to act responsibly in making sure they are well cared for at a time when you know you might not be able to provide for them in the foreseeable future. It's a bit of an anology for the way your life might have to be for a bit - you do what you have to do, at the time you have to do it. It's the only think you can do.

(((hugs))) x

Marvin -The Hollow Hound said...

och, don't worry about the bunnies, they will be fine, you are doin the right thing.

At least, remember this, we had Thumper, the Bunny, resident Rabbit for quite a while, sadly when husband and i were away on holiday, leaving kids and Rabbit with Mother In Law here who was kids and Rabbit sitting with the kids, Thumper endured an illness, and Mother In Law would not allow my kids to call the vet...."too expensive" and all that rubbish.

So we arrived home to a very Stiff Rabbit in a plastic bag in the hall and two very upset kids.

So things are always worse, somewhere else.

don't fret, it will all be ok.

I wish you good and blameless sleep.

Letty Who again has just realised she is logged in as her dog.....

nick said...

I guess the children won't be too upset if their enthusiasm for the bunnies waned some time ago. But the question is, will you be sad? You've been looking after them for quite some time, after all. Still, at least you'll know they're going on to a good home.

Suburbia said...

Yes Nick, I think I will be sad.

Furtheron said...

circle of life... second lyric that came to mind on a bloggers post today. I seem to live my entire life in a song lyric...

You haven't let the bunnies down, you have cared from them and continue to do so by making this move now take a positive from it.

MissKris said...

I'm going thru the exact same thing with our beloved dog at the moment. In fact, this morning my daughter is taking her back to the breeder's to have her re-homed. After tons of soul-searching and deep regret, I've come to the conclusion it's more cruel to keep her than it is to let her go. As life gets more and more hectic caring for the grandboys, she gets pushed back further and further and she's not getting anywhere near the attention or affection she most certainly deserves. All she's getting is tormented by the youngest, stressed out beyond all measure from their noise and energy, and I have nothing left at the end of the day to give her. She deserves soooooooooooooooooooo much more. I'm hoping she'll find some sweet old couple, a lonely widow...someone who has all the time in the world to sit and adore her 24/7, which is what she wants and needs. It is breaking my heart but it's also breaking my heart watching her be so miserable day to day. One of life's most difficult decisions I've faced yet.

Liz Hinds said...

I'm sure they'll find a good home. From what I've seen of rabbits they don't get especially attached to their owners, other than as a source of food.

Glad your weekend was so good. Plenty to look forward to.

Reasons said...

Mmmm these things do happen. We had to re-home our cat when we rented in Canada because we needed a bigger home for our 2nd child and couldn't take the cat to the place we rented.

It's hard, especially more for you I realise, but better once it's over and done with.

Best wishes x

Rose said...

I'm sure the bunnies will be fine, and I don't know if they are as attached to their owners as dogs are. At least you are making sure they do have a good home. I know it's sad to have to give them up, but it could be worse...if you remember my sad tale of Buddy, the only bunny we ever had. You have managed to give them a good home and take care of them for 20 months.

BS5 Blogger said...

Focus on the positive! Everyone had 20 months of delight and as you say, on they go to another happy adventure; it's not like you put them in a pot or just carelessly released them in the woods.

MissKris said...

Just a little update on our dilemma here. My d-i-l's mother in Texas is taking our Chloe dog. D-i-l and her brother are driving down to Reno on the Memorial Day holiday to meet their mom there and drop Chloe off. The kids already have her with them now, 'til the time comes, because the grandbabies are hardly there except at bedtime during the week. The house is so quiet and empty without her, once the babies leave in the late afternoon...but this is at least a solution we can all live with, knowing she'll still be with 'family'.

Saz said...

I have inherited my daughters bunny named twitch....she had her forever....and l wonder how long I can keep her going and going....she wont let me find her a new home..so l'm lumbered, she is sweet but does nothing all day long....such is life...hey ho..l think she must be about 9!!