I haven’t yet had to do it on my own – mine have all died on their own – not always in favorable circumstances though and that was hard too. Sometimes I wish I had known sooner and put them down without any suffering but that doesn’t always happen as rabbits are silent creatures.

I’ve had to make that decision for a few rabbits at the sanctuary I help at though and I know I made the right decision as they were suffering. I cried but I know the rabbits were relieved to be put out of their suffering.

Yes I think it is much better to euthanize when it’s needed then to let them struggle on for our own guilt. You definitley did the right and humane thing. Laith is at rainbow bridge waiting happily (for a long time!) for you. Don’t worry. How long has it been bunnytowne? It’s hard to lose a pet.

*Binky Free Laith*

Oh bunnytowne, I am in tears just reading your touching post! ;_; I know, it is SO hard to have to make that decision! Mim and Pip are my first bunnies (besides a trio that I had as a child but was too young to take care of-so they were sent away) but I have had to put down a few cats and dogs…but the worst by far was watching my 12 year old cat go on his own. He had some kind of stroke or something and literally suffocated in my arms. It was AWFUL!!
Not a nice thing to talk about, I know, but I just wanted to emphasize that you did the right thing. I know you miss Laith, heck I miss him and didn’t even know him! But he is waiting for you, (I agree, a long time from now, but time doesn’t count on the other side of the Rainbow Bridge), and he comes to you in your dreams. When he does, give him a loving noserub and tell him you’ll see him someday and that you know he loves you!

Hang in there, dear, time will heal your wounds!

bunnytowne,

You love your bunnies so much that I would never doubt that you did everything for him and it was the right decision.

Spockie was so very ill his last day, and he wanted me to hold him all morning while my mother drove us to the vet, I knew for the last time. I had mentally prepared myself to have him put to sleep. (I had to do that years ago with my cat, Lambchop, who had 75% kidney failure. It was so hard.) When I was holding Spockie on the vet’s table, before she arrived there, he actually died at that moment, encircled by my arms. I was just praying to have him stop suffering. I admit I was grateful that he went naturally, but I had no doubt at that moment that it was his time and it would have been the right thing to do as well.

It an awful decision but sometimes we have to do these things and make decisions … even though we don’t want to … we must think of our pet and do what is best for them not think what we want.

Lily died at 12 months … she had floppy bunny syndrome … 2nd time but unfortunately she died at home … I was sleeping next to her and when I woke she had passed away.  I felt like C R A P!

I know you just never forget … and we miss them all.

Dawn xx

It’s not a hard decision for me, if they are suffering and cannot be cured I would rather their suffering end. I love them dearly and miss them heaps but they will not suffer any more. It’s ashame we can’t do that in the human population.

Bunnytowne, I am so sorry for your loss and guilt will always be part of the process. After a while you forgot how much they actually were suffering and remember them more they way they were and that is when the guilt hits. I have had to go through this so many times in the past 3 years since all my animals were in the same age range, you fix one problem, but because of multiple health issues, the cure impacts other things.

You have made the right decision, bunnies don’t linger and they hide their illness and pain so by the time it is visible, it really is a mercy and act of love on your part.