Mimzy, I am glad you posted this. I feel similarly but couldn’t have expressed it that well.
Ever since my dog passed away in my arms two years ago after having been with me for ten years, I feel so strongly in my worry it could happen again…
I, too, live far from any assistance, and many bad things, unexpectedly have come our way… I feel every day is a good day where we are all just still here!
I never quite know what to say to someone who has just suffered a loss, because what can you say? I guess, I could say that I know the feeling and that it lasts. But, i hope that everyone who loses a beloved pet will find it in their heart to rescue another again…

I does seem to be a particularly sad time. It’s one of thing we have to “be prepared for” if you can do such a thing. More like accept that we will lose those pets we love at some point. But it is so sad to hear when others are going thru it. We may feel empathetic because we KNOW how much it can shock, hurt or upset a person. Just that empathy offers a safer environment for anyone who is grieving to try and express this grief and not feel vulnerable or that they’d be ridiculed.

I guess some balance helps. Yes these sad things will happen but there’s much joy to be had and to remember also. I always to visit the support and rescue forums even though when Support was first established, I thought I’d end up avoiding it. I like to farewell the buns I’ve gotten to know thru their caregivers and like to let that person know we feel for them. Afterward, I have to visit the lounge to fill up on something lighthearted to regain some balance.  To remind myself of the reason why we let animals into our lives.

I feel the same way… It’s heartbreaking for me. Very rarely can I read a support thread without getting teary eyed (or worse). I still get sad thinking about Rucy, Kokanee, and Baby Bun and others that I got to know immediately upon arriving at BinkyBunny. It’s just life. I can’t read these threads without my mind going to my own, the ones I have and the ones who have passed.

It is very sad. My rabbits are now older though so I’m coming to expect that they may cross the bridge soon which is why when I get home I run up to the rabbits room and check to make sure everyone is okay.

I have a drawer full of boxes of the rabbits (and one cat) I have cremated and I know I will have 9 more one day and wonder what am I going to do with these boxes, it’s too sad to keep them around.

I was discussing this with the receptionists at the vet’s office when I put Jingles to sleep and they have a difficult time with this too.

I stay away from the support threads for that very reason. It may seem heartless of me to not even venture in there but I know what I can and can’t handle…and loss is one of the things I don’t handle well. I do send heart-healing vibes to all of those who have lost a loved-bun, I’m just not good with expressing it.

Sarita, if the ashes make you sad, perhaps you might think about scattering them somewhere where you think those beloved pets would want to be… such as in a part of your yard where they used to play, or maybe in a park where you could imagine them running around happily.

We had to put our childhood dog, Bella, to sleep two weeks ago, and it was one of the most difficult experiences of my life. I held her as her head dropped into my hand and she drifted away. She had serious lung cancer, and it would have been painful for her to be kept alive. When we get her ashes, we are going to scatter them in the yard where she used to run around and roll in the grass.

Anyway, it might help the sadness knowing that their ashes are in a place that they would have loved.

There are times when I need to take a break from one board or another because of sadness.  I want to help, but I know that my emotional resources are limited.  Getting into a state because of others’ pain such that it interferes with the things I have to do doesn’t help either them or myself.  So I give what I can, and when I can’t I step away.

Last night I read a post from a woman on another forum who recently lost a much beloved bunny after many years.  She was devastated.  She was looking at adopting another but felt pressured to take on more than she could handle because there are so many buns who need help.  But you can’t save them all, and we all encouraged her to wait until she was ready.    Well, last night she posted that she had been chosen by a sweet Himmy girl at the shelter whose new name is Journey.  Her story was so moving I’m sniffling just writing about it. 

So if I’m not on the Support forum, it’s not because I don’t care, but because I have only so much energy to give without burning out.

I was actually hit with a bout last night about Tippy and Nadia at SaveABunny and was beginning to wonder how I could bring them home with me. But it would mean my eviction.

There will always be too many little ones. All we can do is take care of those that we can and try to educate others so that there are less of them in the kennels.

Yes it does hurt.  For some of us it gets to be too much.   We do what we can.   As you all know it took me a year to be able to talk about Laith and put his place in the support section. 

It does seem like we have members who have lost so much lately.  I hope the Grim Bunny Reaper takes a long long holiday.

MM, You have been braced for the worst for many, many months now, and it is taking it’s toll. While it is a blessing that you still have the dogs, you still know in the back of your mind that they have fatal illnesses that may endanger them at any time again soon. That’s like waiting for the shoe to drop. It’s a stressful way to live, and with so many furbabies, there’s more opportunity for the unexpected crisis. Add to that your big heart and compassion for our online friends and it’s a great deal of sadness. I also think that we haven’t heard from some of our members lately that have healthy bunnies, but have just been too busy to post so we’re missing them too a bit.

For some reason it seems that the change of season can have the effect of deaths and illnesses hitting at once. With so many of our bunnies at different ages or stages of health, it’s bound to be a part of our posts to lose several of them sometimes. They have such individual personalities that we miss them as the adorable unique babies that they are. I am at this moment paying attention to all the bunnies here, while Sammy ignored me, went into her basket in the other room, and I am neglecting her. Think of it as having a huge family of cousins, and we just write to each other weekly or daily. People used to do that all the time.

So just blow your nose. Use a hanky. That’s what it’s for.

Go play with the kitties. They need a little attention. We’ll be here when you get back. {{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}}}

I agree with a lot of you too.There’s some days I go to the support section,& I just start bawling . Maybe it’s becouse I’m too sensitive,or maybe it’s becouse I know my dog CoCo will probally be leaving me soon. I’m not going to lie, it does suck.

  I’ve had CoCo since I was ten, & I’ll be seventeen in july. She’s been with me since I was a little shy nerdy kid, up to the outgoing very social person I am now. She’s always had health issues, but it’s getting to be really bad. She dosn’t have cancer, but she gets sick so easily. Last week at her checkup, the vet said she’s getting a lot worse. She only has up to six months. I thought a lot if I should put her down but I decided not to. If she gets any worse I am.

 Anyway sorry got of topic. The point is, is that we can’t stress over it. When it’s there time to go, it’s there time to go. We can’t do anthing about it no matter how much we want to.

Support threads always make me sad, but I help comfort as much as I can. One of my very good friends just had her first ferret die. He died in her and her sister’s arms. It was so sudden, too. They were on a trip, got a call from their mom saying Weezer (the ferret) wasn’t doing well, went home as soon as they can, and about 24 hours later he died. While they were holding him he started having seizures then shut his eyes and stopped breathing. Watching your pet in such a vulnerable state and so ill they can’t lift their head is hard. I’m not sure what I’ll do when my pets die :[.

There’s a novel called “Christy,” based on the true experiences of a young missionary to the Appalachian Mountains in the 30s. There’s a funeral scene in the book where a main character (and a woman, no less!) delivers a sermonette about how death is a part of life, and how we don’t question God’s plan when things are going as we wish. Regardless of one’s faith, it’s worth reading the novel just to understand her view of life.

Yeah, I can easily get overwhelmed, too, with what seems to be a pile up of heartbreak. (After I become a mom, it took me a good 10 years to be able to watch the evening news again.) I just have to make sure I don’t add imaginary (but possible) pain to the pile before it even happens. And I say this as we wait for the results on my daughter’s blood test today for celiac disease.

As far as the original question – “Am I just too sensitive?” – No! The whole planet would benefit from an increase in empathy and “open-heartedness.” As a volunteer for the American Red Cross, I helped people as they were staring at the smoldering foundations of their homes, and made death notifications to military personnel in the middle of the night. Yes, it’s hard. Yes, it stays with you. But what also lasts is knowing I helped on someone’s terrible day.

The furbabies in my home will eventually take their place in the line of graves in my back yard. My mom will someday lie down next to my dad’s fresh grave. The way my husband takes care of himself, I’ll be a young widow. But would I give up a moment of loving them today? Would I turn my back on the good and bad times of my neighbors? Nope, I want to feel every single moment of this life, even if that includes bad ones. The world is just so fiercely beautiful. Even the smallest bunny binky proves it.

How lucky are we that we get to love enough to understand loss!

zorba the Greek     Love that show.     They tried to stop the townspeople from stoning the woman but they killed her anyways.  Afterwards Anthony Quinn says something like    She is gone now there is nothing more we can do.  

Yeah I had imagined horrible things for Cotton the other day.   I feel better now.  No matter what I will do my best for my furbabies as we all do.

They should be with me for a long time to come.  Cotton will be ok.  His lip will heal.  No point in scaring myself with mind meanderings of the worse thing to come.

Mark Twain said something like         I have spent so much time worrying about things that never happened.   

That statement may not have much to do with this subject tho.  I feel better today about Cotton and MimzMum I hope you aren’t as sad now.

Hmmm Christy  sounds like a good read.

OH and Mimzmum we are glad you care

I remember when I got my first rabbit, I would wake up in the middle of the night just to make sure that she was still breathing. I was so worried that she would die. Probably because I had read that rabbits can be fragile and I was scared half to death to pick her up for fear that she would kick too hard and hurt herself. I have gotten more comfortable with my rabbits. I was always really protective of her and was completely heartbroken when she passed. She was adorable and very sweet. It didn’t take long to find new bunny love. <33

I know how hard it is to lose a loved one or even to hear about it. I’m sorry to all of you who have lost a loved one whether it was a cat, rabbit, dog, ferret or loving human. It can be so hard but we must remember the happy times. That always helps me when I start to miss her.

It is so sad when they go, but there are so many that need homes. I got Charlie(that’s what I named the mini rex Charlie thesecond) 2 weeks after losing Spot. The shelter asked me twice how many rabbits I had and I said 5 now. They said do you want more? They just have so many.

I know when Pinky goes I will get another. It is something I worry about every day because he is 9. I know he can be gone when I get home or when I wake up. I try to make him as comfortable as possible, he has a big fluffy bed that he loves and I just got him a dog litter box because the sides are low and he is so happy. He and Sara Jane kick out more poops I think but thay’s OK. As long as he’s happy.

Now I’m rambling.

Posted By GHbun on 06/11/2009 03:32 PM 
The world is just so fiercely beautiful. Even the smallest bunny binky proves it.

How lucky are we that we get to love enough to understand loss!

I just love what you wrote.  Ditto MimzMum – beautifully put!