Sad, yet all too familiar story

[annette Sibert]

My heart nearly broke yesterday.  Here’s the story:

My coworker’s hunting dog caught 2 wild baby buns in his mouth 4 months ago.  Of course coworkers daughter (age 9) wanted to keep them.  He know’s I’m  pretty bunny savvy as I have 3 so he asked me for advice….I told him not to let her keep them! and that she isn’t old enough or knowledgeable enough to care for 2 wild buns- and that she’d get sick of them and it would be too late to let the buns go back in the wild.  Well he let her anyway and I let him borrow one of my nicer cages ( b/c she was going to keep them in a box!), printed off all the diet and care info I could find and helped out as much as I could to see that the bun would be well taken car of.  

Fast forwad 4 months to present: Daughter is sick of bun (one died) and wants to let it go in the front yard.  Well, she did.  And guess what, the dog got the bunny- again.  It messed it’s back right leg up so bad the bunny couldn’t even lay down. And it’s tail was broken.  I went over there last night after I’d found out what happened (he didn’t tell me unil a week after the dog got to the bun) and I was LIVID!  It’s animal cruelty… how could ppl just let an innocent little bun suffer like that- he knew his dog would get the bun agian but didn’t care!   They had no intention of bringing it to the vet, and I had told him numerous times to drop it off at the wildlife rescue center if he didn’t want it.  It was so sad- when I saw the bun last night it was in my cage- with nothing protecting it’s feet from the cross grid bottom, it had urin scald, it’s leg was sticking out at a sickening angle and there was diahrea all over the place.   I cried the whole way to the wildlife rescue center thinking to myself that I should have been more forcefull with my coworker- but I can’t piss him off, he’s a manager so I think I did everything I could.  

Oh, and do you know what he said when I told him the bunny was in serious pain from it’s injuries?  He said that it wasn’t that bad because bunnies don’t have as developed a nerve system as we do- and while that may be somewhat true it doesn’t mean that they don’t feel pain!  AAAARRRG!  It’s too much!  Too much callous, uncaring, ignorant B.S.! (I’m only using angry faces on this post  lol)

I’m so sad! 

 

BTW: the daughter also caught 2 baby squirrels 3 weeks ago (probably why she didn’t want the bunny anymore)- and she said that one died because it was choking on something in it’s cage…I imagine she watched it choke to death- not knowing what was happening or what to do.  WHAT is WRONG with some people?  This family is a good family- well I thought they were but I don’t know anymore.  The way ppl treat animals says a lot about them.  

[Deleted User]

how sad….sounds like the daughter is very spoiled. i can see letting bunnies come inside, but squirrels??? what if these animals have diseases? you can’t just bring in a wild animal w/out taking it to a vet. but any vet in their mind would tell a person they can’t keep a wild bunny.

UGH…how frustrating! You did everything you could! you couldn’t force your co-worker to do anything. its really not even the little girls fault, her parents need to have more common sense!

[annette Sibert]

Yeah, your right.  The girl was so excited to have it at first and did the best she could taking care of it…at first. 

I asked the same question about the diseases on wild animals but he just shrugged it off.

[Sarita]

Sounds like a child out of control to me.

[Kokaneeandkahlua]

OMG

First *HUGS* You tried, and you got it to the wildlife rescue. You did good. *hugs*

Second *looks around* where is my torch and pitchfork?? FFFFFFFTTTTTTTTT some people!!! And he’s raising ignorant callous children to boot!!
How do you feel about posting his info here so we can flame him? *(ok, maybe not the best idea, I tend to react then think…)

[Beka27]

Posted By Sarita on 10/03/2008 11:48 AM
Sounds like a child out of control to me.

i second this.  poor bun.

[bunnytowne]

You know people like that…. I would just love to see that person break his leg    and we just leave him like that for weeks saying ohh your nervous system isn’t that developed to feel much pain. It is nothing.  And just leave him like that.

My son’s favorite is  take the dude beat the heck out of him til he is half dead and leave him under a bridge and let him feel no one cares if he lives or dies.  See how he lkes it.

[LittlePuffyTail]

That breaks my heart too. So what is going to happen to the bunny? Is it just going to suffer until it dies? Is there no one who can do anything?

I hear that all the time: Kid got sick of rabbit or cat or pony or whatever. When I was a kid I cherished my cat with all my heart and I wanted more animals to love and care for! That cat was the best friend in the world to me. How can a kid get sick of an adorable little animal!!!

I think that little girl needs a good firm back hand! Sorry, but that’s how I feel! There are way too many spoiled brats out there who get pets. You want to spoil your kid and buy them bikes and barbies, fine… but don’t drag an innocent animal into your crappy parenting.

[Beka27]

^^^you hit the nail on the head… a pet to a small child (to SOME small children) is no different than a stuffed animal/barbie/bike/board game. it’s a belonging, a personal possession and they will get tired of it and that’s when the parents either step in and fulfill the responsibility to the animal, or they throw their arms up and say “oh well. whatever…” this particular bun is a wild animal and should not have been treated as a domestic in the first place… but i guess it’s too late now for that argument.

[jerseygirl]

Your co-worker asked for your advice (and disregarded it anyway!) but in my book, he invited you into this so I think you should be able to say what needs to be said. Despite his seniority in the office. I understand your hesitation though and don’t envy your posistion.

You said after seeing it you went to the wildlife rescue centre. I missed something – were you able to take the bun in after all?

[RachelF]

What a sad story. I hope the bun has a pain free life at the wildlife center or atleast gets to go to bunny heaven, becaue I can’t see how a bunny with a bad leg and broken tail can have any kind of a life.

I’m sitting here next to my little girl, wondering how anyone could ever mistreat a bun.. or any animal. even on accident.

 

[MimzMum]

I would suggest, that, if they allow you to take the baby bun to the Wildlife Rescue, you should let them or the authorities know there is mistreatment of animals going on in your neighborhood. Request anonymity and if the neighbor asks you why the cops are coming to his house, deny everything. He doesn’t deserve the courtesy of knowing you were the one who did the right thing. I realize jobs are sensitive things we need to hold on to when we can, but this sounds like a situation that could escalate to other undesirable things. I wonder at the mental stability of that child, sounds like she doesn’t have much of a father.

Poor bunny. I hate to say it, but with all the abuse it’s suffered, I can only hope a way is seen clear to having it put down, how can it survive after all it’s been through? Someone needs to take that dog in charge too, it doesn’t sound any better disciplined than the girl.

Sorry if I sound peevish. I just don’t have patience for this kind of thing. People know better than to treat animals this way, they simply choose not to.

[annette Sibert]

I took the bun “Butters” to the wildlife rescue right after I picked him up. They will rehabilitate him and eventually release him back into the wild. I also donated some money because thats how those places survive and thankgod for them! I still feel so sad for him because even if he is released….what chance will he have? How do wild buns acclamate to new surroundings when they are solo in a new enviornment? I can just picture him scared and alone in the big countryside….prey at every moment. Although the lady at the rescue said that there were a number of baby buns there- one with a broken spine- so hopefully Butters will be released along with them so he’s not alone.

I think that Butters still has a chance…his leg will always be crooked and slightly unhinged but he still managed to move along with it. This has been a very sobering experience. Poor little guy : (

[osprey]

There are special sanctuaries here where injured wild animals can live, but still be protected from predators. We ended up with a baby cottontail once, and that is where she went. Perhaps the rehabbers have a similar place in your area.

[LittlePuffyTail]

I’m glad to hear he was taken away from those horrible people. I think that’s great that there is a wildlife rehabilitation that is willing to help and is not just going to euthanize him.

[Author]

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