I am so mad at this bunny I don't quite know what to do. This bunny and I have been buddies. He lives under my neighbor's deck - happily coexisting for the last year and a half or so. At least until yesterday.
Tom called yesterday morning early to tell me to keep an eye on Maggie. He said she had eaten something out in the yard. Usually this means clumps of grass. But that was not the case. When I let her and Charlie out later in the day they made a beeline for the garden and wouldn't come out. When she did - she had a mouth full of baby bunny. I was shrieking and chasing and she had totally forgotten what "Drop It!" meant. I just couldn't bring myself to grab it out of her mouth as it was obviously dead. She finally ran up on the porch and dropped what was left.
So, The Public Enemy has been one of the smartest bunnies I have ever met. I've fed him/her and talked and photographed. But why in the world would they put the babies on this side of the fence when they have been so very smart up until now?
I love bunnies - doesn't everybody? And now I have to look at my little lady, knowing that she is a cold blooded killer.
Awe that is to bad :( It would make me mad and sad too!!! You never know how or what a dog will do. I luv bunnies too but we don't have many around here.
You have come F2F with Nature in the raw and it is not a pretty picture. If it is any comfort, the reason rabbits reproduce like, well rabbits, is that Nature knows a certain number of young will not survive babyhood. I hope you can overlook Maggie's transgression and understand she was just, "Doin' what comes naturally!"
It's nature... Dogs are hunters. Mine have killed snakes, birds and lizards and are always proud of themselves for doing so. Usually they don't eat them, they leave them on our door step. I had to take a rainbow lorikeet to the vet one time, our dogs hurt it. I don't think it survived
Love your sad story - but however cruel it may seem , animals can not help for their natural instincts, no matter how we , humans try to intervene
Do you think the babies had wandered from the nest ?
Aww! I say get rid of the dog!!! No? well then sad as it is what can be done? Thanks for not posting a picture of the offering. This is a much cuter shot to be sure.
Our dog used to catch the babies (very quickly- like snatch) then bring them home unharmed! But they were retrievers and that's their natural instinct! I think the family is doomed and nothing can be done about it! Apart from that there could be eight babies there and you don't want 7 (now) running around the area eating everything in sight!
Oh, that's so sad! But do you really know that Maggie killed the bunny? Or was it already dead when she found it? When Murphy found the baby bunny in our yard, I did some research to find out what to do with the bunny. The website said to put the baby back in the nest, not to worry if the mother was no where to be seen - they never come near the nest in the daytime, but only stay with the babies at night. Perhaps your mother bunny knew there was something wrong with her litter and left them in your yard?
Oh, that is a sad, sad story. I am sorry you had that ugliness in your safe haven of a backyard. :0( Maybe elkehochban is right...who knows what happened exactly.... But it it sad either way.
Cathy I have 5 dogs and I have yet to understand why the local wildlife (especially bunnies) insist on coming into my fenced yard......I have come to the conclusion my dogs are cleansing the gene pool! Dogs will do what dogs do!
That is a sad story. Bunnies are not always very smart sometimes. Several years ago a mother bunny had babies right off my patio in a planter and even though I made my kitty stay inside until I thought they left, she found them anyway and caught some of them Bad kitty.
Anyway, this is a really cute shot and I love your perspective.
Awwh...that is so true..everyone loves bunnies!! :)....hope some of them made it! If not i bet it taught her a lesson and you know bunnies!! They will make more soon! sorry about the loss! :(
Do you think the babies had wandered from the nest ?
( I don't mean this to sound as harsh as it does)
Anyway, this is a really cute shot and I love your perspective.