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And so a new year begins

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When I woke up this morning I was sad, because I discovered that my rabbit Sally had dug out of her pen* and disappeared.  I had brought out a handful of parsley for her and found the big hole under the fence wire, and no wabbit.

I was bummed.  Just yesterday morning there was a coyote on the lawn that took off when I let the dogs out in hot pursuit.

But as I was feeding the chickens I espied out of the corner of my eye TWooie pushing something along the upper field with his nose.  It was Sally!  He was nudging her along in the direction of home., sticking his nose under her butt and shoving her forward every time she stopped moving.

I panicked, because I have seen TWooie tear a wild bunny in half on more than one occasion.  I dropped the chicken food and flew out of the pen screeching “LEAVE IT!  SALLY?  NO TWOOIE LEAVE IT!!  COME HERE SALLY!”

Sally heard me and began running as fast as her fat little legs could go.  TWooie sat down and watched her run to me.  She stood up with her paws against my knees and I scooped her up into my arms.  She was filthy dirty, but no worse for wear, and snuggled into my neck.  TWooie just sat and watched, Flambe™ wagging away merrily.

I don’t know why he didn’t eat her…maybe she was too big (she’s really big) for his skillz.  Maybe she smelled like The Food Lady’s menagerie.  Maybe he knew it wasn’t worth the savage beating he would receive if he ate my damn rabbit, because I can run really fast!

But whatever the reason, Sally is safe and sound back in her new pen, and TWooie got a big ass cookie.

So this is our wish for you in 2013:  May you go your own way and have many exciting adventures, with friends to help out when you get a little lost, and safe, loving arms to come home to when you’re done.

Happy New Year everyone!

(*just so I don’t get verbal tongue lashings from rabbity activists everywhere, please let it be known that Sally has always lived outside; she lived outside at the shelter for 4 years before I brought her home.  She doesn’t like living inside, and is accustomed to having a much larger living space than she could have inside my home anyway … because I’m not counting this one-time pass as an indication of Sally’s general safety around The TWoo!)

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Comments

  1. Happy New Year FL! Wishing you and yours all the best for 2013! I also look forward to your escapades in the coming year!

  2. Really amazing story! Bodes well for the rest of year, I hope. Happy New Year, Food Lady and crew!

  3. It’s great to read a happy story to start the new year. Love to you and all your four footed friends.

  5. Aw, I think you are selling TWooie short. He found Sally and brought her back to you. That was BRILLIANT! He’s one smart cookie. I’m sure he’s well aware of Sally’s place in the family versus “wild wabbits.”

    Glad it all turned out well!

  8. I have a number of small animal murderers (before I rescued them) I find it fascinating that they all co exist with ‘their’ animals (ferrets, bunnies, cats, quail) but would murder their wild cousins without compunction. I always leave new animals in their cages for a few weeks to be got used to, and then they are all fine.

  10. My dogs and cats seem to be able to tell the difference between little critters in our family vs. wild ones too. My BCs have no reservations about trying to chase down a squirrel or even a cat crossing the yard (though they never succeed…), but would never even eyeball our cats, rats, or mice. We even had 2 rescue ducklings growing up in the house for a while. Dogs are amazing sometimes. Good going, TWooie.

    Happy New Year, Food Lady!

  11. i dont know how he knew, but i’m mighty glad he did! and that he took it upon himself to shuffle her along home. i’d love to know what it is that makes animals consider themselves and each other part of the pack. escapes occasionally happen despite our best attempts to prevent them.

  13. Twooie KNEW that Sally was part of the pack and didn’t belong where he found her. He is a Very Good Boy today. :)

    And having lived with two psychotic house rabbits for 10 years (before we got our English Shepherd,) I can tell you that many domestic bunnies will “explain life” to dogs just as quickly as will the family cat. I have a neighbor’s dog who was terrified of rabbits for the rest of her life after one encounter with my Sassy.

    Happy New Year to you and ALL your beasties! :)

  14. I don’t know how I/we ever did it, but somehow my dogs went after squirrels (sorry) but never rabbits. “Leave the bunny alone,” I would cry.

  16. May 2013 give you many adventures that end happily, may your pets pleasantly surprise you with their accomplishments (are you listening, Dexter?), and may health reign throughout the FL land!

  17. I’m also impressed by TWooie’s forbearance, good for him. Happy New Year, with good luck and prosperity, to you and your menagerie, Food Lady. :)

  19. Twooie knows you don’t eat “family” but how clever of him to herd Sally home. And how clever of Sally not to run until she saw a safe haven in you – running w/o you in sight might have triggered Twooie’s prey drive.

    Happy New Year to you and yours – may 2013 be kind to you and all your critters.

  20. I’m very happy that Sally is safely returned to you! Squinting at photos of TWooie, I do think I see the faint gleam of a halo … Oh wait, that was a smudge on my monitor. Never mind.

  22. What a very good omen for you and your pack in the New Year! Good boy Twooie!

  23. I agree with other posters, I think Twooie was trying help by bringing a family member home. That is an awesome story. I am glad it all worked out happily. I know during our (thankfully) brief stint with a snake in residence, the mice for the snake would escape and our dog would stand at attention where the mice were but would not attempt to get them herself. This was a big difference from the one time she was in the kitchen and a wild mouse ran across the floor.

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