Free the Bunnies!

We used to take our rabbit for walks. I bought an adorable little harness that was special made just for rabbits. It looked more like a little mesh vest and was absolutely precious on our little grey bunny. At first I was going to buy a pink and brown vest because I thought it was cute but Brooke insisted we get the blue and brown one because "Dusty" is a boy and might feel dumb wearing pink. We also bought a very expensive leash with a bungy feature so that if Dusty decided to hop he wouldne't be hindered. We were ready. We loaded our new finds into the van and drove home to present them to the rabbit.

It took me and the girls a good forty-five minutes to get the harness securely fastened onto the rabbit without securing half his fur with it. Then we were off. We made it to the front yard before Dusty made a mad dash for the nearest bush, pulling as hard as he could on the bungy leash. It reminded me of a cartoon rabbit kicking up dust behind him, but going absolutely nowhere. We forced him to get back on track and started down the sidewalk again. The next time I looked back Brooke was dragging the poor thing like a stuffed toy. His bum was firmly planted, large back paws stretched out in front, it was a sight to behold.

We ended up carrying him down the street. When we came to our neighbors yard we let him go explore. He loves their pine tree. Then I got another brilliant idea. I thought maybe our bunny would like to have a play date with the neighbor's bunny. I had the girls knock on the Coate's door and ask if "Super Bon Bon" could come out and play.

Super Bon Bon is a giant white rabbit, bigger than some small dogs, with eerie red eyes. But he's the most gentle and sweetest of creatures. At easter time they had him hop down the street and "lay" candy-filled eggs on the sidewalks for the neighborhood kids.

The Coate's oldest daughter hauled the rabbit up from the basement and plopped him down next to ours. We figured they would play well, because as far as we all knew both of them were boys and Bon Bon was neutered. It wasn't the best of play dates. Dusty cautiously inched toward the huge rabbit, sniffing at its twitching nose. Then recognition set in, he realized this was one of his own kind. Before we knew it our little rabbit was mounted on the giant buck, humping with all his might. We pulled him off and within seconds he had launched himself back onto him, this time getting the wrong end of poor Super Bon Bon, so that he was now vigourously humping his face! Super Bon Bon struggled to free himself, but Dusty held fast, sinking his teeth into the other rabbit, White fur was flying in all directions."I'm sorry!" I shreiked, "I had no idea our rabbit was gay!"

Dusty was banned from any future play dates with Super Bon Bon. And his vest-harness is now non-existant since we left it on him when we returned him to his hutch and he ate it. Because I'm a softy and can't stand seeing an animal caged up for twenty-four hours a day, I got into the habit of letting him run rogue in our back yard.

For the first couple times I did it, he stayed in the big blue spruce we have out back. Then the next time, we didn't check on him for a while and he had run to the neighbors yard, where he was fed carrots by the children. Each time we had to catch him, he got a little bit trickier, until the last time we let him go we couldn't even find him for three days and when we finally did round him up it took three people and a fishing net before he was safely back in his hutch.

The last expedition Dusty went out on was, I thought, his last. We saw no sign of him at all for five days. When he was let out he ran as fast as he could toward the neighboring trees, then disappeared. I washed my hands of him. Then, after being wild and free for five whole days, a family who lives a couple of blocks up came to our door with a slightly dishevled grey rabbit tucked under his arm.

Brooke has laid down the law. I am not under any circumstance to let Dusty run free
agian. But so, he doesn't get too restless, she will start taking him for daily walks!