BIG Rabbit, SMALL fence

Big Rabbits at full speed and small holed fences don't mix. It is almost like an oil and vinegar combination.

Two weekends ago, I was running around outside to prepare the animals for the upcoming snow storm. I was checking water tanks, filling sheep mineral tubs, graining the steer inside his shelter. Basically battening down the hatches for the upcoming storm of the century (it was going to be a dousy!)

While I was filing the sheep mineral feeder my mother had arrived to spend the day with us. While we were petting the sheep I happened to glance over at the steers pasture. On the far side of his pasture I saw something on the fence. I asked my mother "what on earth is that?" All I could see was something brown. As I strained trying to make out what it was I saw it move! So I left the sheep pasture, to go investigate. As I got closer I was able to see what it was- It was a yard bunny (wild rabbit) that had some how got into the steer's pasture (prob. through the spaces in the gate) and tried to get out through the perimeter fencing. In a perfect world that doesn't sound like a big deal right? Except the perimeter fencing is welded wire fence with 2"x 4" square holes. AKA: Sheep/Goat fencing. And he wasn't exactly fitting.

Ok, that's putting it mildly. He was stuck and knocking on death's door was more like it! He was SO tangled in the fence- his head and his front legs managed to get through, but his back half and back legs were not having it and were wrapped tight around the fence. The bunny was in bad shape. It had skinned its back clean down to the "meat", and his back legs were frozen stiff. I tried to free him from his prison but couldn't. I told my mom to go get me a knife, I was just going to do the humane thing and end his suffering. While my mom was gone I managed to free the bunny. Poor thing, the front half worked but not the back half. I stood waiting inside the steers pen waiting for my mother to return. I had to climb over the fence to get out (thanks to all of this years snow!) and didn't want to put the rabbit down on the ground. I wanted to play pass the bunny.

So as I sat waiting, petting and talking to it I looked down at my side and said: "Stew! Don't LICK the rabbit!" Here's the steer licking away at it like it was rabbit covered candy! Ugh! What ELSE could happen??

So here comes mom.... the only knife she could find was some dull dinner knife (steak knife) from my kitchen silverware drawer! That "butter knife" was going to be about as usefull on a rabbit's throat as are tits on a bull. Great, if I start sawing away with this knife all the poor rabbit is going to do is scream in pain. And I sure don't want that! So now what do I do...

I tossed around all kinds of ideas in my head: I could shoot it- Na... that would take too long to find the pellet gun or 22cal. I could leave it for the cats, they could eat it- Na... that would be cruel too. I could toss it under a tree and let nature take its course- Na... that would be a long slow death. I could throw it in my freezer and let it "go to sleep" (my common route of humanely killing small animals) na... what would hubby say, and it was covered with fleas.

So... I had to make a decision. Bleeding hearts- stop reading RIGHT HERE.

I decided to drown it in a bucket. Nothing like petting and cooing a cute fuzzy bunny one minute, and in the next minute holding it by his back legs in a pail of water until it stopped thrashing.

All while my mother stood there and watched me do it. Telling me how I should have *tried* to save it. Unfortunately, I have been "saving" wounded animals for so long, that you start to know what's savable and what is not. And let's just say this rabbit drew the short straw. There was no hope for it.

Ok, I'm starting to notice a trend... and once again- Where was the big strong strapping husband to do this dirty NON GIRLY work?? Not home...Working. Go figure. Murphy's law. Things always happen on my watch~ :)

Why do I blog about poor little innocent fuzzy bunnies being snuffed by cruel ole me? Because it is part of my life as a woman on a hobby farm. That's why! Enjoy your city view!