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Visit from the RSPCA today

thumps_

Wise Old Thumper
What a shock! Knock at the door, I stick my head out of the upstairs window & there's an RSPCA gentleman asking me if I have:shock: a pet. The next thing I actually heard was "animal cruelty".:shock: :shock: :shock:
So I answered "yes, I've got a free ranging house rabbit, do you want to see him?" So I dragged poor Benjie out from under my chair & went downstairs with him in my arms to let the RSPCA man in.

I'd completely misunderstood, they were just having a routine campaign against animal cruelty, but wait for it folks! He was a lovely young RSPCA man, & I think he had the experience of a life time, as I told him about Benjie & Thumper, our relationships & communication systems, how intelligent & social they are. Then how free ranging house rabbits like mine, need as much input as a toddler when they're young, to show them how they can be rabbits without totally destroying the house. His eyes grew bigger & bigger, & I waxed lyrical about the abomination of the solitary confinement of the 2 hop hutch, & that I only kept a single bun because of his illness & I was with him 24/7. I waxed more lyrical about children who lose interest after a week, & won't care for their pets. None of that nonsense when I was a child. I didn't get to have my supper until all the animals had been cleaned out fed & watered!!! (I don't actually remember ever having supper witheld - the rule was enough!:lol:)

I explained that mine were rescues straight off the street, & then introduced him to RU & the rabbit rescues who provide us with this facility!! You should have seen his face when I spoke of Hugo's There's special mission. As I was logged on to RU, he even came upstairs to see the photos of Thumper getting very cross with me when I teased him by pretending not to understand his request for play.

We've got 1 young RSPCA man totally converted to rabbits down here. He was absolutely "gobsmacked". I'm feeling disgustingly chuffed!
 
How fantastically brilliant :D I really can't imagine that he won't recount his experience to his colleagues :lol:.
 
Thank you so much for your responses everyone.
I did a little mental replay of it all today. No wonder the guy was astounded, because we were carrying on living together right in front of him. My legs blocked Benjie from sussing out our visitor. I felt the little nudge & immediately replied to him in words"Sorry Benjie boy, do you want to get past?" & moved my legs. He did want to get past them! After we'd chatted for quite a long time there was a sound of nibbling on cardboard. I said "Benjie a-a" & the nibbling sound stopped immediately. As I investigated what was going on I explained that rabbits can be attention seeking/jealous. It's so normal for me, I didn't realise how extraordinary it must seem to an "out sider" but especially one with an interest in how humans & animals relate .

ETA I've only just realised something else. I've always used the harsh "a-a" sound without raising my voice = "don't do that" probably because my parents used it to discipline our animals of various species. I've only just related the sound to the alarm call of many birds = "danger" (Blackbird). I'd love to know what the RSPCA guy said about us!
 
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