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Goodnight Mr Benny my handsome little man

This is the ‘goodnight’ that I most dreaded having to write.:cry::cry: It’s been eleven years almost to the day that I spotted a six-month-old, fawn, brown eyed, lop eared rabbit called Benny on Rabbit Rehome. His beauty captured my heart and I knew I had to give him a home. He was in a rescue in Nottingham some 60 miles from our home. A trip was organised hastily as I was sure he would be quickly re-homed. On arrival, I hunted around the rescue as the lady Celia wasn’t sure which rabbit I was referring to. Thankfully he was still there running around a cage pursued by a guinea pig who we would later call Barney. It was quite a clever ploy, if you wanted Benny you had to take Barney too, an odd mix I know but one that we would rectify later with a piggy wife for Barney. It didn’t stop there though, we also spotted two Nethie dwarfs, ‘sweet Aggie’ and a very grumpy and rather tatty 'Bertie’ and they were adamant they were not going to be left behind in Nottingham.:love:

So, that was it all four came home with us and South Mill Bunnies and Piggies was born. Celia was delighted. The journey home was a bit of a shock for Benny, he really didn’t like the car and at one point we had to stop to make sure he was still alive. Thankfully he was and all was well once he got he feet onto terrafirma.

It wasn’t long before Benny got into mischief, breaking a toe with his wild dashing and binkying around the garden. In typically rabbit fashion he tried to hide this from us tucking his foot under his body every time we approached him. :oops: Once spotted he was whisked off for his first visit to the vets. Losing a toe clearly didn’t affect him though, he still managed to clear a six-foot fence into the neighbor's garden sometime later only to be found a little stunned on their patio. We feared brain damage but apart from him being a little daft over the years thankfully our fears were unfounded.:lol::lol: His antics didn’t stop there though as he tried to steal away Bertie’s wife Aggie who he enjoyed flirting with very much to Bertie’s annoyance.:lol: It would all end in fisticuffs if we weren’t careful so Benny’s wifey bun was found, the 'beautiful lady Alice’. She fell for him straight away but Benny was hopeless, he hadn’t got a clue when it came to being a husbun, he thought it was all down to his wife to give all the lovely affection and grooming.

Years later when both the boys had lost their wives Benny and Bertie moved in next to each other. Mornings were a delight going into their summerhouse with each trying to outdo each other with an array of ear flipping and binkying in delight at the approaching human with breakfast bowls.:love:

By the grand old age of 11 he had outlived all his older South Mill companions but even as an old gent he never looked a day over six months. He still enjoyed holidaying, trekking off to his favourite Bunny Hotel in Staffordshire twice a year and could still do a 90 degree turn in the garden by bouncing off a fence panel. I wish I could have captured his signature binky on camera, for those of you who remember Morecambe and Wise’s dance at the end of their show to ‘bring me Sunshine’, it went something like that.:lol::lol:

I sometimes thought he would go on forever (and secretly so wished that he would) :love::love:his face was such a picture of peace and happiness to come home to after a stressful day. As you will all know there is just something that happens to you when you share your life with these little characters. :love::love:

Sadly, this week Benny had to leave, he developed an abnormal heart rhythm and he went to the bridge to be reunited with the rest of the South Mill gang, wife Alice, Bertie and Aggie and Laura, Barney and Norman Piggy. He was the last of the gang and it’s now only held up by the admittance of our rescued old collie cross old girl Millie as an honorary member of the gang.:love:

So, it’s goodnight my beautiful Benjamin, you are missed every moment but we are so glad you came and delighted our lives with your company, we love you so very much, binky free handsome lad, love Carol & Gaby and Mille Dog xxx

Thanks along the way to Celia at the Nottingham rescue, Jane Dexter for the bonding of Benny and Alice, Snowy with whom he and Alice had a wonderful first holiday in Southam, Pype Hayes Vets and Aunty Jo at the Bunnery Staffordshire, he loved you all x
 
A beautiful tribute to a wonderful character. What a fabulous life you gave him. I am so sorry you have had to say goodbye.

Binky free Benny xx
 
So sorry for your loss, he sure sounded a very very special rabbit. Sleep in peace Mr Benny with all your friends xx
 
What a happy life he lad, it sounds as though you enjoyed some wonderful times together. Have fun at the bridge Mr Benny x
 
So sorry for your loss. I lost my rabbit two weeks ago to. I know it's heart breaking, mine was only one though and died of a weak heart. She was the spitting image of the one on that picture you put on above the guinea pigs. Rest in peace Benny :(
 
I'm so sorry you had to say goodbye to Mr Benny - you have written a fabulous tribute to him. Binky free at The Bridge dear boy. Xxx
 
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