A Time For Reflection-U/D Sunday 11th Feb

Having had a run of losing some much loved Bunnies and the fact that prior to losing them each one required intensive nursing I feel I am now not able to take in more Rabbits. This includes the Lopsley relative I had been offered for FREE.....
I feel physically and emotionally drained having had no more than 2 hours sleep each night during the last week as I tried to save Muirne.
Reading an email someone sent me accusing me of being 'cruel' for pushing Muirne on broke my heart and was all I could think of as I sat holding Muirne as she passed away yesterday

I felt I needed to tell you all of my decision and of the fact that I am acutely aware that people with 'mental health problems' like mine can all too easily end up with too many animals.

Janex

Oh Jane......I think you are a damn site saner than a lot of the world's population!!! And you love your rabbits with a compassion and strength that most people are severely lacking.

Your decision must be based on how YOU feel...it's time to look after yourself for a change. Enjoy and take heart in the wonderful bunny family that you have, they all love you and know that you do your best for them. Only a mum knows when to let her children go, and you do it with dignity and the knowlege that you tried your best, which is all anyone could ask.

Everyone here I am sure will agree that you one of the best bunny mummies around and I hope you feel better soon

Amanda and buns x

Don't listen to anyone else's opinions. You do what's best for you & your buns. And who cares if people think you are insane? Tis a mad world. Try to get some sleep - everything is worse when you are tired X

I think after the few weeks you've just had, anyone would need a break and I certainly understand why you have come to the decision you have. However, I do think you need to take some time out just to rest and more importantly, to grieve properly for your lost bunnies. I can't imagine how you must be feeling right now after losing so many loved friends

I don't think you were cruel to Muirne at all - I know you did the absolute best you could for her and part of that was putting all your energies into nursing her and trying different treatments to save her. I don't believe that you 'pushed her on'. Remember also, you didn't make those decisions alone - you had the help and guidance of a very experienced rabbit vet. I think you did whatever any good rabbit parent would have done for their bun - you tried your hardest and you made sure that Muirne's journey to the bridge was as comfortable and as pain free as it could be. No bun could ask for more than that.

I think you should view the fact that this accusation was emailed to you as a testimony to the fact that this person knew that their opinion was against the grain of what the vast majority of this forum believes and, as Adele had said in another thread, there's no way that person truly knows you if they were able to make such a cruel and untrue statement.

Tracie x

Hi Jane, I hope you are feeling better this morning

My feelings are that when you take in a large number of rabbits, some of them elderly, ill or with special needs, as you do, you are bound to lose some of them on an ongoing basis...... and you need to be strong for that. Without you think how the buns you have lost would have ended their lives, you gave them love and care and nursed them to the end - I only hope when I get old or sick I have someone like you to do the same for me.

Whether you keep them going for too long - only you can make that decision. On a couple of occasions (not just with you but with another member who had a sick bun) I have questioned to myself whether I would have let my buns go sooner but it is such a personal decision and only the bunny mum and vet really know the situation so for someone to judge you and actually email you is in my opinion unforgivable.

As to whether you have too many rabbits - how do we know? You have too many rabbits for me, I couldn't cope with them all either financially or time, but for you they're your life and yes people with mental illness do collect stuff, but you don't collect for collectings sake. I do think it's very hard to resist taking in more and more and maybe you need to set yourself a limit and don't go over that no matter what - unfortunately there will always be rabbits in need and no matter what you do you can't help all of them.

I know I haven't posted on this forum many times (I am a new bunny mummy and have little knowledge to share) but I check for new posts about three times a day and can honestly say that it's your posts that I read the most. You give so much to this forum in terms of support, advice and time and it upsets me to think that someone could email and say what they did. I'm sure that almost everyone here agrees that they would have done the same for their bunnies that you did for Muirne. I hope that you feel a little better this morning and realise that the person who emailed does not know you in any way and has no right to queston the decision made by you and your obviously super vet. Only you could know when it was time to stop fighting for Muirne and you shouldn't feel guilty. You gave her everything you could to get well and that is all that any pet owner can do.
As to any comments on the number of rabbits you have - these are wholly inappropriate too as no-one but you knows how many rabbits you can care for. There are so many neglected rabbits out there that it anyone that is willing (and able) to open their homes to them and care for them should not be criticised. From your posts I know you care so much about your rabbits and only you can decide if you should/can take in anymore. Sorry for this long post Jane, but I got so angry that someone could make you doubt yourself and the decisions you made about Muirne. I hope that you feel better soon

Oh Jane,
I really can understand how you are feeling at the mo, you`ve recently lost some of your beloved bunnies & because you love them so much that really hurts. When i thought i was losing Pollyanna the other night i was questioning whether i could really do it anymore, the pain i was feeling was immense & i really didn`t know if i could deal with it but i was lucky, Polly fought back so i`ve been saved from that pain for now.
The people with mental health problems you talk of, who have too many animals AREN`T LIKE YOU, they are generally known as hoarders they just keep getting more animals BUT unlike you they don`t look after them & love them the way you do. You hurt so much because you care.
I can understand you not wanting to take on anymore at present but please remember that you are a 5* bunny mum & a true fountain of knowledge with regards to their care. I personally feel that all your bunnies are extremely lucky to have you caring from them as i truly believe you have their best interests at heart 100% of the time.
As for the `ignorant` person who sent you `that` email, they are just 1 person, whereas i`m sure there are many more of us who feel you were honestly doing everything you possibly could to help Muirne & as you were doing this with veterinary support i truly believe noone has ther right to criticise.

Hope all that makes sense.
Big hugs to you at this painful time,
Su, Mark & Sadie.xxxxxxxxxxx

^Really agree with what Su has said about animal hoarders, that is not what you are.

I'm really sorry that persons e-mail is still upsetting you so much- what a pathetic idiot! Personally, i think many people are too quick to PTS and i think you did the right thing by her :thumb:

I can understand how you feel about not having any more, as you know I felt the same when Rowan died.

Hugs to you, i hope you are ok xx

Thanks for your comments. I have notified the person who was giving me one of Lopsley's relatives saying I am no longer in a position to take him.
I just hope he will find a Pet Home but somehow I doubt it

Janex

You were very supportive to me when I posted a similar post before Christmas. Losing more than one rabbit in such a short space of time really hurts (I know) and you have not fully got over the first death before the next comes so then it hits you even harder.

I would suggest taking a time out and assesing how you feel about the current number of rabbits you have (for me it was just one :wink: ). Spend some time by yourself reflecting on the positives of having them and all the happy memories you shared.

I have a large collection of digital photos stored on the computer of my rabbits and a few weeks ago my OH suggested backing them up and before I knew it I was sat down watching the whole lot in a slideshow - it took 20 odd minutes to cycle through completely.

I remembered little things about each rabbit I had forgotton and relived all the happy memories. It made me realise that the heartache at the end is worth it because of all the good things that come before and I felt I had time to come to terms with the others' deaths. For me that meant I felt able to bring another rabbit into my life but that may not mean the same for you.

I specifically sought a healthy, young rabbit to live with Adele in the hope it will be a long while before I have to go through the pain and stress of a long-term bunny illness as I did with Zeus and Violet. However I also know if by some awful chance my current bunnies do get ill I can give them the best care because of the experience I have gained through the rabbits that came before.

Caz

Jack's-Jane said:

Thanks for your comments. I have notified the person who was giving me one of Lopsley's relatives saying I am no longer in a position to take him.
I just hope he will find a Pet Home but somehow I doubt it

Janex

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Could ARC take him, or would someone on here be interested?
With Tammy going soon I could see if i could look after him if a rescue will take him in when they have space.

mandy said:

Jack's-Jane said:

Thanks for your comments. I have notified the person who was giving me one of Lopsley's relatives saying I am no longer in a position to take him.
I just hope he will find a Pet Home but somehow I doubt it

Janex

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Could ARC take him, or would someone on here be interested?
With Tammy going soon I could see if i could look after him if a rescue will take him in when they have space.

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Well as he is from a breeder I dont know that its right to ask a rescue. Particularly not ARC as last week alone they took in 15 babies. I have cancelled the Animal Courier now too so could not help with transport. But if anyone on here is interested then I will PM you contact details. HOWEVER, the Rabbit was only free to me in memory of Lopsley and so a payment TO A BREEDER would be required which most people on here wont want to do.

God I am so depressed

Janex

So sorry you are feeling down Jane. Like others have said, you are the one person on here whose opinion I value most! You always have helpful and knowledgeable advice and I don't believe for one second you could treat any animal in a cruel way. Only you can judge when the time is right to let one of your rabbits go to the rainbow bridge so try not to take this person's email to heart.

Jane I for one know that you would not let a bunny go unless absolutely necessary and I know you know that yourself.

Do not take this persons email to heart.

They cleary do not know you at all.

Hugs to you x

Jane, I know how you feel and can understand your decision at the moment - things change from day to day so we never know what we are actually ever going to do :lol:
The year before last I had to say goodbye to 21 buns 21, can you imagine the pain?
Each time I said no more and each time more came - these where meant to be with us
I know that none of us can go on forever but we do what we can when we can
I had mails from "a certain person" who is infact an animal hoarder and a very cruel one at that :evil: :evil: :evil: I also had mails from others asking if I was doing the right thing by the buns.
The way I look at it, no-one, and I mean no-one knows your buns like you do - you know when it is there time to leave 'cos they tell you - I nursed my beautiful Princess Maple for three and a half months - she had to be fed 6 times a day and her first feed started at 4am - I know she wanted me to nurse her and I know she wasn't ready to leave when she first went ill She had things to teach me and she wanted to stay as long as she could - God, I miss her so much I miss each and every one of the Hairy Mob that have gone to the Bridge but I can say with hand on heart that I have never kept them just because I wanted to see if they could be cured and I never took them beyond that point where it becomes cruel
So when you do get mails like the one/s you had, stick two fingers up to them 'cos they don't know your buns - they only know how to be cruel themselves :evil:

Jaypot said:

Jane, I know how you feel and can understand your decision at the moment - things change from day to day so we never know what we are actually ever going to do :lol:
The year before last I had to say goodbye to 21 buns 21, can you imagine the pain?
Each time I said no more and each time more came - these where meant to be with us
I know that none of us can go on forever but we do what we can when we can
I had mails from "a certain person" who is infact an animal hoarder and a very cruel one at that :evil: :evil: :evil: I also had mails from others asking if I was doing the right thing by the buns.
The way I look at it, no-one, and I mean no-one knows your buns like you do - you know when it is there time to leave 'cos they tell you - I nursed my beautiful Princess Maple for three and a half months - she had to be fed 6 times a day and her first feed started at 4am - I know she wanted me to nurse her and I know she wasn't ready to leave when she first went ill She had things to teach me and she wanted to stay as long as she could - God, I miss her so much I miss each and every one of the Hairy Mob that have gone to the Bridge but I can say with hand on heart that I have never kept them just because I wanted to see if they could be cured and I never took them beyond that point where it becomes cruel
So when you do get mails like the one/s you had, stick two fingers up to them 'cos they don't know your buns - they only know how to be cruel themselves :evil:

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Thank you for sharing that Jay. I cannot begin to imagin how you and John coped with losing 21 Bunnies

Janex

Hey, Jane, I am sorry that you are feeling so weary, and in awe at you for coping. I have lost two rabbits in the past few months and cannot imagine what you are going through. You are coping, and you recognise the source of your weariness, so don't go labelling yourself.

AND I would say that whether somebody has a 'mental health problem' depends on your point of view....

it's people that DON'T own pets that think that having more than the standard 1 or 2 means that you have a compulsive personality, a yearning for love and affection or another wonderfully pigeon-holed "disorder". Animals provide us with such joy and unconditional love - who's to say you have "too many" rabbits. As long as you can look after them you could have 1000!

I hoep things pick up for you Jane, we're always here!

Hi Jane, I hope you are begining to feel better but I'm sure this will take time as with the loss of any friend. I think everyone has said very comforting things in a much better way than I would so i just wanted to send you a virtual hug!
x

Thank you for all your supportive posts. I know No-Bun can live forever but I love them all so much and each and every one leaves a void when I lose them
Maybe when I catch up on some sleep I will feel stronger again

Janex