Sleep tight beloved Bertie bun

A sad time in our life is when you entered into ours and made it an amazing time...even though there was pain and loss from the deaths of our oldest cat..then my dear dad..then our beloved mini lop oscar. Oscar left behind a grieving widow...our little Bif....
I had rung round rescues but no one had time to ring me back...it was only by chance is till had your owners telephone number saved as she had two baby french lops and one 18month old family pet frenchie shed been hunting for the right home for due to her taking on another job and feeling hed be left out..desite the chldren and the other pets being his company.
so i rang her and i got confused.i thought the bunny she was lending us to get bif back on her feet was a chinchilla and white frenchie. Bif laid down to die that afternoon and she had nothing that made her want to stay..not even all the love we had for her..it wasnt enough.

Nikki looked up off the settee and shouted..shes here..omg hes adorbale!! i can see hi through his carrier...

i looked and....my heart sank...oh no she said chinchilla and white..no she said thats my giirlie bun big bertha i was teeling you about. Why she said..dont you like REW bunnies...?
hmm not really their milky white eyes freak me out...my other bun actually had ruby red eyes all the time..that i liked..but oh no not a REW.

But nikki still grieving for her beloved oscar feel instantly in love with you.

you can borrow him jo said..to see if he can help get bif back on her feet and interested in life.

we put you in the dog crate in the kitchen with bif......she froze shocked...you looked down at her so lovingly..and so gently washed all her face as though you were trying to wash her pain away Then you both lay down together

you were ages together and then jo told us you were still grieving for your second wifey who hadnt made it through gut stasis..which is what oscar died of. So you really did understand her pain.

jo left and a few hrs later we put up a pen in the lounge and put stuff in for you and then you and bif..it was amazing..until she decided she was boss:lol:

we took her out but she kept running round your pen trying to bite you through the bars..you were so laid back you didnt take the bait. She started to eat..she was moving...she was pooping...she was alive..you had given her back something to live for.

Jo eventually agreed for us to adopt you..least she could come visit. You and Bif were a tricky bond....she used to stsart the fights and attacks...youd try a sly hump now and then..but eventually youd bonded and it was beautiful

she was a dental bun and suffereed a lot of gi probs..after being with us for 3 motnhs we were told to enjoy her at xmas as they think shes got cancer of the cervix ( she was a spayed 18month old bun froma rescue) only xrays were done and nothing obvious but the mass wass till there cylinder shaped.
we had adopted two 7week old kittens int he october about a month and a bit after getting you...and you were overjoyed..you missed all your cat friends and dog friends so much..and the little boy harry who used to go into your open shed and climb into your open hutch and hug you to sleep...its why you loved to be hugged like a teddy bear..it made you purr so much

bif was terified at first..then she became mummy to them both especially the little boy who she took under her wing..and the little girl folowed you everywhere gazing up at you in adoration..pretty much like people who met you did

then our house got flooded...it had been a real rough year 2006 but bif..you and then the kittens all provided so much love to distract us from it all.

bif was so reliant on you and her illness got worse...you couldnt handle all the vet trips constantly and we were told as shed gone off her food again and the mass was still there best to put her to sleep.

i was persiaded to go for a second opinion..and i did. bif was known to a member on here..Gem...who so kindly met me there and came in with us. She found a soft spot for you

we got bif to a differebt vet he recommmended and bif was sorted..it was inlfammed gi system...pancake poops from the inflamamtion. blood tests..poo sampkes the works..you stayed with her and comforted her. she picked up and was your bossy wife who you doted on.

All the years we had you it was so lovley..you were so laid back and soo comforting and cuddly and drn right norty at times. My dad was a very patient laid back man..but when he did get angry..he blew a gasket!! he wasnt a fat man but had jowls...and when he got to shouting his jowls would wobble aorund and his face would go from normal to red and then almsot purple....we were sure hed explode. then hed have a right old yell and eventually chuck somehting and break it and go off in a sulk.. (usually his treasure trove of "stuff" in his shed when my mum would yell at him to clear it out!)

we watched you have a paddy just like it...and your jowls shook..your pink ears turned red then almost purple whilst you were chucking stuff around in temper and storm off to sulk. my mum fell in love with when she saw you do that..we all laughed and cried..we called you daddy..cos you werre the daddy of the house..hence you had daddy paddys!!

When you were really norty id call you BERTRAM....you knew i wasnt happy. You always looked sooo regal...we called you LORD BERTIE......the suit and monacle and top hat were in our minds eye on you.
You were THE dirtiest bunny id ever had..you peed and pooped wherever..i thought it was because you couldnt be house trained...but no it wasnt that. You did use your tray BUT you pooped where you ate and weed where something annoyed you...luckily the flood got rid of the carpet!!

When we first heard you sleep..it scared us witless..you made a weird clucking noise as you drifted off..then youd snore!! omg and what a snore!! sometimes the telly had to go up a notch or two.
your favourite padtime was sleeping...youd been a show bun and sired 2 litters...but fell off asleep...then another buck got out and you had to go to the vets to finish the job of the neutering this bun had started!
its how and why jo had kept you.

she came back a few times but cried she couldnt bear to leave you.

we got a baby girl off her in the march and bif made her life hell from a distance!! i eventually began bonding..but 3s a crowd..willow didnt mind..it was bif! so we found a little rescue bun an adorable sweet cuddly lionhead cross we nmed bandit...he was your friend. bonding you to him and willow and vice versa was over in a few hrs...but8hrs on..bif was still fighting..she was a right little madam.

eventually you ended up with willow and bif with bandit..yoiu were missing her so much and bandit..but you and willow loved each other. Then suddenly she died in the lounge in front of us..yiu went downhill so fast....you were very ill..high temp...not eating but vet said just to carry on!!
now we know whatever she died from you had too.

when you were well you spent all your time up against the pen with bif and bandit..even spent time in there with them. You developed an eye ulcer and upon return from vets we found bandit..dying. the necropsy showed torsion of bowel..a passed obstruction and empty gut.
bif was a widow yet again.

i was getting you a rescue wifey..was soo in love with her..she was called ollie.

At the last minute i had to cancel..bif had got out and you and her rebonded yourselves through grief.

She got worse and one nov spent a week hospitalised..you pined for her so badly. but your elation on her return was short lived..she kept attacking you and eventually had to live upstairs. but at least you had the cats and us.

salem had always been soo close to you..and you to him...so when he died suddenly on the lounge floor you were devastated too. Then a few weeks later bif passed away......little merlin bun was living upstairs but not bonded to bif...
we bought him downstairs and you two bonded!!

we got 2 frenchie girlie buns to make it a group..i couldnt handle grieving buns again. But sadly dazy-mae developed a high fever and the vets couldnt save her..the necropsy showed she had hepatic coccidia and last minute flooded lungs with grey redundant bits..none of the vets had seen this in her. The next day merlin was admitted as he practically collapsed. You again were really sick for 2 days...then recovered to eating etc. within a few hrs you and bluebell were bonded by yoyrselves. But when merlin amazed us all and recovered and came home...bluebell woyldnt accept him so again he lived upstairs.

hes still trying with two wifeys...

you got so old..how did it happen.....you couldnt binky..you couldnt climb or jump off and on the doorstep...but you loved your garden..the buddlia and the pebbled bit you loved so much..even counting the pebbles and digging them out.

you were a bit sneezy but i blamed the hay dust and the house dust as im allergic too. But you really got bad..nikki saw three teeny dots of white on the floor...i took you to the vets and they couldnt find him ill.
A few weeks later you sneezed up huge white thick snot..and my heart sank. the test swabs they took confirmed it..you had pasturella.
It was never treated as it should have been despite using two different practices. Then you had a fit and the vet said..no pain response..sje sid it about the 2nd one..with the 3rd that week we took you to a different vet. you had to go on epilepsy meds.
you also had a lump on your bottom.....
but did you grumble..no..yoiu wre such a good boy with your meds. You had the lump removed a few weeks or so ago and never had sticky poop butt again.

the more meds the less of a good boy you could be..but you always ended up taking it. stress ..bluebell being hospitalised a lot due to high temp and off food made your symptoms worse and they found you had artritis badly in your left leg n hip. The jabs for your smptoms of pasturella helped...each time the timing between jabs and relief got shorter and shorter.

friday 17th february you had the special "doggy" nose rubs from nikki and within half an hour you had a seizure. Then i rang vets for help with your two days of sneezing fits..but you had your 2nd jab at 4.30ish...at about 6 i had to get some sleep...i had over 2 hrs and rang my mum...i hated going into the lounge each day as i knew i could find you dead. This night..sadly i was right

you were still a little warm but lower ears were cool. within a short time rigor mortis set in...when i carried your broken tired old body to the settee and wrapped you in your fave blue blankie..it looked as though you were asleep

bluebell had been like bif was with oscar..she kept apart from you then shed run over and wash you and nudge you trying to wake you up.

my poor old boy...you were chasing me into the kitchen for your veggie bag...a few hours before and just after your jab.

you had a reprieve from being pts a few weeks back..now i wished it had gone ahead...we dont know if it was resp failure or a seizure that killed you...but whatever it was...pasturella was its cause.

the house is so empty despite being filled with the love of the cats and the other buns.

you were such a big old boy in size and personality..and also made everyone feel better being near you...

this house is no longer a home..it is just a house...sadness and pain reside here now....we knew you were not long for the world once the diagnosis had been made....but you held on and fought for so long....yiu showed us you were stull enjoying life..playing..eating...being norty...being a snuggle monster and bluebells hubby. we thought with the fits you would only last a few motnhs as it was supected you had pasturella absecces on your brain casuing the fits.

my dad took 4 and a half weeks to die in hospital from respiratory failure.and you sounded just like him when you had a bad day.....but you were still eager to live. Then the last day..i should have relaised but i stupidly thought no you wouldnt die today...the vet had put up all these meds to help clear your nose..i was collecting them in the morning as i hadnt had more than those few hrs sleep.

i cried i gasped but i had expected it so often....i was shocked and trying not to vomit.

i had support on the phone from darcy buns mummy..and then karen came with me to the evts as nikkis helath was that bad she couldnt come with...we took your body and left you with them for the pet crematorium people to collect you. weve choses a special casket for you...and we are a mess. Typical me im crying all the time....then laughing then crying...i feel so empty inside as not only have we lost you..our beloved bertie..but weve also relived losing my dad..mikkis grandad...in you.

you touched so many lives and hearts...yiou converted me into a REW bunny lover..and a frenchie lover too.

we will never find such a funny feisty and loving bunny ever again like you..every pet is special but on top of that there are one or two that come into your life that are even more speical and have healing like qualities. You my beloved bun were one of those pets.

youre reunited with willow and bandit...and youre beloved bif..and your kitty "son" salem.....as well as your other wifeys.
You are with all other crazy pets....and most of all youre with my dad....and i know my dad will be loving you.....his persona in bunny form:lol:

i know you wiil be safe..i know you will watch....i know you will be free from pain..and difficulty breahting and moving. In the end you could no longer climb up the special doggy steps you always used...we called them daddy steps.

we will look after bluebell...shes very upset and we are worrying about her but we will do all we can and we love ehr to bits. nikki promised you when you were laove shed always be on her side and look afetr her....and shes doing what she can to..so am i..and sadly so are the cats even tho she hates them. freya is still trying to snuggle her and wash her face and head..shes very worried. zuzus missing her "daddy" as she was always a daddys girl. dylan washed your body laying there on the blanket and lay down next to you..hes taken your death harder than we ever thought he would.

your nannys so seriously ill herself but i did ring her and tell her and she said you werent suffering anymore..but she cried too...she loved you to bits even though the first week or so we had you she moaned about how dirty you were..how your ears were too long and you were too big..then yiu had a daddy paddy and she was hooked.

the only bun weve ever had who pooed in their sleep...you made us all laugh so much and feel loved so much..like warm fireside glow in our hearts and in the home.
memories soooo many.....im trying to erase the sad bad ones with good ones...but its soo hard.

we miss you soo much. We will never forget you..or stop missing you...we never have with any of our pets...and my dad...and other loved ones whove passed.

\thank you for coming into our lives..loving us so much..letting us love you so much....and making us smile so much,

Goodnight our darling boy. Forever in out hearts and thoughts....always.

Borrowed for Bertie

"Copyright 1992 Constance Jenkins, All Rights Reserved"

Weep not for me though I am gone
Into that gentle night
Grieve if you will, but not for long
Upon my soul's sweet flight.
I am at peace, my soul's at rest
There is no need for tears.
For with your love I was so blessed
For all those many years.
There is no pain, I suffer not,
The fear now all is gone.
Put now these things out of your thoughts,
In your memory I live on.
Remember not my fight for breath
Remember not the strife
Please do not dwell upon my death,
But celebrate my life.


---------------------------------

we will indeed celebrate your amazing life dearest friend...dearest bertie xxxxx

I am so very, very sorry, just such a shock, I really thought that Bertie would be around with us forever,

Binky free Bertie, have fun at the bridge sweetheart xxx

Sending hugs to you Debbie xxx

I am so terribly sorry you have lost your amazing boy.

Bertie will be missed by so many of us, even those of us who never met him

Goodnight big Fella

xx

So very sorry. Binky free Bertie

I'm sorry for your loss. xx

He was a very special bun. I'm so sorry Binky free Bertie xx

I'm so, so sorry

Bertie will be sadly missed by many

Binky free Bertie xx

so sorry for your loss. sleep tight bertie x

Binky free Bertie xx

What a wonderful tribute for a wonderful bun, Debbie.

I remember the first time I saw Bertie. I was amazed as he looked just like a soft toy - I had never seen such a huge rabbit. Initially I was a bit scared and then when you said he would be OK with a nose rub, I went over to him and fell in love.

Bertie was an amazing bun. He had so much character. He had a huge personality but was incredibly gentle with it.

I'm pleased he had his brief reprieve. When I came over to say goodbye to him the first time he clearly wasn't ready to go to the Bridge. He came out to see me when he heard my voice and he ate the treats I gave him, accepted nose rubs and played with his spoons. He knew how loved he was and he wanted to stay where he was so happy.

Sadly, eventually, his body couldn't cope any longer and he had to leave to join your Dad and the other Bridge buns and cats.

His spirit is still with you though Debbie. He had too large a heart and too much love for you all to disappear completely. He is still there and doesn't want you to be sad. He is happy now, free from pain. He misses you all but he knows you will all meet again one day.

I am so, so, grateful that you allowed me to come over and give Bertie a final kiss and stroke after he had passed. I loved his gentle nature and unique ways.

Binky free, Bertie sweetheart. I loved you - you were loved by so many - furry and human xxxxxxx

Oh Debbie....I'm so very sorry....((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))))

I didn't realize Bertie's whole story had been so full and varied. But what a wonderful bun he was! In the brief time I've known of him, he has deeply touched my heart. I'm sorry for all the losses you've been through. Bertie will always have a special spot in my heart, bless him.

My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family. I wish I could take away the hurt.
You know he's watching over you though. They all are.
((((((((((((((Hugs))))))))))))

I wish I met your wonderful Bertie. Many hugs to you and Nikki. xxxxx

Binky free Bertie, at the Bridge with all your friends xxx

I'm so sorry to hear about Bertie

Thinking of you xxx

Binky free at the Bridge Bertie xxxxxxx