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!
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!