Pets Smile Plus

You were there when no one else was, when the world hated me and did everything it could to break me down. You were there to show me that I mattered and that I did belong regardless of what mistakes I had made in the past. You never judged me for leaving you when you really needed me. You never held a grudge for more than a couple of minutes. You taught me how to be patient when I wanted you to rush from place to place. You always knew how to ease my pain and calm me down during some of the hardest moments of my teenage years. You showed me that life was too short to be mad at all the time. Life has never been the same since you left.

I think about you all the time. I wish you were here to calm me down. You always understood me when no one else did and you never left my side. I wonder what it would be like if you were still here? But I know you?re in a better place where everyone is happy and doesn?t have to deal with fixing the problems of the ones they love. I miss you more than any word can describe. I could use some of your life lessons right about now. Life is not the same without you.

You will always be with me wherever I go. I will never forget all the great moments we shared together including the time you needed to kick my butt to get me back on track. For those moments, I am truly grateful and will always cherish. Thanks for everything. I have grown so much from being with you and you will always hold a special place in my heart. From all the bites and scratches, to the jumps and hugs, I will never forget who you were and how unconditional you were with life and those you loved. Life will never be the same without you.

*This is dedicated to my pet rabbit, Wilbur, who I spent eleven wonderful years with. My dad and I adopted him from a private owner in Berkeley, California, when he was three months old. Out of all of his brothers and sisters, Wilbur was the one I disliked the most since he had a lively attitude. I wanted his brother who just lay in my hands and didn?t move. My dad ultimately chose Wilbur because, ?He is active and has personality.? We took him home later on that day where my brother named him. I spent the next couple of nights sleeping next to his cage since he would not drink water or eat food. Ever since that day, I have never looked back and cherished all the wonderful memories we shared together.

When my daughter asked for a bunny for her birthday, I got a mental image of a hutch in the back yard. Wrong! Backyard bunnies are coming into the house, to the delight of families all over. In fact, house rabbits are quickly climbing the list of America’s most popular pets.

It’s easy to see why. Bunnies are quiet, clean, don’t bark, don’t bite (unless they have a good reason to), and they can even be litter-trained. They’re terrific housepets - and it’s a waste of a great companion (not to mention cruel) to leave them out in the yard.

Here’s the scoop on bunnies as pets. House rabbits like to bond with fellow rabbits, and for that reason many Humane Societies and shelters only adopt them out in bonded pairs. These pairs are fast friends, and groom one another, share their food, and generally have a ton of fun together. But bunnies need human friendship too! They’ll get used to their pet humans, and enjoy being stroked, cuddled and played with. In fact, bunnies are a hoot! They’ll hunt for treats hidden around the room, and get as comfortable in your house or apartment as a cat or dog. And, bunnies do very well with these more common housepets, as long as they’re properly introduced.

Bunnies don’t make great pets for small children. They aren’t really delicate, but they can’t be picked up haphazardly, and small children may confuse their toy bunnies with the real thing. Kids under the teenage years shouldn’t be given full caretaking responsibility for a house rabbit. But with an adult’s supervision, bunnies are incredibly fun for families with older children.

Bunnies need fresh water, bunny food (which comes in pellet form), fresh veggies, and hay - lots of hay. All of these things are available in pet stores or from the local chapter of the House Rabbit Society, the group that specializes in educating people about bunny love. They need toys - things like empty toilet-paper rolls make great bunny toys - and some human attention every day. And they’re worth it!

Bunnies are incredibly relaxing pets. If you face a lot of stress at work, a bunny can send you right into the chill zone with some cuddly snuggling. Sometimes, men say Bunnies are chick pets, but wait until they touch one! Bunnies will eat out of your hand, hop over to you when you enter the room, and quickly hop their way into your heart!

My daughter’s Can I have a rabbit? request started the wheels turning, and we are now the happy guardians to four of these little sweeties. Bunnies are popular for a reason! To learn more, visit your local House Rabbit Society chapter page or ask your local animal shelter for more information on owning a house rabbit. You’ll be glad you took the time.

Liz Ryan is the founder and CEO of WorldWIT, the global online discussion network for professional women. She is the mother of five children, two dogs, a cat and four house rabbits. Liz lives in Boulder, Colorado. http://www.worldwit.org