Warning!Willow's Story is not for the faint of heart!
About a year ago animal control got a phone call from a bewildered woman who said that "something strange" was going on with the pet rabbits that lived in a hutch in the yard next door.
Animal control responded to the call, evaluated the situation and immediately involved the police. The police found an emaciated rabbit dead and hidden in a garbage bag in the yard, a dead rabbit in the hutch and another emaciated rabbit in the hutch with the dead one.
The emaciated rabbit was brought back to the shelter andweighed in at 1 1/2 lbs.
Her name is Willow.
The woman of the house was formally charged with animal abuse. This is why the rabbits were not fed. " My daughter wanted rabbits and I told her that if she got them that she would have to care for them and that I wasn't getting involved with it."
The woman did get involved enough to hide the corpse of the 3rd rabbit when she knew the police were enroute to her house.
Willow was in limbo. She was a "ward of the shelter" while the court case was pending...her owners had not signed her over to us.
She ate immediately and everything in sight. I was cleaning the room then so brought her greens all the time. She gained weight steadily, however she didn;t trust. As she grew stronger she became a "difficult " rabbit by staff assessment.
Willow and I knew better..she had no reason to feel anything other than fear.
In early fall the case was over and her owners had signed her over plus been charged as guilty which involved a hefty fine.
Willow was spayed and went home with me to recover.
I knew deep down that according to our shelter (at that time) that Willow would not be considered adoptable . She never bit but boxed lunged and growled.
Jacques had just passed away and I had a spot in the room for just one more.
Willow was adopted by me last fall.
She is now so plump that she is going on a diet soon.
She still is distrustful but all in all her behavour is much calmer.
Willow doesn't like other rabbits but likes to play hard with toys. Late into the night I can hear her ripping up the boxes I give her to play with. She can shred a willow basket in 24 hrs.
Maybe sheis angry over her distant past but I like to think that she is just playing hard..a real tomboy. Willow has had no health issues despite her horrible experiences.
She gets to go first here on the blogbecause she has survived so very much.
:heart:II love you Willow