A Love Story

Once upon a time,about three years ago, there was a girl named Christina, she was lonely for a furry creature. She decided a bunny was the companion for her. She didnt know any better and went to a backyard breeder. What she saw there nearly broke her heart. She wanted to run, she wanted to scream, she grabbed two bunnies and got the hell outta there. She put the bunnies in a hutch in the backyard, again she didnt know any better. She began to search on the net. She came across a bunny rescue called Heartland Rabbit Rescue and then her whole life changed.

She was informed that her buns needed to be moved indoors and they were. She was told that her girls needed to be spayed and they were. She was told their diet was very important, so she changed, that they could be trained to use a litter box, so they did. Christina was so grateful for their help she decided to start volunteering there. That's when the story really begins.

Over time more bunnies came into her life. Dudley from an idiot coworker who decided he wasnt her kind of "pet". Nemo from a pet store who was going to be snake food because of a head tilt.Stewart from the rescue, who had a pretty severe case of Malocclusion and stole Christina's heart when he snuggled into her chest and fell asleep and Haven, precious Haven. An older bun with severe head tilt, weepy eyes and and weak hind legs. He took her heart in a whole different way.

Christina fell in love with each and every bunny at Heartland. The North Warren (hospital) bunnies in particular squeezed her heart. She will never forget Ben, a tiny little bun, wheezing while he ate, looking in her face with an expression that seemed to say "I am small but mighty". Her first sponsor bun Cooper is the last bunny in the pictures above. Cooper was 12 years old, blind and slightly arthritic when he went to the bridge a few weeks ago. She will miss him. Each and every bunny is special to her.

The number of bunnies at the rescue is currently around 80. Everyday Momma Jeannie has to feed and water, check their health, give out meds and try to give a little attention to each and every bun. There are buns that are partially paralyzed, Their girl Sally had to have a back leg amputated recently, there are head tilt bunnies, old bunnies, young silly bunnies and lovely husband and wife bunnies.

Christina knows how tiring this must be to Momma Jeannie sometimes. The struggle to keep going everyday. To listen to people who call and say they are tired of their bunnies and want to "get rid of it". The ones who call and say their dog killed their rabbit and when can they come get a new one. Yeah right, that's gonna happen. The bunnies that are returned after extensive time at their homes without a backward glance.

None of this matters really, because this is a love story. Not just Christina's love story but everyone who volunteers at Heartland and everyone who loves a bunny. When we get a new volunteer, we take bets on how long it will be before they decide they "must" adopt a bunny. It is a wonderful disease that spreads quickly. There will be bunnies at Heartland who are never officially adopted but they have forever homes. Their home is at the rescue. They will always know safety, kindness, full tummies and the love of so many who care.

Visit our site sometime: Heartlandrabbitrescue.org and Happy Valentine's Day to all. Love your bun, kitty, dog, horse, goat, fish, hamster, bird and all your people too! Give them all extra snuggles and love for the sake of the ones who may never know it.

DONT BUY, DONT BREED! ADOPT AN ANIMAL INSTEAD.