I stopped at a garage sale on Friday and as I'm sorting through neat vintage items, I overhear children talking about their rabbits. I look up, and behind the house was a large hutch filled with rabbits...a mother doe and two litters. I quickly checked my "big three"---water (yes), hay and food (yes), cleanliness (not bad). "Would you consider spaying?" I asked. "Oh NO. They are meat rabbits." "Oh," I replied. I wanted to scoop all of them in that instant. I realized, however, they would quickly be replaced.
I introduced myself, told the woman what I did, and she smiled. We were interrupted as a truck pulled up the long, unpaved driveway, and a tiny, crying, baby goat was handed to the woman. She instructed the driver to get the goat milk ready in a bottle. "We take in unwanted farm animals when they can't find homes," she explained, holding the shaking baby. And I sold a lady a bunch of our rabbits last week for her petting zoo. When we set up the chicken wire, they'll get to run around again." The baby goat cried, and soon three goats, a calf, two sheep and a German Shepherd stared at her from the fence.
I paid for my items, petted the baby goat's head, and took a deep breath, avoiding the rabbit hutch. Clearly, she had her hands full. "Do the rabbits get to enjoy fresh greens?". "Oh yes. The boys pick all kinds of garden stuff for them." "Good. That's good." I blinked back tears and walked to my car.
Is it better to see and feel helpless----or to avoid these situations and pretend rabbits don't live in crowded outdoor hutches and aren't eaten? I'm not sure. I'm just not sure.
I introduced myself, told the woman what I did, and she smiled. We were interrupted as a truck pulled up the long, unpaved driveway, and a tiny, crying, baby goat was handed to the woman. She instructed the driver to get the goat milk ready in a bottle. "We take in unwanted farm animals when they can't find homes," she explained, holding the shaking baby. And I sold a lady a bunch of our rabbits last week for her petting zoo. When we set up the chicken wire, they'll get to run around again." The baby goat cried, and soon three goats, a calf, two sheep and a German Shepherd stared at her from the fence.
I paid for my items, petted the baby goat's head, and took a deep breath, avoiding the rabbit hutch. Clearly, she had her hands full. "Do the rabbits get to enjoy fresh greens?". "Oh yes. The boys pick all kinds of garden stuff for them." "Good. That's good." I blinked back tears and walked to my car.
Is it better to see and feel helpless----or to avoid these situations and pretend rabbits don't live in crowded outdoor hutches and aren't eaten? I'm not sure. I'm just not sure.
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