Halas Joins the Rabbit Killer Club

[Leslie and Halas]

My Mom wanted to keep Halas Friday night when we got back into town, so she took him to her house. At about 11:00, she let him out for his last potty before bedtime. As she opened the door, she saw some rabbits scatter, but Halas was already out the door. Most of them went one direction and escaped under the fence. But one went the opposite direction and wasn't so lucky. We think maybe he tried to get under the fence on the other side of the yard, but it slowed him down too much, and Halas was able to grab him. Halas wasn't giving up that rabbit for a simple Drop It or Leave It, so it took her awhile to catch him. As soon as she grabbed his collar, he let go of the rabbit. She got Halas inside, and then went back out to deal with the rabbit. Unfortunately, he wasn't dead, but his back leg was stretched out behind him, and he was making those horrible screaming rabbit noises. So she called me at my friends house, and BF and I went over to figure out how to deal with the rabbit. By the time we got there (which was about 10 minutes later), the rabbit had disappeared. We looked around with flashlights, and finally found him under the deck. There was no way we could reach him, and he didn't look like he was moving at all or even breathing. So we think he just got himself under the deck and died. The next morning, we couldn't see him under the deck any more, so we figure a cat, raccoon, possum, or something else got him. When we were shining the flashlights around the yard the night before, Mom saw a set of eyes in the corner of the yard, so it was probably some critter waiting for us to go inside so he/she could come and get that rabbit. I think Halas is still pretty wiped out from the chase, but he loves playing chase, so I'm sure he had a great time.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Who would have thought the little big doodle could be such a cold-blooded killer? LOL- Halas, we know you were just following your natural instincts. We just won't be kissing you on the mouth any time soon!

[Camilla and Darwin]

Of course this is just a normal animal instinct but I don't know what I would do if Darwin was actually fast enough to catch something. It would be horrible!

[Sharon & Monty]

we live in a rural area on a mountain, a long private road behind our house. The owners allow us to walk Monty down their road, we turn around when approaching their house. We had been practicing allowing him off leash when down the road, he LOVED IT! However one day Monty's nose went to the ground and he would not let up. He kept going despite my pleading, demands and offers of treats. He kept going....to the pond. The ducks and wildlife clustered at the furtherest end while Monty kept stalking them. He had never been swimming but was not intimidated by the water. He continued to go around to the other side of the pond while I begged him to come back to me. He eventually waded in chest high and suddenly decided to come out and I was able to capture him. I think only his inexperience with water changed the outcome. Not a good way to make friends with the neighbors that graciously allow us to take walks on their property! The sad part is that we cant let Monty off leash as he has since expressed a serious desire to chase the deer that we see out here too. :(

[F, Calla & Luca]

The sad realities of animal instincts and life. Not much one can, or maybe one would even want, to do about it. In the best case the dead rabbit is now happily munching out in rabbit heaven, or more realistically is filling it's role in the food chain.