Rabbit Redux (sorry, I had to)

I parked at school - I was early so I could set up the projector and computer so my classes could look at photos.

There were a few boys peering into a box. This is suspicious behavior among early adolescent boys. So I asked what they had - yup, they had caught the rabbit.

Now I have 3 younger brothers. Plus I've taught middle school for 23 years. So I know what we can expect from early teen boys. And treating animals well isn't part of that...............So I started a serious discussion on rabbit care. Do you have a cage? What will you feed it? Do you know how to clean a rabbit cage? Make sure your parents are okay with a pet rabbit before you bring it home. Of course, with think time between my queries.

Lead boy finally looked at me and asked if I wanted the rabbit. I said I had a cat, so we couldn't keep the rabbit, but that I'd call the animal shelter and they could find rabbit a new home. So they agreed. The three boys carried the box to my room and set it on a desk. We left, I had to sign in at the office. Talked to Mr. Principal, who agreed the rabbit should go to the shelter. (Note - this was a brown and white rabbit who was letting people pet it - this was not a wild rabbit, even though it had been living in the bush.)

My advanced art kids helped me poke holes in a new box, and two of them lifted out Rabbit and put him/her in the new box. I added a few baby carrots from my lunch, and we put the top on (after every other student just had to pet the rabbit). I called the shelter all through the morning - it wasn't until halfway through my 3rd class that someone finally answered. And they couldn't come get the rabbit, there was a police tow truck moving abandoned vehicles from around the shelter property, and the road was blocked.

So after class (again, all students had to see the rabbit - you haven't lived til you've seen a 6' 4" 14 yr old petting a little bunny!!!!) I loaded the box into the car and drove Rabbit over to the shelter. OH, and the rabbit catcher kids came by to say hello and I told them they should say goodbye to the rabbit.

I left my name, so if no one adopts it I can pick it up - someone knows people who raise rabbits, and hopefully Rabbit can go live there (unless they eat them, then I won't.........).

And, of course, the tow truck was blocking me when I left - but they were nice and moved the truck, especially when the cop found out I was a teacher and had delivered a rabbit caught at school - he thought that was pretty funny.

So - does anyone want to adopt a nice bunny? We guess he's either an escaped pet, or he was abandoned by his owners. I hope he (she) gets a good home. (The kids thought it had an injured foot - I told the shelter people, they said they have a vet who always checks the animals first.) And my couple of students who wanted to adopt it - I explained that it needs to be checked by the vet, the shelter will see if it's a lost pet, and if the kid wants to adopt it they need their parents' permission and then the family could go adopt it. (I'm big on teaching responsibility.)

It was quite a morning!!!