Joely and Macy

For over ten years I enjoyed having bunnies in my life. Joely came first. That’s him on the right with the white neck piece. A friend couldn’t keep him so he moved in with me and the five cats I had back then. I wasn’t sure how they would get on, but no one seemed to have any issues and it was fun getting to know a different animal.

Not long after Joely joined the family I decided to move to a property where I could set up a foster home for cats. Joely ended up having a whole room to himself. I was afraid if I let him run around lose that he would chew on electric wiring, so he had a huge pen and I thought he should have a bunny companion, so I took him to the Tacoma Humane Society for a bunny date. It seems that bunnies don’t always hit it off, so it’s best to try introductions before settling on adoptions.

Joely was a pretty laid-back creature and he seemed fine with the pretty black and white girl bunny that was his first “date”. But it certainly wasn’t love at first sight, so the volunteer brought in a little grey girl (Macy Grey!). As I recall Joely still seemed a little indifferent, but we figured it would work out so I had to choose.

I had to decide between a pretty bunny and a bunny that had been in the shelter a long time. Well there was no choice as I will always go for the underdog, or in this case, the underbunny. So we came home with Macy and as you can see in the picture, they became great friends.

Joely and Macy were of a similar age and when Joely’s time came, I expected that Macy might not be with us much longer but she was a tough wee girl and she lived to be quite ancient. Many times she seemed to be at the brink, only to bounce back. The cats used to spend time with her and she was a funny and much loved little character. I was very sad when her time did come.

The older I get, the harder these goodbyes are, mostly, I suppose because each one inevitably reminds me of all the others and there have been so, so many. I was always rubbish at goodbye. But it’s the price you pay for love and the joy my pets have brought me so far outweighs the pain.

I don’t have any clever words or recommendations on how to deal with the sort of grief a person may feel over a pet’s death. Everyone is different and it’s something you have to cope with in your own way. Even as I cry my eyes out, I know that endless weeping is pointless and that it does not honour the pet that has died. Eventually the tears stop and it seems that when the time was right, another animal has always found it’s way into my life. One does not replace another. They all seem to touch me in their own unique way.

I would love to believe that one day I shall find my way to a wonderful world where I shall be reunited with all the animals I have loved, but I don’t. I think when we die, that the energy which is released flows back into a great reservoir. In a sense, maybe we all become one.