A Rescue and the Passing of Princess

Well, today I got a call from Hamden Animal Control (HAC) who I also informed of the double bunny situation. The man who claims to own them (and I have been told is a Pit-Bull Breeder (nothing against Pit Bulls, just irresponsible breeders) not sure if he is, so not making any accusations, but hello! (How many Pits get put down each year, and you are breeding them?) called HAC after hearing from a neighbor that I said I would come back with HAC or police if needed but was going to catch those bunnies and get them to a safe and warm place out of harms way. The "owner" claimed to HAC that he lets them out because they are too cooped up. He told HAC that they have a dog-house packed with straw in his back yard. From what I remember, the yard is fenced in, so I asked HAC how they were supposed to get to their "safe-place" with a fence & Pit Bulls around, and how come they were out at 10pm, way after bunny bed time, in other neighbors yards huddled together for warmth. Also, if they were pets, how come they are so afraid of people? Hmmm?
HAC called me back a couple of hours later to let me know that the Havahart trap I set caught a bunny and gives me the name of the wonderful neighbor who has taken the trap to safety. When I got off work, I drove up at 7:00 pm and removed a very injured bunny girl from her cage on Mid-Hill Road, or Ave, or whatever, handed her off to our wonderful volunteers Jessica and her boyfriend David to smuggle her down the street, and re-set the trap in hopes to get the brown bunny too, if it's not to late for him/her.
I saw the bunny from tonight on Saturday when I went to set the trap and she was fine, along with the brown bunny (sex undetermined as of yet) but when I went to get her tonight you could see that she had been attacked by something. She has her third-eye lid hanging out a bit from her right eye, 3 sets of puncture wounds on her back, a huge scalped-looking mark on her forehead, and major white nasal discharge. When talking to HAC I mentioned our state statute re: the possible fines and jail-time for not properly containing your animals in a safe place where they could not be harmed. She agreed with me totally, and then after picking up the bunny, I left a message letting her know that I took pictures and had evidence against the so-called "owner". One neighbor gave me a hard time the day I went to set the trap, and I say bring it on.
Thank you so much to Wendy for calling us, and for several neighbors, that I will not name, for their help as well. I brought her back here, gave her triple antibiotic ophthalmologic cream for her eye and treated her other wounds after washing the blood from her fur. She is terrified right now, but I know that after being here in a safe and warm place with everything provided she will prevail.
I went to meet with a woman today that is really trying to do the right thing by her bunnies, and hope she will continue to do so, but needs help. She had a bunny she got from a local pet chain we will call that had a hole in its ear with an infection. She claims that they would not take the bunny to the vet, so they got her and brought her home. She was improperly sexed and with their other bunny had a litter of 5. Not realizing that a momma bunny could get pregnant within 3 hours after giving birth, the mom had another litter of 5 only 4 weeks later. I took the mom home with me today, and we will help with placing the remaining babies. The mom seems quite happy to have no one tugging at her for milk, and needs some fattening up. She seems very, very happy here.
We had our TV segment on Pet Talk, News Channel 12 again this weekend; hopefully it will also help with adoptions. Linda kept getting bit by a baby, but Chelsea's baby she was holding was well behaved, as was our wonder new star, Porkchop. We did adopt out 8 bunnies in the past 2 weeks, wonderful for them!
On a sorrowful note:
Hi Everyone......Some of you already know but for those who do not I am so sorry to tell you all that Princess died today. I am heartsick and very, very angry. She had her spay surgery with a vet in Fairfield and supposedly all went well. I picked her up today at 4 PM from the vets office and before I got half way home she began having convulsions and before I could get her back to the vet she was gone. I don't know what happened or why. We have ordered an autopsy from ANOTHER vet's office as I cannot help but feel the one who did the surgery did something very wrong. I have never lost a bunny like this and my heart breaks for Princess. She was special. I really don't understand why this happened unless it was gross negligence. She was so beautiful both in body and in personality. I don't know what else to say. Just that is never should have happened. I guarantee I will never use that vet again. If the autopsy report shows he was negligent I will pursue it for Princess. Not that that will help her but perhaps we can prevent it from happening to another bun.
Linda at the Hop A Long Hollow
And:
My mother and I are beside ourselves. We really felt like Princess was a part of our family and we were hoping to get to see her beautiful face in person one day. We are so sad and so sorry.
Please keep me informed as to the autopsy results---our little boy also died suspiciously after a visit to the vet and this should not be happening to these sweet, delicate animals.
Thank you so very much for considering us as part of Princess's life and letting us know.
Please keep in touch.
With condolences, tears, and prayers for Princess,
I am so sorry for our great loss today and for what Linda went through in the final moments as well. Princess was a beautiful and sweet bunny girl, and if anything, it is some what of a comfort knowing she didn't die on the street she was found on. May God's glory be with you little bunny girl, we will all miss you.