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Original poster

Do I tell neighbour about my grisly discovery?

45 replies

33goingon64 · 23/10/2018 15:03

Scooping out earth from a flower pot I haven't touched in a few years - came across a furry object that on closer inspection turned out to be a leg, I guess a front leg from a rabbit. I gather foxes sometimes bury parts of a kill they plan to come back for later. Thing is, my neighbour from 3 doors up has lost the family pet rabbit. Do I tell her what I found or keep quiet?

OP posts:
HoraceWimpIsThisYourLife · 23/10/2018 15:06

How long ago did the rabbit go missing? If recently I may tell them, longer than say 6 months I wouldn’t bother

ShatnersBalloonFromPennywise · 23/10/2018 15:08

No, a small part of what might be their pet isn't going to give them any comfort.

EnidButton · 23/10/2018 15:08

No, keep quiet. Odds are it isn't their rabbit. Also they'll know deep down that their rabbit is no more but it's nice to have a bit of hope that someone else took it in or it joined some rabbit friends and is happily hopping around a field somewhere. No point taking that away from them.

EnidButton · 23/10/2018 15:12

Also, what if they ask to see it? Don't think I'd want to hold a bit of a loved pet. No-one's going to get comfort from that.

Just bury it away from your house and say no more.

TokyoSushi · 23/10/2018 15:13

Ooooh no OP!

Original poster
33goingon64 · 23/10/2018 15:18

Yes it went missing this week and does look 'fresh'... OK I won't say anything. Thanks.

OP posts:
Honeyroar · 23/10/2018 15:22

I have pet rabbits. If I'd lost mine and was searching for them/living in hope that I may find them I would rather know that you'd found the foot. At least it would give closure..

SushiMonster · 23/10/2018 15:32

I'd rather know

TheGrassIsGreener3 · 23/10/2018 15:36

I wouldn't tell them personally. That poor rabbit obviously suffered a horrible ordeal.

shouldidoitspoilt · 23/10/2018 15:43

I would tell them
Can you text them

DollyWilde · 23/10/2018 15:45

That recent... I would text Sad

Patchy12 · 23/10/2018 15:47

Yes I would, they deserve to know

onalongsabbatical · 23/10/2018 15:49

I think you should tell them. And yes, I've seen foxes bury things in pots. If I was them I'd rather know.

Chocolate1984 · 23/10/2018 15:53

I wouldn’t tell. As a child I remember my neighbour telling me she found my rabbit ran over on the street and it didn’t bring any comfort. I’d rather have gone on believe it was eating grass in a garden somewhere.

Don’t tell them their rabbit was probably ripped apart by a fox.

diddl · 23/10/2018 15:53

Idk, so it's been a couple of days?

Might they realistically be thinking that it's still safe & well somewhere?

Chickenitalia · 23/10/2018 15:53

How well do you know them? If it had been my pet I think I would prefer to know, but kindly. So a text saying you’d found some furry remains of whatever colour, had buried them as not nice to see, but that you then remembered the missing rabbit and wanted to let them know in case it might have been their pet, and that you were sorry. It might not be theirs of course, but not knowing is perhaps worse.

It would avoid them having to see something unpleasant, and if it was the wrong colour fur then no harm done. If it was the rabbit then they know and can move forwards knowing it had been buried with kindness? That’s how I would feel anyway. Not a nice situation for anyone, poor creature.

Cataline · 23/10/2018 15:57

As a rabbit owner, I agree with ChickenItalia

Ginkythefangedhellpigofdoom · 23/10/2018 16:00

Not a rabbit but if if my cat went missing then I'd absolutely want to know no matter how horrible it would be to hear it.

DollyWilde · 23/10/2018 16:03

chocolate, presumably OP would tell the parents, not the children, who can craft their own age appropriate answer.

Kahlua4me · 23/10/2018 16:05

As it was so recent it think you should go and tell the parents face to face. If it was my rabbit I would want to know.

roundturnandtwohalfhitches · 23/10/2018 16:06

I would def tell them - if they get another rabbit it's best they know there are foxes about anyway.

Original poster
33goingon64 · 23/10/2018 16:08

Hmmm... so had decided not to say anything but now wondering if I should. I do know the Mum to chat to, so I would trust her to decide what to say to the DC. Will continue to mull it over...

OP posts:
FermatsTheorem · 23/10/2018 16:08

Chickenitalia's text sounds spot on (I say that as someone who lost a cat to a road accident and was very grateful to the passers-by who took the body to the local vets so he could be identified - it's better to know).

PolkaDoting · 23/10/2018 16:10

I would want to know,

Mummyoflittledragon · 23/10/2018 16:11

If my pet got lost I’d want to know. It’s the unknown, which is so upsetting. Tell them and if they have children, ask them if they intend to tell the children or fabricate a story.