Being daft- so bloody upset

[Headwobble]

Years ago, when my husband and I finally had a house with a garden after years of renting crummy flats, we bought a rabbit to celebrate.

That sodding rabbit was there with us through all our house moves. He was there through all our infertility problems. Finally, he was there through our entire adoption process and has been our beautiful child’s pet for the last 2 years. He has taught her how to be gentle and she adores feeding him and stroking him. He has provided her with hours of excitement.

The time has come for the old boy to be put down. He has been ill (all elderly rabbit related) for some time and the vet can do nothing. He is in pain with arthritis (barely hops) and has now decided to stop cleaning himself. I can’t bear seeing him so miserable. Next week he will be hopping off to the sky.

I have cried on and off for weeks about this because I knew the end was nigh.

I would always have been upset but I think I feel it more because he has been such a gorgeous living thing, so gentle and he has been there through so many different difficult times. But most of all, through the adoption of our beautiful daughter. I have a special bond with that rabbit because of that.

I also hate that I’m having to make the decision to put him down. I’d rather he made his own choice on that!!

People don’t quite get why I’m so upset about this pet but I figured that the adoption board ladies would!

Pets leave paw prints on our hearts forever. I believe this beautiful creature has been your guardian angel, his work with you and your family is almost done and then no doubt he will go on to a better place. You all love him and he loves you all, nothing will ever change that

This is my first message on this forum and I've been a lurker for a few months as I try to understand how one goes through the adoption process and how people are generally coping with being adoptive parents. We are looking to start the adoption process later this summer.

This particular topic of understanding when to let one's pet go is something I am quite familiar with as we lost our little spaniel 3 years ago to kidney failure. We held on to our little one longer than it was fair on her and in hindsight we should have put her to sleep at the very latest the day before she died as it was obvious that she wasn't going to recover.

Whether it is a cat, dog or rabbit they are our "children" and therefore dealing with letting them go seems impossible. May I say that you are very brave in saying that putting your little rabbit to sleep might need to be done and are putting your little pet's interest first. Whether this is the right choice at this point in time only you would know. What I would suggest is that you should exhaust all other care options even if it is your own peace of mind.

I think you said your daughter is three. I choose my words carefully in saying that in some ways a child that young will not be as affected although there will be some impact. Our son was 4 when our little dog passed away and it upset him despite me and my wife trying to explain to him what had happened in the gentlest terms possible.

Be strong and please don't be hard on yourself, you are certainly not being daft. Remember that when our pets go a part of us goes too.

Last but not least can I say that getting another rabbit at some point way into the future is not a replacement and will never be. Nothing can ever take the place of your beloved pet. Another rabbit will be just that, another pet with it's own place in your life.

Thank you all for your kind words. We said goodbye yesterday. The vets were gery kind and good. I was given the option to stay with him and them inject him in his ear. Or they offered to take him to be put to sleep with gas first and then injected, i couldnt go with him for that though.
I chose to let him go without me, sinply because they said it was the least painful as he would not feel a thing. By the time the vet took him, he had calmed down in my arms for 15minutes and was no longer scared. It was interesting because it is the only time he has ever calmed down at the vet!
I feel proud of him. The vet said he was actually in very good condition for an old rabbit and he must have been well cared for. She did feel that all his leg muscles had wasted away, due to the pain of moving. I had a terrible cry afterwards but i now feel peaceful.

Yes, i could have kept him alive longer. He might have even just felt a bit miserable in his hutch. However knowing how much he loved being active and how he kept himself so pristine, being hutch bound, in pain and dirty just wasnt right.
Thanks again all for the hand hold. I love the idea that he knew his job was done!