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Original poster

Oh help, my dog just got into the next door neighbours garden and killed their rabbit.

72 replies

Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:06

What do I, can I do? They are naturally devastated and I am totally upset too. I have offered to buy a new rabbit obviously but understand this is totally crap and not the same . Help. What should I do?

OP posts:
bananaknickers · 08/10/2007 13:20

I have Rats and if I let them run around the house my cats would kill them. Infact we had a hamster that escaped once and the cat killed it

morningpaper · 08/10/2007 13:21

I would keep your dog tied up until you have put a new fence up, which I would do PRONTO

Your poor neighbours

belgo · 08/10/2007 13:21

whatabout owners who own dogs and rabbits? How do they deal with a dog's natural instincts regarding rabbits?

pooka · 08/10/2007 13:21

TBH I think that most dogs certainly would try and get a rabbit. With no malice intended, just because, well, that's what dogs do.
Like my cats - they're not aggressive. But show them a mouse, bird or whatever and they would instinctively want to maul it. Because they're cats.

paolosgirl · 08/10/2007 13:22

I must have a word with the 2 dogs on either side of my rabbit - neither show any inclination to leap the fence onto our rabbit's cage.

RubberDuck · 08/10/2007 13:22

I used to have a rabbit that could open his own hutch... I got told off three days in a row for not securing the hutch properly by my parents until he was finally caught in the act...

BUT I really don't think you can even hint to neighbours that anything they did was wrong - not and keep friendly relations. At the end of the day, you don't expect a neighbour's dog to come into your garden. Foxes, yes...

Piggy · 08/10/2007 13:23

That's the point paolasgirl - if you didn't have a fence and an easily accessible rabbit then it would be history.

Original poster
Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:23

We have been living like this for a year btw with no problems. Our dog has only ever shown interest in their dog playing together etc. I hadn't dreamt she would get in the garden. We are in rented accomodation. Oh crappy crap. I am off to get flowers now.

OP posts:
pooka · 08/10/2007 13:24

And in fact, when younger we kept gerbils too. And had cats. Until in the end we had lots of cats (not ours, but local mogs salivating at the windows) and no gerbils.

RubberDuck · 08/10/2007 13:24

Skyler. FWIW, you sound a lovely neighbour.

Original poster
Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:25

OMG the neighbours are totally not at fault. Who said that? This is entirely our responsibility and the dog will not even be going in the garden at the moment, not even tied up.

OP posts:
FioFio · 08/10/2007 13:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

paolosgirl · 08/10/2007 13:25

It wasn't an easily accessible rabbit, was it? I thought it was a run and a hutch? What an awful thing for the rabbit owner to witness

RubberDuck · 08/10/2007 13:28

No-one said it directly, Skyler... I was just heading off at the pass the suggestion that the hutch they had wasn't secure enough

MaryBleedinShelley · 08/10/2007 13:29

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:29

Yes is is just horrid.

OP posts:
Boco · 08/10/2007 13:37

Oh dear. When i was small, our dog escaped from the house and visited the village fete round the corner, where he ate the prizewinning guinea pig in the pet show - in front of all the children and judges. My parents couldn't understand why no one would speak to them. She taught in the village infant school where all the traumatised children went and it was years before she was forgiven.

katwith3kittens · 08/10/2007 13:37

Sorry to hear your plight Skyler.

A tricky situation no doubt but I think you have handled it well.

This happened to me as a child many many years ago, except it was a nerighbours cat and my guinea pigs. My mum only told me the truth a few years ago.

Original poster
Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:49

I have decided to get vouchers for the 14 yo, clothes or music and a card offering the new rabbit costs and vaccs etc. She won't do much with flowers .
My guinea pig was eaten by next doors Alsatian when I was small. I was told it had run away to have a great life and Mum let the truth slip on my 21st birthday... No such stories for my poor neighbours.

OP posts:
Original poster
Skyler · 08/10/2007 13:50

And thank you for talking to me. I can't get hold of DH.

OP posts:
contentiouscat · 08/10/2007 13:54

Most lively dogs in a garden would chase and catch a rabbit probably not with the intention of killing it but just as a game - its not agression as such just recreation for them.

I think the way you have handled it is spot on.

ThreadyKrueger · 08/10/2007 14:07

Just adding one more voice to all those saying that, though it was an awful thing to happenit souunds that you are a really good neighbour and are doing/saying all the right things. Time will heal.

Though not all dogs go after rabbits, lots do and it's certainly not abnormal or a sign of aggressiveness.

It could have been worse: poor, poor boco's parents, whose dog 'visited the village fete round the corner, where he ate the prizewinning guinea pig in the pet show - in front of all the children and judges. '

Wags · 08/10/2007 14:37

Oh, how awful for all of you. Our neighbours used to have a fence that sounds very like your one and my Dalmatian was very skilled at getting next door. He would lean on the fence and push the top bit down, then sort of slide over. The more he did it, the more the fence drooped(it was one of those green mesh type ones, sort of diamond shamed holes). He was only trying to get in the neighbours house (no rabbits there) as he knew the old lady had her door open the whole time and he liked to go on her bed . It took him seconds to do it and although she didn't mind, she was too old and him too big for it to be a safe option, so we paid to have a completely new fence erected as none of it was her fault. We now have a sturdy wooden fence which he never got over or through again. Please don't think that your dog won't try - he will be even more cunning next time so I really think the fence is your first thing to address. Don't be cross with the dog, it is only natural especially if he can see the rabbit running around. Mine would have gone nuts. I have looked after friends rabbits once but they stayed in the cage, he was fine, hardly gave them a second glance but had they been running around, a different matter. I feel so, so sad for you as well as them. You must feel truly awful and I would guess that the child whose rabbit it is may well get over this before you do.

Wags · 08/10/2007 14:44

Belgo in answer as to dogs and rabbits, my DD who is 4.5 knows that we can't have a rabbit as Harvey will eat it! She is fine with that, heard her telling someone else why she can't have a rabbit. The dog in question died in July but don't think she has thought any more about it. We still have one dog and although I think it less likely she would do anything I would never be willing to take the risk. Both dogs fine with caged rabbits but I couldn't have a rabbit and keep it caged the whole time. I really don't think small animals and dogs mix but thats just my opinion.

lucyellensmum · 08/10/2007 14:48

oh dear, poor you - do they have children? There is little you can do apart from be apologetic and make sure that your dog cannot get out again. Its what dogs do im afraid, its just an instinct. Truely awful for your neighbours and you.

This does remind me of my mum when i had a guinea pig, she heard a commotion in the alley to find a jack russel dog from over the back with a guinea pig in its mouth. She tore round to the neighbours and gave them what for (my mother is a scary woman). Then set about organising a burial for the pig before i got home from school. She said she heard it squealnig!!!! only to look in the run to see MY guinea pig happily running up and down and squeeling with joy!!!
I dont think we ever found the gpigs owners

REally though skyler, its just one of those things, nothing you can do - maybe leave it a few weeks and then offer a new rabbit, square it with the parents and make sure girl actually wants one as she may not want a replacement.

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