Fuck fuck fuck

[LalasMama]

The dog had the rabbit last night. I'm devastated. I went out for an hour. Put the dog in the garden. Rabbit was in her hutch. She dog literally chewed at the lock on the hutch until it opened. Found the rabbit in the corner of the garden. No marks or mess on the poor little thing.
I can't believe this has happened. The dog is a beagle and she's only 8 months old. We have introduced her to the rabbit before and she was so gentle, I'm confident she didn't mean to hurt her. Probably just tried to play with her. I cant look the dog in the eye. The rabbit was mistreated in the home before us. I feel I've failed her. I know it sounds stupid as it was "only a rabbit" but she was one of a kind. I feel sick :(

oh dear, poor wee rabbit

thing is, and i don't mean to sound callous, but it is nature. you can't blame the dog for being a dog, & doing what dogs do.

as an aside, i wouldn't leave the dog in the garden again, a lot of bad bastards steal dogs from gardens. (either for breeding, or re-sale, or dog fighting)

Oh god. If it's any consolation at all, we ran our rabbit over and killed it when I was a teenager. It was awful. My mum was backing the car out of the garage and I was directing her. The guilt does fade eventually, but it's something you can never forget.

You poor love, horrible to find one pet killed by another

GS is right, its very natural for a dog to kill a small furry thing, and for what its worth - I would have trusted our dog with a rabbit when we first got him, but somewhere between 6 and 9 months he turned into a small-furry-chaser/killer. He's had two rats now, and a squirrel, so I know a rabbit would not be safe with him - but until he first caught a rat (in the bushes on the common), I would have sworn it would be.

RIP little rabbit.

Oh dear

Unfortunately young dogs do sometimes accidentally kill - ours had a couple of baby blackbirds when he was young - just curious, 'playing'. He totally ignores birds now.

Oh bum :( I understand how you feel re not being able to look at the dog. Thing is, though, the dog has forgotten all about it and doesn't really get what she's done for you to be upset with her. I keep chickens, and I am always aware that if I slip up, just once, Jasper might get himself a chicken dinner. And I won't be able to blame him. But I'll want to. Be kind to yourself x

Horrible for you to find, but as others have said, totally natural for your dog - especially a hound.

As you had introduced them already, you shouldn't feel that you failed the rabbit, you did the right thing.

My two have caught and killed animals and although upsetting, it's what they do.

RIP little rabbit

I'm heartbroken :( poor bunny. DD (23m) was looking for her in the garden earlier. Will have to replace her but keep her in the side garden where the dog can't get to her.
She was a right little character. She would scratch the back door to come in and was quite happy for DD to spend the afternoons chasing her around the garden. Poor little fluff ball :(

Aww that's terrible :(

You must be in shock finding your poor little rabbit like that but it's not your fault - it's just one of those things. There's no way you could have foreseen it happening. And I know it must be hard not to be angry with him but don't punish your dog by being cool to him as he won't have any idea what he's done wrong.

poor you OP. Our cat flipped open the hamster's cage once and got to her. Needless to say it was the end of little Tilly . I did feel awful too because it must have been human error that enabled our cat to open the cage door. YOu have to forgive yourself.