A Wee Tribute

Those of you who know me well know that I’ve shared my heart and home with a sweet bun named Flora for some years. As I know many fell in love with her just as I did, I wanted to share the news that she was put to her final rest on Tuesday.

She came into my life through sheer serendipity seven years ago in January. After meeting some friends after work, I walked home from the train station in the light rain a completely different way than usual, one that had me going a bit out of my way. In the darkness on a major street (Germantown Avenue), my eye something white in some rose bushes on someone’s front yard. As I got closer, it became clear that it was a little floppy-eared rabbit who hopped deeper into the bush.

I continued on home but couldn’t stop thinking about him or her, wondering why they were outside in the rain. The next morning, I went back and found the rabbit still there. I knocked on the door of the house to find out if he/she belonged to them and merely escaped unnoticed. When there was no answer, I went to the house next door and the owner there answered that he had noticed it there for a few days and it didn’t belong to him or the neighbor, that he presumed it had been “dumped”.

With a cold snap on the way, I thought I would try to catch it and bring it in as I tried to find its owner or a new home. It took a few attempts, one with a carrot, then with an apple, but I was finally able to carry her home in towel. I posted signs and called around, but no one seemed to be missing this rabbit. I still can’t understand why anyone would give her up – she was extremely gentle and affectionate, never mean, fun-loving and used her litter box from the start.

And so our journey began . . . and I’m extremely grateful that our paths crossed that rainy night. Some people have said that she was lucky to find me, but I know I was the lucky one.

Deep thanks to all who loved and cared for her over the years including Mike* and Kiaran of Wissahickon Pet Minders who watched her when I was on short work trips and for my dear parents who spoiled her when I was on longer trips. My parents also lovingly cared for her in her final days when I was unable to bring her with me due to her cancer and government restrictions.

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*P.S. It was Mike who named one of her fun habits. She loved being treated with small bits of fruit. When given to her, she was often very excited and would take the bit in her mouth and run a circle (or two) around her room with it before stopping and devouring it. He very aptly termed these her “victory laps”. 🙂