Wabbit

Wabbit was very young when he came to The Blue Cross. He was brought in as a stray and so little about his background is known. He quickly developed a friendship with fellow resident at the centre, Simba. The rabbits came from very different backgrounds as Simba – a distinctive Lionhead cross – was handed in by her owners to be rehomed. They quickly developed quite a strong bond and were living happily at the centre.

“We were pleased to see how well the rabbits were getting on and decided to pair Wabbit and Simba together for rehoming,” explains the centre manger at Burford adoption centre.

The pair spent a year together at Burford and were eventually rehomed to Claire Smith, a volunteer for The Blue Cross. Claire helps out at weekends by spending time with the animals, helping to socialise them. Her family had kept rabbits in the past and were excited about the prospect of looking after the friendly duo.

“My family and I took in Wabbit and Simba in May 2007 and they settled in very well,” says Claire. Sadly, Simba passed away a few months later, which came as a shock to the whole family, especially Wabbit. “She will be sadly missed by all of her family and will be remembered for her loyalty to Wabbit. We will miss her gentle nature and her pot belly.”      

Wabbit’s resilient character meant he coped well with the loss of Simba, but he still misses his grooming partner. “They used to sit together; Wabbit was quite protective over Simba,” explains Claire. I think he often goes back to the spot where Simba used to sit, waiting for her to return.”

Despite his loss, Wabbit still has the company of the family’s other pets; two cats and two dogs. Claire says that Wabbit is definitely the boss of the pets: “He likes to think that he runs the pack by chasing any of our other pets that venture into the garden. He’s quite bossy and I have sectioned off part of the garden especially for Wabbit otherwise he’ll chase my Lurcher around the garden!”

The whole family gets involved in caring for Wabbit, feeding him his favourite snacks, including carrots, broccoli, parsnip and cauliflower. “My two boys Jake and Jamie love Wabbit to bits and always want to help with letting him out and cleaning out his hutch.”

Claire has found volunteering for The Blue Cross a rewarding experience. “I really enjoy working there and love looking after the animals while they are in our care,” she says.

Visiting The Blue Cross ultimately led her to Wabbit and Simba, and despite the loss of Simba, the whole family couldn’t be happier: “Having Wabbit has made our home complete and brought us such joy and pleasure.”