# My Friend Marley (non-GSD, non-dog)



## Strongheart (May 2, 2007)

I know there are a few of us on here who love not only just dogs and some who even also have house rabbits and love them. 

So I just wanted to take a moment today and post about a very special rabbit who died in my arms this morning.

Marley was a 14 year old dwarf Dutch, a foster rabbit of mine whom one of my favorite exotics vets called me about last August. Marley was brought in by a couple whose daughter was leaving for college, they had apparently bought Marley for her when she was, oh, about 4 years old. Through thick and thin, (probably mostly thin), Marley weathered the ups and downs of this young lady's life.

But as she was readying for college, apparently neither she nor her parents had a single bit of affection toward this little, geriatric rabbit. They brought him into the vet's office and said to euthanize him, that they were just "done with him."

So the vet called me and asked me to take him. Of course I did. I went in and got him, they gave him a bath, did a full workup on him and declared him perfectly healthy except for some mild arthritis and eyes obscured by cataracts. I was given Adequan (to inject) and metacam for arthritis.

We set up Marley in a 4' wide baby pool filled with litter since he did have trouble with his gait. He took a while to adjust to his new life but soon was attempting little binkies every day, just a short dash really, here and there, and his tail might wiggle a bit.

He had a friend, too, a little 4 year old dwarf fellow, Hidalgo, who was an empathetic bun and had just lost his elderly mate. Hidalgo would often go sit next to Marley and allow him to lean against him.

So it went for six months until yesterday when old man Marley, who had deteriorated in the past couple of days, motioned us to get him and laid in our laps while we stroked him and kissed him as he crossed the rainbow bridge. And he licked us back to let us know he appreciated having some friends around for him at that moment.

It is not often one has the honor of knowing such a very, very old rabbit. And it was such an honor to get to know the old codger, who was still thumping to his last day when something didn't go according to his pleasure (though it wasn't very loud).

So I just wanted to post about him so his passing didn't go unnoticed today. And to say, Marley! Run fast and free!

You can see a photo of him here at this link:
http://tinyurl.com/cnq87w


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## barbprzyby (May 15, 2008)

Little Marley - hop free and bink with joy. 

Strongheart, I can say along with you what wonderful little friends buns can be and how it hurts to say good bye.








How sad his story, and yet what a happy ending because of your generosity.

We once had a house rabbit named Precious, an agouti mini lop. 
She could hold her own with our German Shepherd who bowed to no one!

She loved to run circles around anyone standing and lick our feet.
Snuggling in bed was her specialty though. 
The kids would laugh at how flat she could become when she settled down, almost as if she was melting.
She was very much loved and mourned at her death as much as any dog.

Thank you Strongheart for stirring up the fond memories of my Precious with your post of Marley!


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## Annikas Mom (Jun 10, 2004)

Bless you for taking him in and may his journey be full of lush green meadows!!

I had a Polish Dwarf named Sydney that died at the age of 10, this was years ago but I still remember my vet telling me what an incredible owner I had to be to have a bun live to this age. He was very special to both my husband and myself...

Run free Marley, run free!!


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## Papanapa (Mar 1, 2008)

All dogs go to heaven, and bunnies too!! Bless you & Marley too...


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## Karin (Jan 4, 2008)

Rest in peace, Marley. The short time he had with you were probably the happiest days of his life.


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## dd (Jun 10, 2003)

Poor old Marley - so sweet looking. Glad he spent his last moments with you.


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## ninhar (Mar 22, 2003)

Bless you for taking Marley in when his family dumped him. RIP Marley.


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## WiscTiger (Sep 25, 2002)

RIP Marley.


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## Strongheart (May 2, 2007)

Thank you everyone for your kind condolences. It's really touching that so many of you expressed your sympathies about a little bunny rabbit on a GSD board. 

We buried the little man under the cherry tree out front today and placed a stepping stone over his grave with the bird bath on top of that. He must have known that's where DH was digging the hole because as he did this, while I slept, I dreamt of two of our birds having lots of chicks. I will always think of Marley and Kiwi now when I see the birds enjoying the bird bath. Marley will enjoy that.

Kiwi is buried with him too. She was a beautiful Holland lop girl, 4 years old, who died this morning of bloat. Yes rabbits get that too, and some breeds are more prone than others. And there's not a dag blammed thing you can do about it. That was very sudden and unexpected. But Marley is not lying alone today, this Valentine's Day. 

I love the bunnies very much but they are so fragile and sometimes it seems they just perish so easily, it's like being an orchid gardener, of precious blooms it is truly an artform.

Thank you especially to the couple of gentle souls who donated a gesture in Marley's honor. It will help keep some twitching noses busy with spring greens in their little mouths.

Happy Valentine's Day all, and hug your loved ones close because you never know when they will be plucked away from you.


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## kshort (Jun 4, 2004)

Marley was a very lucky boy to have found his way to you. Thank you for giving him a wonderful home. I so sorry about Kiwi also, but glad that they're together... Run free and healthy sweeties...

Years ago, we found ourselves with three stray bunnies. I'm sure they were dumped after Easter and somehow found their way into our yard. Two of them were dwarf angoras and the following year a mini lop joined the other two. They were adorable and very entertaining - and very smart. The mini lop had the softest fur I've ever felt in my life. He was a chinchilla color and just beautiful. The angoras were a challenge for me because they had to be groomed. I found a lady who said she would pluck them for me, but I chickened out at the last minute because I was afraid it would hurt them. So I just kept them trimmed. They would fall asleep in my lap as I was grooming them. They were so cute.

I hope Bugsy, Duffer and Willy are romping with Marley and Kiwi!


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## LisaT (Feb 7, 2005)

Thank you for taking such good care of Marley.

RIP Marley.


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