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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet. It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.
- This topic has 98sd replies, 72 voices, and was last updated 12 years, 8 months ago by
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Dear Everyone,
I am posting this for BB to let you all know that Jack is gone.
BB just emailed to say that they had to help him over the Bridge today. She and family (Husband and Vivian) are pretty broken up about it, so I just offered to let all of you know. She will be on the site sometime in the next several days.
In the meantime I know how much all of you loved Jack. Your messages to her during his illness with cancer have been a great support to her over these past few weeks. I know she will find some comfort from you when you get this news as well.
We love you, Jack. Binky Free now, and breathe in the love that Rucy and Bailey bring you in the fields together. We send you to them on a cloud of love that comes from all of us here in your home around the world.
{{{{{{{{{Hugs to BB.}}}}}}}}}}}}
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I am so sad. Jack was loved by all.By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.
For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.
No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.
They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.
For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.
The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever,
And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.
By the edge of a woods, at the foot of a hill,
Is a lush, green meadow where time stands still.
Where the friends of man and woman do run,
When their time on earth is over and done.
For here, between this world and the next,
Is a place where each beloved creature finds rest.
On this golden land, they wait and they play,
Till the Rainbow Bridge they cross over one day.
No more do they suffer, in pain or in sadness,
For here they are whole, their lives filled with gladness.
Their limbs are restored, their health renewed,
Their bodies have healed, with strength imbued.
They romp through the grass, without even a care,
Until one day they start, and sniff at the air.
All ears prick forward, eyes dart front and back,
Then all of a sudden, one breaks from the pack.
For just at that instant, their eyes have met;
Together again, both person and pet.
So they run to each other, these friends from long past,
The time of their parting is over at last.
The sadness they felt while they were apart,
Has turned into joy once more in each heart.
They embrace with a love that will last forever,
And then, side-by-side, they cross over… together.
– Rainbow Bridge Poem
This poem helped me a lot when my pets died.
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Someone posted this as one of their favorite photos on facebook, and it made me smile because it is one of my very favorites too….It’s just so…funny Jack.
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This post is rather long and kind of depressing so if you don’t want to read the details — Then here is the quick summary: Jack went very peacefully. Vivian is having a rough time with him being gone but we are watching her closely and paying extra extra attention to her. It’s going to take us a long time to get over Jack’s loss.
Thank you so much for all of your kindness and support.Longer Version:
We are so overwhelmed by everyone’s kindness and support. Thank you so much. Jack is an extremely difficult loss for us and I know his loss hurts you too. I knew Jack was special to me, and I knew he became sort of the face of BinkyBunny as I have learned so much from him, but I didn’t realize how much his life has affected people and that is extremely gratifying to know. If his little bunny spirit could know that, I know he would be thrilled because he loves getting love.
Which is amazing because he was so fearful of people when I met him. Though you’d never know it based on the the video of him getting love and affection from me, he changed so much - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq1G6PVQqn4  I was especially bonded to Jack. From the moment I saw him at the shelter, even though he scared most everyone, I just felt like he was scared and he had a real soft spot in there somewhere, so I decided to Foster him. (and of course then adopted him!). To watch him go from lunging, growling and even biting volunteers, (when he was at the shelter and then the rescue), to quickly blossoming into a bunny that was full of love and personality and affection was amazing. We miss him so much. It’s been a rough few days, and it’s going to take a long long time for us to mourn Jack, but today I can at least share with you what happened and what’s going on now.
I had written in the forum a few days prior to Jack’s passing that he had another decline, but I had hoped his heavier breathing and more mopey self was due to the warmer days. But that was not the case. He was still okay in the sense he wasn’t in horrible distress, and he would eat and purr when I would give him affection. Vivian took such good care of him and would let him lean and even lie on her to take the pressure off his front legs as he wasn’t able to fully lie down comfortably. (could have been due to the pressure lying down put on his lungs)
Friday night he had soaked his back end with urine because he sat on a puddle (I had put plastic around the litterboxes as he wasn’t going in there as much). He wasn’t able to clean his back end as easily so I picked him up to try and do a quick clean off. But that sent him into a panic because he didn’t have the breath capacity to deal with his physical reaction of stress. (as well as it might have shifted the fluid in his lungs). I got him calmed down and things back to his normal, but the serious distress was horrible to see at the time. I realized then how fragile he really was and how horrible it would be if I waited too long. The next morning he was still like he had been for days, and I knew it was time. I felt awful because I know Jack was a fighter and I believe he would have fought up until the very end, but with lung cancer, the gradual suffocation to a horrible end wasn’t something I was willing to let him go through, especially since he was closer to that than I realized.
I knew the vet ride could put him over the edge so Steve picked up a sedative from the vet. It made Jack completely content. Not sleepy, just content and he purred when we pet him. He was that way the whole way to the vets and during the process. For my own peace of mind I just had to make doubly sure he was actually purring — not due pain or anxiousness, and so we would give him gentle affection and then stop for a few seconds, and repeat….and he would only purr when we were petting him, kissing him and talking to him. So we continued and he just purred and purred…He went so peacefully with us loving and kissing him.
Though I am so grateful for a peaceful ending, I just wish I had more time. Just too quickly all of this. Though I have been dealing with trying to figure out what was wrong for about a month prior to posting about it, and then I waited for the final results to post to everyone about it, it still feels too short. We miss him so much and our house is empty without him. I have a big hole in my heart. I have been concentrating on how to help Vivian as knowing she is without her Jack kills me. I watch her on our internal cameras while I am working or I will sit in the room with her. I just try and spend as much time as I can comforting her. She is much more of an independent gal though and has to work this out her way. So I just try to be there whatever way she may need me.
Vivian deals with his loss much differently than Jack did, (with Rucy). Jack was much of a moper and a very sad boy when Rucy passed away. For the first week at least, he wouldn’t eat and wouldn’t do anything unless I was right there with him. Vivian eats and does things somewhat normally, but she acts out her distress with action — tearing up stuff. That doesn’t surprise me as that is what I did expect from her, but the part that is hard is I am not sure if she understands he is gone gone. I had brought back Jack’s body as I know that Jack recognized Rucy was gone right away, but I think that because Jack, due to his illness, had been lying around for so long and didn’t move as much, Vivian didn’t understand he had passed. At one point she did try to groom him and then suddenly stopped, but she just would lie by him and after a couple of hours she was still there by his side.
The next couple of days she would look for him and wait for him in places that he used to be in most of the time. Today though she is having the most difficult time. She is constantly looking for him and isn’t easily comforted with affection when she is feeling the most anxious. (though she finally is sleeping in the window box at this very moment). She has torn up the window box bedding, tore up her toy bunny that has brought her comfort before, and in general is showing she is very very unhappy. she has been up and down from the window box so many times lookng for him. It’s painful for her and torture to watch her go through this process. I have given her extra toys and I am right there for her at any moment, but I know I can’t take this process away, that she will have to go through it and I can just try to help her, but she still will feel the loss. I can only hope though that she will soon understand he is gone gone, and stop looking for him.
She really needs the vibes of understanding what’s happened, love and peace right now.
Thank you again everyone. Sharing this is a part of my healing too as it’s extremely rough. I know others have gone through this too and/or will in the future or are right now. So maybe our experience will help others know they are not alone either.
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I had wondered if Vivian had gone with you and Jack for support on that last journey, but I figured most likely not, as I knew she was high energy and probably would have been very nervous. I am sorry she has been having a difficult time as well, but from your post it seems she may have turned a corner somewhat. She has my continued vibes, as do you all, for healing and peace. ((((((((((((Vivian-Jen-Steve)))))))))))
A poem my daughter found at the time we lost Shadow follows. She had put it in gold lettering around a picture of him. I hope it also brings you the same comfort it did me.The Broken Chain ~ written by Ron Tranmer
We little knew that morning that God was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly, in death we do the same.
It broke our hearts to lose you, you did not go alone;
for part of us went with you, the day God called you home.
You left us peaceful memories, your love is still our guide;
and though we cannot see you, you are always at our side.
Our family chain is broken, and nothing seems the same;
but as God calls us one by one, the chain will link again.Blessings to you from all of us. The day he passed was filled with thunderstorms here, which gave way the next day to gentle rains that were like tears from heaven. I have not stopped thinking about him, and all of you, and how fortunate he was to have you help him cross so peacefully. He is still with you, just on a higher plane. And while his physical presence is gone, there is no doubt his love for all of you remains.
It is so good that you can work from home and be with Vivian through this. And she can bring comfort to you too. She’s quite the trooper.
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It warms my heart to know the two of you are able to find peace with one another during this difficult time for both of you.
You’re a couple of very strong ladies.
Baby steps…or hops in Vivian’s case. And you’re both moving forward. We all empathize with you that it is hard, and we’re here pulling for both of you. I’m trying to imagine what kind of noises Viv is making. That is so cool that she’ll sleep in your arms. That’s a lot of love and trust there. ^_^
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I know everyone has already said this and that it really does not need to be typed because we all know how much Jack has been in our lives even if we never personally met him. I can hardly think for crying. Thank you Jack. I am glad you lead a wonderful life and shared it with so many people and siennub. It means more than any of us can express and the time seems to have come too soon to say goodbye even if for a short while. I know that once I have to tell my Pearl and Goober they cannot see you for a while they are going to be sad, they recognize your name and used to sit in front of my computer when I watched the webcams. We are so glad that crossing to RB was not a difficult journey for you. Have a binkyful time with all of your family waiting there.Thank you for sharing Jack with us. Thank you. I am so sorry that I cannot offer anything else and have no idea what else to say, I wish I did and that if I did, it would be of comfort to your family.
<3
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Oh Jennifer
I know how hard it is, it’s a tough decision to shoulder even though we have a very humane option with pets, it’s hard to shoulder that responsibliy and the timing. I’ve had friends who held on for too long and that rings heavy in your heart when making the decision. I think, like all of us here, you chose best, to ease his suffering, instead of easing yours, to let him go when he needed to. It’s just never enough time and never enough good byes. Jack couldn’t have had a better home and he is probably the most famous, most beloved, most missed bunny out there. I know we all feel as if we knew him, as if he was extended family to our bunnies and we miss him.
In addition as others have said-so many of our rabbits owe it to him for their lifestyle…if it weren’t for this site, for Jack for his home and his love and his care, we might be following pet store advice and so many of our buns would not enjoy their lives as they do. For this I’m sure there are countless buns at the bridge thanking Jack for his status and help.
And lastly *HUGS* to you and Steve, *nose rubs* for Viv -we’re all here to be a shoulder for you and your family-even if only virtually *hugs*
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Posted By Kokaneeandkahlua on 07/06/2011 08:24 PM
Oh Jennifer I know how hard it is, it’s a tough decision to shoulder even though we have a very humane option with pets, it’s hard to shoulder that responsibliy and the timing. I’ve had friends who held on for too long and that rings heavy in your heart when making the decision. I think, like all of us here, you chose best, to ease his suffering, instead of easing yours, to let him go when he needed to. It’s just never enough time and never enough good byes.
K&K, I think you put that so well. It is the most heartbreaking thing to decide to do, and I agree that most of us wait far too long in the face of suffering. We anthropomorphize our pets so we do what we would want for ourselves or our human family members in order to save them. But we can take our cues more from the animal world itself. Many animals in the wild have ways of making their own decisions about when and how to go. Ignoring the ones that dominate and cast off the weaker ones, so many take themselves off to hide or rest in a secluded place where they go naturally. If we knew more about bunnies’ wishes, we could assist them rather than change them. – RP
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