Serena Bunny

As you may be aware, we lost Serena on Saturday, just a few days after surgery to remove a growth behind her eye. I just wanted to share here today a few of the happy memories I have of my time being around her.

Caroline asked me to foster Sushi and Serena last winter as she felt Serena would benefit being indoors during the cold months. I happily agreed because I had a real soft spot for Sushi, a super friendly but odd little chap who in many ways reminded me of my dear departed Santa.

It seems odd to say this now, but Serena I wasn't so keen on at the time. She looked strange for a start - small, oddly shaped (kind of elongated), massive dewlap - and for some reason I’d never experienced much of any character in her. If anything she seemed like a bit of a grump. But as is often the case, it's the ones you don't expect to that end up taking up the biggest space in your heart.

My perceptions of the pair changed when they arrived at my house. My usual experience of opening a pet carrier of foster bunnies was seeing either fear or extreme caution. Sometimes they don’t even come out without major encouragement. Not so Serena. She marched straight out, looked around and then gave me a look that seemed to say “Oh. So this is where I'm living now is it? Fair enough.” Then promptly made herself right at home. Meanwhile, though calm and not particularly bothered by the move, Sushi was clearly going to enthusiastically blame me for everything he didn't like from that moment on.

In those first moments in my home she gave me a quick peek at her true character and somehow it already felt like she was part of the family.

The next few months Serena was a joy to live with (though her bottom wasn't always low maintenance), packed full of little quirks I'd not seen in any other bunny. She continued to surprise me daily and even demonstrated her bold, fearless attitude to life on a visit to the vets. I found myself having to reassure the vet that the reason Serena's heart and breathing rates were so low compared to other bunnies was that unlike them she was perfectly happy on the examination table pottering about and discovering new things. She was like that everywhere.

So that's how I will always remember her. The bold and beautiful little soul who enjoyed life wherever it took her. Rest in peace Serena.