# Insights from a Year of Caring for Rabbits: Affection, Heartbreak, and Personal Growth
Animals add significant joy, affection, and companionship to our lives. Yet, they also bring with them obligations, challenges, and occasionally, unexpected emotional journeys. Over the course of the past year, my experience with two rabbits has imparted more wisdom than I could have anticipated—regarding animal care, patience, and the complexities of grief.
## **The Happiness of Bunny Companionship**
A little over a year ago, I welcomed two rabbits into my home, believing that a spacious cage in my garden and ample freedom to wander during the day would grant them a pleasant existence. My connection with them was immediate—I adored their soft fur, tiny pink noses, and the twitch of their ears as they engaged with the world around them. They reciprocated my love, nibbling from my hand and allowing me to hold them close.
Rabbits, much like other pets, possess a remarkable innocence and charm. I delighted in observing them bounce about, interact with me, and find comfort in my presence. However, what I did not fully understand at the start was the rapid pace at which rabbits reproduce.
## **The Swift Realities of Bunny Parenthood**
Rabbits are famed for their quick breeding, but witnessing it firsthand was enlightening. What started as two delightful pets rapidly evolved into a lively bunny family, expanding at an astonishing rate. In just a few months, they welcomed **30 offspring**—a figure I was utterly unready for.
The demands of their care became daunting:
– **High Maintenance**: They consumed a large amount of food, went to the bathroom often, and generated considerable waste.
– **Rejections**: Several of the mothers rejected their babies, necessitating my care for fragile kits (young rabbits) using a dropper, feeding them several times a day for two weeks.
– **Commitment**: It began to feel like a **full-time job**, dedicating every moment to ensuring they were clean, nourished, and out of danger.
Despite my diligent efforts and support from my family, exhaustion began to take hold. I was overwhelmed by the relentless cycle of births, caretaking, and the emotional strain from losing frail or overlooked newborns.
## **Unforeseen Grief and the Choice to Let Them Go**
As time passed, it became increasingly clear that my family was weary from the relentless daily care demands. While I found happiness in my bunnies, the situation was no longer sustainable. I started giving many of them to friends and acquaintances, hoping they would find better environments.
Yet, the hardest moment came when **several bunnies died from the cold**—five one month, and four more just two days after birth. The sorrow and helplessness I experienced led me to a painful realization: **I could no longer care for them all**.
Thus, with a heavy heart, I faced the tough choice to rehome all my bunnies. My once vibrant courtyard now felt desolate.
## **Dealing with Loss**
Even though I understood it was the right choice for them and for me, the grief remained. I had formed such an attachment to them—their loving gestures, their trust, the joy they brought to my daily life. Letting go felt akin to losing a part of myself.
I cried. A lot. Often silently.
In my upbringing, I was taught that crying reflects weakness, immaturity, or ingratitude. However, bottling up emotions doesn’t erase sadness—it simply buries it deeper. I came to understand that **grief isn’t exclusive to human loss. It arises from any deep emotional connection.**
## **Perspective: Acknowledging Others’ Challenges**
Not long after finding new homes for my bunnies, a friend reached out—crying not over pets but concerning her **terminally ill parents**. Her father, who had been battling stage four liver cancer, had passed away just three weeks prior. Now, her mother—also battling advanced **breast cancer**—was in critical condition.
Listening to her anguish shifted my viewpoint. **My grief was valid**, but **hers was greater**. I was mourning the loss of animals, while she faced the impending loss of her parents. This made me realize how profoundly we all endure suffering in various forms, and **no one’s hardships should be belittled**.
## **The Complexity of Strength and Vulnerability**
As a **radiation oncology physician**, I routinely confront matters of life and death professionally. **In my role, I am logical, level-headed, and resilient**—qualities necessary for managing the complex needs of cancer patients. I make reasoned decisions, such as recommending **palliative treatment** or guiding families on when efforts should cease.
But outside of my professional sphere? I experience emotions deeply—sometimes overwhelmingly so. Even minor losses, like bidding farewell to cherished pets, weigh heavily on me. Some perceive this as hypocrisy. How can someone who navigates such **serious situations** feel deeply affected by more trivial matters?