Our dog had a little surprise for me when I got home this afternoon. I opened the car door, looked down and there was this fat little rabbit.Skint from the shoulders to the hind legs.It was not bloody or any thing. She hadn't so much as a tooth mark in it. Just skinned it. Isn't that awful. The poor little thing was still alive.I never had to kill anything before but I couldn't just let it lie there. I knew it had to be done but I SURE HATED being the one that had to do it. I'm afraid I'd be a vegetarian if I had to do the deed. I never want to do anything like that again.I know I must sound awful. I can't imagine why or how that dog managed to do that without killing it first. And she wasn't even near it when I got home. Do you suppose she could have found it that way and brought it home.I realize she is a dog and it is her nature to hunt but shouldn't she have killed it? I'v seen her kill snakes and if she slung that bunny around like she did the snakes maybe that's how it got skinned that way? I don't know. Yall probably think this is real stupid huh? Any way I guess there's still a lot of city girl left in me.Guess that's why I still have 14 little roosters running around in my yard. I have got to do something with those guys before they get too big. Thank God for my husband who does not seem to mind taking care of them for me. I don't mind gutting and plucking so we make a pretty good team. Well thanks for listening. Don't know why I felt the need to share this. Love yall.. God bless.....Bonnie

-- Bonnie (josabo1@juno.com), June 25, 2000

Answers

Bonnie, if it's any consolation, wild rabbits have an unusually loose hide to allow escape if a predator only catches it by hair or skin. When I was a kid, we were forever finding damaged nests after haying, etc., and every summer we had at least 2-3 baby rabbits until they escaped. However, one got loose in the house and when I reached under the desk to get it, I only got fur and a chunk of skin about the size of a quarter came loose. I asked an old family friend who was a hunter about it and he explained what I told you. You are to be commended on your bravery in dealing with a tough situation and not allowing the critter to suffer.

As far as the chickens, we used to decapitate roosters to kill them. Yesterday, I had a broiler type chicken to prepare but I dislocated his neck first. I tucked his head under a piece of 1 x 2, put one of my feet on either side and pulled up sharply. He didn't thrash as much as the decapitated ones do and when we did remove the head, he bled out just fine but there was no more flapping and the resulting splattering of blood. We then scalded, plucked, etc., as usual. It was quicker for him and a lot less traumatic for us. I've got a bunch of young roosters and a few old hens to do and will kill all of them by dislocating the neck when the time comes.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), June 25, 2000.

I do not think it odd at all that you felt upset...it says that you are a kind hearted soul..I've never met anybody yet that i liked who enjoys killing animals for any reason..just necessity and your killing the rabbit was necessity (just as your dog felt it necessary to start the job)...God Bless.

-- Lesley (martchas@gateway.net), June 25, 2000.

Bonnie, I would have felt the same way that you did. I don't know if I could have killed it but I would have been wound up knowing that it was suffering if I didn't do something. You did the only humane thing you could have done. Guess this is why I don't plan to raise any animals that I have to kill. I just couldn't do it. Of course, a bunny is especially difficult because they are so cute. Sharing this with us helps you to talk it through which eases the heartache of having to kill it. It is nice to know there are others on this forum who love God's creatures.

-- Colleen (pyramidgreatdanes@erols.com), June 25, 2000.

Coleen, I think most of us on this forum love God's creatures -- love (true love) and warm fuzzy sentimentalism are NOT the same thing. Love is what made Bonnie able to kill that little bunny and put it out of its misery even though she didn't want to. Warm fuzzy sentimentalism masquerading as 'love' is what is causing a whole generation of children to be brought up without the self-discipline they need to function as mature adults. It's also what causes extreme fanatics like the PETA people. If you are going to be a 'homesteader' and raise your own food you have to be able to look at a situation and see what needs to be done and then just do it! That said, I find that, like Bonnie, I have trouble killing bunny rabbits for food, so usually hubby gets to kill them, then I butcher. They are the only animal that it bothers me very much to kill, though I certainly don't do it for pleasure, either!!

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), June 26, 2000.

I know exactly how you feel. I am a vegetarian, partly because I came to the philosophy that we are way too removed from our food chain and I decided I would only eat what I could kill. I can kill some vegetables real quick!

I had a guinea with a splayed leg that I was trying to fix, but the poor keet's leg just stayed to the side and as she grew she started rubbing her feathers off the keel. I knew it wasn't going to get any better and somehow God pressed on me that it was my responsibility to take care of it. I just petted her and wished her well and then I snapped her little neck.

I sobbed over it and it kept me down all day, but I know I did the right thing. I am encouraged to hear that others have similar turmoil. I am not very good at killing, but as Kathleen said, sometimes it's the only responsible thing to do.

Thanks for sharing your story, I understand implicitly.

-- Doreen (livinginskin@yahoo.com), June 30, 2000.