Alley the Huntress

I have a split personality when it comes to rabbits. (Dr. Jeckle) On one side, I think bunnies are cute and cuddly and I don't want them to be hurt. (Mr. Hyde) On the other side, if a rabbit is in the garden and nibbling on my veggies then there's trouble. Jeremy has chucked a full soda off the back deck at a rabbit. He missed, but I was honestly hoping he would hit it. I would shoot a repeat offender if the animal was munching a lot of hard worked for food.

Sunday afternoon we were just finishing up weeding the garden, thinning the beet starts, harvesting strawberries and constructing an arbor over the blueberries, when we heard an odd screaming sound coming from the creek bed. Alley emerged with a baby bunny in her mouth. The poor bunny was terrified. Alley was so proud. She strutted into the middle of the garden to gain our compliments, then release the bunny. (I did congratulate her.) The bunny shot back down into the creek bed and cover of shrubs. Alley followed and came out a few seconds later with the bunny. This time she brought the bunny up to me and drop it about 4 feet away. It charged me. I squealed like a 3 years girl, jumped/failed to avoid stepping on the bunny or Alley. Alley grabbed it again. This time she headed up stairs, presumably to go Jordan, who was out front, her conquest. I got there first.

I warned Jordan that Alley had caught a little bunny. Jordan said "Really?!" and took off to find them. I went inside to start prepping dinner, figuring at least it's one last bunny to assault my garden. About 5 minutes later Jordan opened the front door and said "Mom, get a box - I've got the bunny." Sure enough, Jordan was holding the bunny, which was still alive, not even bleeding. I have no idea how she got it away from Alley. Jordan put it in the box and took the bunny up "far away" (to our neighbor's house) to let it go. Of course, she had to stop to show Ryan her catch.