dog killed bunnies

[Anonymous]

I feel so sad, my dog found a nest of bunnies under a tree in our yard and I couldn't figure out at first where he was getting them from. I think he thought they were toys. I just noticed one lone bunny in the yard, I am not sure how to save him.

[Anonymous]

It happens. Is the lone bunny suffering?

[Anonymous]

Mamma bunnies don't normally choose to have their babies in a yard with a dog. Nor do they generally have nests in visible areas like under a tree. Are you sure that a hawk or some other bird of prey didn't drop the bunny under the tree?

[Anonymous]

It happens op. The mom bunny disappears during the day so predators less easily find them. Dogs love bunnies, but not in the way we humans would like. Are you able to take your dog out on a leash for a few days until that bunny leaves the nest?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Mamma bunnies don't normally choose to have their babies in a yard with a dog. Nor do they generally have nests in visible areas like under a tree. Are you sure that a hawk or some other bird of prey didn't drop the bunny under the tree?

we have baby rabbits under our deck every spring and we have 2 dogs. I try and open the door slowly to give them time to hide but I still feel bad.

[Anonymous]

The lone bunny looks ok - I saw him in the yard this morning. I agree about having a nest in the yard with a dog - but when I saw where the dog was going, I looked and found the nest. Thanks everyone!

[Anonymous]

I don't think dog thought they were toys! No way. My dog chases bunnies even on walks(if I let him, which I don't). Dogs know prey, and bunnies are prey. It is called a prey drive. It is really hard to manage it, but possible if you are there with dog on walks and such. I would say it is almost impossible to kill the prey drive when you are not with your dog.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don't think dog thought they were toys! No way. My dog chases bunnies even on walks(if I let him, which I don't). Dogs know prey, and bunnies are prey. It is called a prey drive. It is really hard to manage it, but possible if you are there with dog on walks and such. I would say it is almost impossible to kill the prey drive when you are not with your dog.

op here - maybe you are right - my dog does love to chase rabbits, I think I was trying to think positive, because I felt so sad!

[Anonymous]

Not toys. More like tasty snacks.

The good news is there are a LOT of rabbits. And since they do what they do, there are a lot of baby rabbits too. Which is a good thing for the foxes, coyotes, raptors, etc.

I wouldn't let my dog target rabbits on purpose (if avoidable), but I also wouldn't feel terrible about it if it happened and I couldn't have prevented it.

[Anonymous]

Your dog is a predator. He thought those bunnies were his prey.

[Anonymous]

Some dogs have prey drive, some don’t. I had a dog that liked to chase bunnies but would never get more than 5 feet from them—he’d slow down to keep the distance so he didn’t scare them. We had bunny nests in our yard every year and he never bothered the babies. Dogs have different levels of instincts.

[Anonymous]

This reminds me of all the times my mom gets the sadz when her cats bring a bunny (sometimes dead, sometimes alive) into the house through the car door.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of all the times my mom gets the sadz when her cats bring a bunny (sometimes dead, sometimes alive) into the house through the car door.

What does your mother expect if she allows her cats to roam?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not toys. More like tasty snacks.

The good news is there are a LOT of rabbits. And since they do what they do, there are a lot of baby rabbits too. Which is a good thing for the foxes, coyotes, raptors, etc.

I wouldn't let my dog target rabbits on purpose (if avoidable), but I also wouldn't feel terrible about it if it happened and I couldn't have prevented it.

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This reminds me of all the times my mom gets the sadz when her cats bring a bunny (sometimes dead, sometimes alive) into the house through the car door.

What does your mother expect if she allows her cats to roam?

She got them for their cuteness when they sit on her lap, not for their punishing effect on the local ecosystem.