Friday, August 7, 2009

Our Little Girl Is All Grown Up

Rita the Homeless Puppy had her first kill yesterday. Well, besides grasshoppers. The MiL was transplanting collards in the garden when Rita slithered through the narrow opening at the gate, headed for the corner of the barn, and promptly dispatched a baby rabbit.

I know many of you will be horrified at the thought of a baby rabbit being taken out, but I don't feel bad for it at all. Rabbits have no place in my garden. In fact, some bastard of an adult rabbit has been sneaking under the fence and eating all my green beans. This . . . irks me, to say the least. So any rabbit in the garden is fair game, as far as I'm concerned. Rita got a lot of praise for her hunting prowess.

She was very pleased with herself. I'm not sure if she ended up eating the rabbit, or if she just played with it after she killed it and then left it for one of the big dogs to eat. At any rate, it's clear that the killer instinct has been passed down to the next generation.

Auntie Leda is very proud.

8 comments:

Phoo-D said...

She's starting to earn her keep! Rabbits are cute and all, but in the garden they can destroy so much...

SaintTigerlily said...

The Boss and I are seriously considering adopting a dog...Hopefully she will be content with roaches instead of rabbits. :)

Susan said...

Mrs. McGregor,

Will you at least return the little blue jacket so one of Peter Rabbit's siblings can use it?

Thanks so much,
Beatrix Potter

Anonymous said...

Don't forget the mineral oil if she seems stopped up with the fur and bones. And that could have been the one(unless you have seen a bigger one) that was eating your beans.

Kristin @ Going Country said...

I've seen a bigger one. The jerk. It slips right under the fence by the gully and into the fenced-in garden, where the dogs can't get it. Once I put something up to protect my newly-planted carrots, lettuce, and radishes so they don't get trampled, I'm leaving the gate open for the big dogs to go in and have a rabbit snack.

FinnyKnits said...

Good puppy!

I mean, no, I don't want to glamorize bunny killing, but she's a dog and that is what dogs do and, really, the rabbit was in your yard so, pfffffft.

Good dog. Mama's proud.

Beth said...

Way to go Rita. Does this mean she may not be homeless for long? Maybe she will be the head bunny enforcer for your garden.

Anonymous said...

Oh so sorry - not! But as an avid gardener and an avid critter lover of all kinds, I know for SURE it IS possible to "rabbit proof" the garden to protect it from those critters who love the seasonably delectable treats. I've been doing it for years, successfully - and I live in an area where I am over-run by rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, groundhogs, and birds to no end.

A little ingenuity and a little help from Lowes will certainly protect your precious garden...and in turn protect the precious critters who DO NOT know they are doing wrong by you when entering the vegetable patch.

Albeit dogs by nature love to chase...and catch rabbits, it is something I have NEVER encouraged, especially when protecting the garden from invaders is TOTALLY preventable.

Shame on you!...and your little dog too!