Demetri

We officially adopted Demetri July 24, 2004. I didn't remember that date, but when I was scanning in the pictures below, I saw his old adoption contract. We originally got him as our second foster rabbit in the fall of 2003. He was adopted briefly, but it didn't stick, so we took him back... and kept him. He was our third "permanent resident" rabbit, after Buster and SweetPea.

These were taken in fall of 2003. I have more recent pictures, but I like these better... he was young and healthy then.

We put Demetri down today. He was 11 years old. In my experience, the typical rabbit lives to be around 8.

He was a clever, sweet rabbit. And the toughest creature I've ever met. He had serious health problems from the time he was 5 years old. Every procedure he went through (and there were many), he always bounced back with tenacity that surprised everyone... even his experienced rabbit vet.

I'm always surprised (slow learner, I guess) how hard it is for me when one of the rabbits dies. But it's worth it. Giving them a place to live and taking care of them makes me feel truly useful. And I hope the roughly 9 years Demetri spent with us enriched his life as much as he enriched ours.