Elvira was not your average rabbit. She was at the shelter for close to a year when I started volunteering. None of the other volunteers would go near her due to her "aggression". They called her Satan (not to her face - they sort of feared her!) My very first day as a volunteer I was told to work with her. I must admit I was a bit nervous (understatement) after a staff memeber told me "she bites, but dont worry she doesnt break the skin". I started out handling her with welder gloves, and as many layers of clothes as I could. Gradually, we developed an understanding - if she didnt bite, I would shed layers.

As our mutual trust grew, I was able to handle her with bare hands, and only wearing one layer of clothes! The day she crawled up my chest and rubbed noses with me, with total trust on both our parts, I knew that was it - she was mine, and I adopted her.

Over the next year and half she showed us such personality I couldnt possibly tell about all the things she did to make us laugh, but I will share a few: She used to thump at my fiance everytime he walked in the room, no matter how patient or how many treats he tried to bribe her with (and he sure did try to win her over - my mom was impressed!)

She used to come running to me everytime I called her name, and would do anything for parsley, yogurt drops or cilantro. Elvira once got mad at my soon to be mother in law when she tried to put her harness on to go outside, and hopped over to the pillow on the couch, looked at my MIL, and peeded so much she soaked the pillow through! She also decided the leather couch made a great litterbox and left her little poop balls in abundance when we visited "Grandma"(much to Grandma's chagrin).

Whenever she was hungry and her bowl was empty she would throw her bowls around until you fed her, and would do the same if it was time to come out of the cage. If it was time to clean the litterbox (according to her) she would kick the litter out, or push the litterbox around the cage. If she was mad for whatever reason, she would mess up her cage, including pulling the newspaper out of the litter box and throw it around the cage.

One time she was out of her cage while we were watching a movie, and she was sitting facing us, legs kicked out and everything. She was trying so very hard not to fall asleep but kept falling over sideways, which is very funny to watch when its a rabbit.

She was fearless, and had our Border Collie Murphy act submissive towards her (he was obsessed with her, as Border Collie's can be) He would follow her all around the house, but if she turned to face him he would sort of panic and look at us like "she;s looking at me - what do I do??!! When she would go over and sit on his paw he would look anywhere but at her, and she would just get comfortable, and be happy as a pig in mud, leaving poor Murphy looking like he feared for his life.

Then on Thurs Nov 10, 2005, our world was shattered.

I woke up and went down to the living room to feed her before I went off to work, and found she had passed away in her sleep - after only having her for a year and a half! My heart broke and I think a piece of it will always belong to her, never to be replaced. I am devastated that we had so little time, and that it took so long for someone to see all the love and trust she had to give. She was a little soul, but she sure left a huge void. She has myself and my family grieving for her, and a whole congregation that prayed for her, which I think she would find fitting.

We wrapped her in a blanket, and burried her in the backyard with some of her yogurt drops, and one of her toys. I threw a rose down as we covered her up with dirt, and we will mark her grave by planting something in the spring (she would probably prefer something green and leafy but due to the dogs, I think it will have to be something with flowers or a bush that they cant trample)

She taught me about unconditional love, patience, dedication, and not to judge a book by its cover. I am honored I was the one she chose to show her true colours to, and will forever be greatful for the short time I had her. I hope this pain subsides in time, and I hope I never forget the lessons she taught me.

I love you little sweetie pie and miss you terribly. I dont know how long this pain will go on, but it was worth it, and I would do it all over again in a heartbeat. I will keep Murphy company, and watch over him for you until we all meet again at the Rainbow Bridge.

Love forever,
Mum, Dad, Murph, Daisy and Grandma & Granpa x2.