You see that large dog in the picture above? That is my pup, Bella.

Bella likes to chase rabbits. That was her last winter, at the fence on the north side of my house looking for one to chase, or something to bark at, I'm never quite sure which it is.

Over the years my dogs Bella and Zeus (he died last summer) have dispatched several rabbits to the great carrot patch in the sky. It has not been for my lack of trying to stop them either.

I used to let Zeus out in the yard first, because he was older and slower. He'd usually scare the rabbits away before I'd let Bella go, and there was less of a chance I'd hear that horrible scream rabbits emit when they are painfully leaving the planet.

I reiterate, usually.

Since Zeus has been gone and Bella has gotten older and her surgically-repaired knees, weaker, she has not even come close to catching a bunny. That is until last night.

I took Bella out a bit early (around 9:15) last night because I was (if you'll pardon the expression) "dead-dog tired." As I released her into the yard she ran toward the back fence where a rabbit made his exit through the fence.

I'm thinking that's the end of it, and plant myself in one of my plastic Adirondack chairs on my "faux" patio. All of a sudden, a very small cottontail is speeding directly toward the patio. I'm thinking I'll have to lift my feet so he can run under the chair. Instead the rabbit veers to my right and as Bella comes around the patio, the rabbit performs a 3- foot vertical jump over me and my chair!

I have to say it was impressive! I had no idea a rabbit could jump that high and I doubt I'll ever see that again. Uncle Wiggly headed toward the driveway, which I have gated with what was once a dog kennel divider. It attaches to the fence with a carabiner. This stops Bunny Foo Foo in his tracks as his head has become entrapped in the gate.

Bella is on Brer Rabbit like stink on a monkey. I run over and grab her by the collar shouting, "Leave it! No! G--damn it, No!!!" I'm holding her off and reach down to turn the gate over with the bunny trapped in it, thinking he'll be able to free himself.

No such luck. I crawl the fingers on my left hand along the tines of the gate toward Roger Rabbit's head (wondering if he might bite and struggling to hold on to Bella the whole time) and gently tap him on the head, thinking this will encourage him to loose himself. Not a chance.

I decide this is a project for two hands and let go of Bella's collar. I use my right leg to continue pushing her back, and reach down to pry the metal gate tines, squeezing Hasenfuss's neck, apart. Finally Bugs shimmies out of his metal trap and heads for the driveway.

But being a rabbit with a death wish, he circles around the garage and back into the yard where Bella is waiting. This time however, an already terrified, adrenaline-fueled Flopsy piles on the speed and escapes through the fence at the back of the yard, just a little worse for wear.

Yes, it was an action-packed 5 or 6 minutes at my house last night!


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