# The Story of Meneer Jansen



## Salsagirl (Aug 7, 2008)

The story of Meneer Jansen



At the local pet store where I buy my supplies, two Dutchies were living together. One of them sold quickly, the other one stayed behind. For weeks and weeks I talked to the rabbit, held it, petted it, and never understood why nobody took it home. 

One day, the pet store owner told me: Itâs gotta go back to the breeder, I canât sell the rabbit. 



Back to the breeder meant â in this case â ending up as a snake meal. 



Wellâ¦ in the end I took the rabbit home, of course. Bought a cage, created space in my living room, and there Meneer Jansen was. Meneer means âsirâ. So Sir Jansen was joining our household. 



When we took Sir Jansen to the vet, Sir turned out to be a ladyâ¦..which caused a lot of fun, because by then we couldnât change her name anymore. 



A couple of weeks after we took Jansen in, I went to Curacao for a holiday. The pet store owner kindly took Jansen back for 10 days. When on the island of Curacao, I got a text from my daughter telling me that Jansen was with her and her daddy, because the rabbit got ill. I was very surprised, because my ex-husband is allergic to animals, and Jansen had to live in his house because she was ill. How sweet that he took her home.



Little did we know then about the problems Jansen was going to confront us withâ¦



Anyway, Jansen recovered and was a very happy and loved house pet. Playful, always making binkies and flops, and very happy just sitting on your lap and being cuddled for an hour or so. 



After some time she became lonely. I just knew, looking at her funny black-and-white face, that she wanted a mate. Now the pet store happened to house a bunny that was being neglected by itâs former owners. Long story made short: Pim entered our household. Pim was a very handsome male, and Pim and Jansen was a match made in heaven. From the first minute on, they got on like crazy. Ate together, slept together, escaped from the cage together (funny being woken up in the morning by two bunnies which you were sure you put in their cage the night beforeâ¦) Pim loved Jansen, Jansen loved Pim. Plain and simple.



Pim had one bad habit: he peed everywhere in the room, even on the walls, he peed on Jansen, he peed on the couchâ¦ well you get the picture. Pim had to be neutered. So we took him to the vet. Why on earth I didnât take him to my own , rabbit-specialised vet, I still donât know. And I regret the day I made that decision. 

Two days afterwards, Pim died. Shock, pain, a combination, weâll never know. My daughter and I brought him home to Jansen. The final goodbye. Jansen went to Pim on tippytoes, sniffed, walked around and over Pim, gave bunny kisses. It was heartbreaking. Then Jansen understood, and went back to her cage.



Pim was buried in my exâs garden, on a cold and wet day. 



After that day, Jansen never became her old self. Nine days of bunnyfriendship and bunnylove. A match made in heaven. 



Jansen became a problem-rabbit. Stopped eating every now and then. Was in pain because of unknown reasons. Stopped eating again. Was nursed back to health. Went to a specialised bunnyhome when we were on holiday. Stopped eating again, she missed us so much. A never ending story. 



Jansen was, of course, lonely again. So we got her a new mate. In came Troy. But they never bonded, Jansen just couldnât forget her mate Pim. Getting her to eat enough was a day-to-day struggle. 



Then, in April 2008, my daughter and I went on holiday to NY. Jansen and the other rabbits went to the specialised bunnyhome again. The lady who runs the home was very used to Jansen, sheâd been there lots of time already. This time, Jansen stopped eating again. She didnât want to live anymore. A friend told me that already, but I didnât believe him. It turned out he was right. 

Jansen was given medication, was force-fedâ¦ but she missed her mate Pim, and she missed us. It was too much. The lady took her to our own vet, and there, with the vet and the lady all around her, she died. 



My daughter and I were visiting Central Park when we got the text telling us Jansen died. You know the big pond in Central Park? Wellâ¦ weâre calling that the Jansen memorial pond right now. 



Jansen, our beloved rabbit aka soft toy, died on the 3[suP]rd[/suP].of May. I celebrated my birthday on the 4[suP]th[/suP], on another continent, and cried. Jansen was soooooooooo special. Always giving bunny kisses, always hiding in your armpit, falling asleep on her back with her paws stretched out in the airâ¦Jansen was everything a rabbit should be. A great companion to my daughter. 









Rabbit with an identity crisis; looking like a cat 








in this uncomfortable positon, Jansen could sit for hours. Licking my arm. 



I'm sure Jansen and Pim are together now, being happy and naughty bunnies over the bridge.



_*Meneer Jansen, october 2005 - may 2008*_


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## mouse_chalk (Aug 7, 2008)

I'm seriously crying reading this- what a heartbreaking story.... :tears2:

Meneer Jansen sounds like such a special bunny. I'm so sorry for the heartache of losing 2 buns like that... I'm sure they're together again at the bridge now...

:rainbow:

She was so beautiful as well! :hug:


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## cheryl (Aug 7, 2008)

Oh my gosh...i have tears running down my face..what a beautiful and very sad story......my poor heart has broken into tiny little pieces just reading that....Jansen just wanted to be with Pim forever....

Thankyou for sharing that with us

Rest in peace little one's

~Cheryl


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## slavetoabunny (Aug 7, 2008)

Such a special bunny who will live in you heart forever. Binky free little one.:rainbow:


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## tonyshuman (Aug 7, 2008)

:sad:

Binky free, sweet Jansen.


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## myheart (Aug 11, 2008)

Such a sweet story about your fur-babies. She was very beautiful and well loved. It is easy to see from the photos you posted. It is amazing how these different personalities find us when we least expect it. Then mold us into the companions they want...

Thank you for telling her story. Rest in Peace and Binkie Free Pim and Jansen...

Prayers to your family ray:for healing,

myheart


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## LuvaBun (Aug 11, 2008)

Oh goodness, Jansen's story touched my heart so much. What a remarkable little girl (with a remarkable family too).

She was such a special girl, and obviously much loved. And yes, I think she and Pim are back together now!

Jan


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