# Sparta



## Kipcha (Jul 30, 2012)

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On July 20th, we had to make the very hard decision to have Sparta euthanized.

Sparta was a rescue that we received from a lady that gave a very long, complicated story about how a friend of hers found him running feral through Calgary. They kept him for a couple months before they grew bored of him and turned him over to this lady who kept him in a dog crate in the back yard, giving him "pellets and carrots" to live off of. He didn't sound like much more then an occasional toy for her son to play with. Her husband was over in Iraq and when she heard he was coming back, she needed to get rid of him ASAP because her husband did not approve of pets. So, he wound up with us.

It was when he was looked at by a vet that we discovered his terrible teeth. He was missing one of his front teeth (And while he was with us for a couple months, it never showed any sign of coming back, so I wonder what would have caused that?) and his back teeth were crooked and showing the early signs of overgrowing.

We placed him in a foster home after getting his teeth trimmed and kept a good eye on him to make sure they would not overgrow. He was bounced around the fosters for a couple reasons so we stopped by one of them to do a quick check up on his teeth. I have no idea still how it happened, but somehow, when being put back in the cage, he jerked his front foot and after that, refused to use it. He never used as much as the others but it was the first time I had seen him hold it that way before.

We brought him into the vet and she said his shoulder was dislocated. When we mentioned how it happened, she suspected it to be an old injury that had healed and something he did a certain way just caused it to re-injure itself. She put him on some high pain meds and we looked into different options for him.

We considered pins, but could find no one that was willing to do it. The vet explained that the situation with Flynn and the solution we had there (Cutting off the femural head on her back leg) would not work since the anatomy of the front leg is drastically different. I considered amputation but at the same time, I was also planning on having his incisors removed as they were beginning to cause more problems. She said that would be two major surgeries for him to undergo and I think we were all a little uncomfortable with how much it would put him through.

We went for two more check ups and considered the options. It was the last one, where the vet was saying that abscesses in his jaw were becoming a very real possibility due to how his back teeth were aligning and how they would most likely pop up very, very soon, that she said she believed humane euthanasia was the best option. The thought of putting him through regular anesthesia for teeth trimming, amputating his leg, removing his inscisors, the jaw abscesses that she thought she could feel were starting and the fact that he still had not been neutered on top of it all, quality of life came into question. His morale had dropped and he had been growing increasingly depressed and losing weight. As heartbreaking as it was, we decided to have him humanely put to sleep.

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So far, with all the rescue buns we've had, we've been extremely lucky and they have all been adopted out. I've never had to make the decision to have one of them euthanized and it really did take a toll. I sat in that vet office with him while we went over the paper work and loved him up as much as I could, then just kept asking for a few more minutes because I could not bare to hand him over.

I just feel so terrible for this little sweetheart. We never had any inquiries on adopting him that were serious (This was when we thought his teeth were the only issue and we were going to get them fixed), he was constantly bounced around, in bad shape and it really seemed like he was just an unwanted bunny. What must it be like, to be completely unwanted and unloved? How is it fair that he didn't get his forever home? How could a bunny so sweet never be wanted by anyone simply because he wasn't the cutest, or the youngest? This poor little guy never got to experience a real home of his own, and that absoloutly breaks my heart. I truly wanted to find somewhere good for him, and in the end he never got it.

I'm just glad that he lived out his last month in our home with daily veggies and cuddles and people who talked to him and cared about what happened to him. He didn't die in some dog crate or torn apart by another animal or being hit by a car. He did have some good in his life and I suppose we can at least be thankful for that. It's just too bad that it was so fleeting.

Rest in Peace Sparta, and I sincerely hope that this special little boy is finally in a place where he can be happy.

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I am getting a plaque made of his paw print. It will be colored to match the color of his fur. I'll post pics when we get it. I thought someone should remember this sweet boy for the wonderful rabbit he was.


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## MiniLopHop (Jul 30, 2012)

I'm so sorry for your loss. At least Sparta knew love in the end. A tough decision but it sounds for the best.

Binky free sweet Sparta. ray:


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## agnesthelion (Jul 30, 2012)

Aww so sorry and yes I agree, he felt some love in the end. Binky free Sparta.


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## Nancy McClelland (Jul 31, 2012)

We're so sorry for the loss, it's never an easy decision, but it sometimes is the only one left to us as caregivers. I'll never be able to understand how people can treat an animal as disposable. Rest in peace you cute little man and binky free.


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## HEM (Jul 31, 2012)

We are so sorry to hear about poor Sparta and the hard life that he had. All bunnies are special and it is heartbreaking to hear of a bunny that lived this kind of life.
You did a great thing by taking him the last month and giving him the best month that he ever had and knowing that he went to his final rest happy is the key.
Binky free lil' guy!!!


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## katherine at sacred stories (Jul 31, 2012)

I am very sorry for your loss. Sparta does look like a wonderful bunny and it is so sad to think of all he's been through. But you gave him love and care in his final days and I know that meant everything to him. He knew what love felt like for the first time. Thank you for everything you did for Sparta. You have such a good heart and soul.

Binkie Free, Sparta
:rainbow:ink iris::rainbow:ink iris::rainbow:ink iris:


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## Pipp (Aug 1, 2012)

So sorry Amanda.  So sad that we can't save them all. 


sas :sad:


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## LuvaBun (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm so sorry Amanda. He looked like such a sweet boy, too.

You did all you could for him, and because of that, I don't think he would have felt 'unwanted'. He probably felt safe and loved by you, and that is a great gift you gave him.

RIP little Sparta 

Jan


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## JimD (Aug 17, 2012)

I'm so sorry 

ray:


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## I_heart_Fraggles (Aug 17, 2012)

Binky free Sparta ink iris:


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## Rescuemom (Aug 22, 2012)

I was browsing adoptables and spotted this link in Sparta's thread...

I am so sorry he was the one bunny that you got that never got adopted and I am so very sorry that he had to go through so much. Thank you so very much for doing everything you've done for him.

I went through similar trials with my dog Maya before having to put her to sleep.

These are the hardest parts of rescue. You can't save them all, you can't be the solution for all of them... But you can rest easy knowing you did your best, that you gave them what you could, while you could and that for even that short time, he was loved, he was wanted, and he was given the proper care he needed and deserved.<3


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