This is Bean. I found her hopping down the sidewalk of a main road. I was unable to locate her owners so Bean traveled cross country on an airplane to live with my friend.
Laura: What was your life like before your present home?
Bean: I use to live in a cage. It was a hutch in the yard. Many days and nights would go by before I would see my people. When my people came to see me they were nice to me. They would hug me and kiss me. I loved them.
My hutch was always dirty. It was hard on my feet because I would have to walk on wire and pee and poop through the wire. The wire was always disgusting. Sometimes my people would forget to give me water, but other times they would bring me carrots and lettuce.
One day, I opened the latch to my hutch with my teeth…

It was a lot easier than I thought it would be. I was having so much fun. I was running around the yard with the wild bunnies. They kept telling me to be careful. I didn’t know what they meant. It felt so good to move.
Then you appeared and picked me up and put me in the car with the dogs. I thought they were giant bunnies because one was black like me and the other had ears like the wild bunnies.
Laura: What is different about your life now?
Bean: So many things are different. I have people in my life that care to hear me and children that hear me as well as another bunny would. I live in a house in a big cage on the floor. The bottom is carpet so my paws don’t hurt anymore. I have a litter box so my home doesn’t smell bad. I have a very handsome man for a dad. He lets me out to run around everyday and I sit on his lap so we are never lonely.
I don’t think those other people cared about me. I know you say they just didn’t know any better, but it seems like the right way to take care of me is common sense to you and my new person. I always have the freshest of water and many types of vegetables so that I never get bored. I am the healthiest and the strongest that I have ever been.
Laura: What did you think of the airplane?
Bean: It sounded like one of your dogs growling. I had seen them in the sky before and when you told me we were up in the sky I was disappointed because I thought the air would smell sweeter. It was a journey that was scary and exhilarating. I am glad I did it because I have a great life now.
Laura: What would you like to tell people about bunnies?
Bean: We don’t belong in a cage. It is a terrible life. We need exercise to feel happy and healthy. We don’t like wire under our paws. We loved to be talked to. Even though we love carrots and apples if we get too much it can make us mean. I was being mean to my dad, by batting things out of his hands and biting him. It was because I was getting too much sugar and my stomach was hurting. Now he gives me more lettuce and other vegetables. We love fresh food. Sometimes dad will eat with me. That is enjoyable to do together.
I also want to tell people that we are smart and we understand what people are saying. So no jokes about rabbit stew.