My Dear Sweet Atlas,

The one who made me a mom.

The one who completely changed me and put my life on the path I’m on today.

I always wanted a pet, and so in my early years at university, when I finally got my own place: I found you. But what I should say is you found me.

I decided I wanted a bunny, and after seeing many adult bunnies for adoption, and baby bunnies at various pet stores, I decided I did want a baby bunny- so I could experience his whole lifetime- BUT I wanted to adopt him. This was the best decision I could have ever made.

Finally, a litter of babies came into the OHS, and I went to go visit them. You were just 9 weeks old. I wanted to see all the bunnies and pick one that came up to me- but you never did. You were huddled in the log hidey with your brother, and if I knew then what I know now, I would have scooped up both of you and brought you home. My boyfriend at the time picked you, because of your beautiful tan fur. You were the only one without stripes. You had the harlequin mark on your right side of your face, but the rest of you was a beautiful tan- a colour I fell in love with and am obsessed with every time I see a bunny that reminds me of you. All the rest of your little zebra stripped brothers and sisters could not compete with how handsome you were. I put you on “hold” for adoption, and after going to the pet store to grab supplies, I went back the same night and picked you up.

Over the next few days I got to know and love you; and it didn’t take you long to change my life.

While online one day, I stumbled across some horrifying information: companies still used rabbits and other small creatures for animal testing. Not just chemical companies, medicines, etc, but everyday products like soap, makeup, and even POST IT NOTES (that one always stuck with me).

I vowed immediately to boycott these products and companies - and it can be extremely hard to have a total boycott - it’s a principle I still hold dear today. I try to avoid products tested on animals wherever possible. I have you to thank for that, and frankly so do the animals I like to think I’ve saved by just being one person who stops buying products tested on animals.

Shortly after my rage against animal tested products I had another revelation. People eat rabbits. Not just that, but why would I continue to eat chicken, pigs and cows when I am obsessed with this rabbit I share my home with and could never think of eating him or another rabbit. It was a long transition, but I then began to cut our red meat, following that all other meat, and eventually, about 3 years later I finally took the full leap to vegan. Once again Atlas you helped me to see a new side of life and save hundreds if not thousands of animals from being on my dinner plate.

You also taught me over 10 years how to properly care for rabbits. You become a free range bunny, slept in my bed with me, ate the best pet food I could find, and I spent hundreds on toys, chews and veggies all for you.

Not only did you change this part of my life in terms of my diet and lifestyle and what I knew about keeping pets, but you also opened my eyes to the world of rescue and caring for other bunnies.

Once I met you, I knew I wanted to help other bunnies. I finally found a local rabbit community, and had the opportunity to volunteer with, and then become an important member of Ashley’s Little Rabbit Rescue. Shortly after that I opened our home to two rabbits who required a foster home - and the rest is pretty much history. You became a foster brother, and finally also bonded with your bun wife Chewie. She misses you greatly, perhaps even more than I do, if that’s at all possible.

I fostered many rabbits, and even had the opportunity to take in a rescued rabbit who had babies in our home. Eventually I started Chez Atlas Bnb - a way to make extra cash as your vet bills began to add up in your golden years. My only regret of doing this and helping rabbits is the time it took away from you. However when you had Chewie to cuddle with I will admit you become a little less cuddly with me. Since then I was also able to give you two more bunny siblings, some cat sisters, and rats, skinny pigs and a hamster brother. My zoo was finally complete. Now it’s missing you, our namesake, and the biggest influence in my life. I knew eventually I’d need to live without you- but I wasn’t ready and honestly I guess I just assumed you’d always be here for me.

Throughout your life, you saved me. While changing my life you also became my best pal. Everything I did was for you. You became King Scrat. You also saved my life more times than I knew. Over our 10 beautiful years you got me through 3 breakups, and countless moves (I’m now recalling you lived in at least 9 places with me, even temporarily) and my battles with mental illness. I got up everyday for you, even when I couldn’t show up for myself. You became a huge part of my family, and they all loved you - even if no one could understand why I got a pet rabbit. They loved watching your antics and binkies, laughed at you and petted your amazingly soft fur. They learned how food motivated you were and loved to slip you extra greens and fruits whenever possible.

Atlas you were everything I could have asked for in a rabbit and more. Ten years with you was amazing, but I selfishly wish I could have had ten more. We were monitoring some conditions in your last 6ish months to a year, and while I thought you weren’t doing well one night; I didn’t expect to tell me the very next day that you were too tired to go on. Maybe it was instinct, I’m not sure but I started kissing you every time I gave you meds in your last week. While you probably hated it, since even after 10 years you hated being handled for meds, I just hope you understood how much I loved you and needed you. I still need you.

The hole you left in my heart will never be filled. I loved you for almost your whole life, and will never stop loving you for the rest of mine. What I would do to have one more day of snuggling you. My bestest pal. My Atlas. My baby Scrat, Scratlas, Atlas-Doo, Ato-Bato and all the silly things I called you. There will never be another like you.

I take comfort in the fact that you’ve changed my life for the better, and left an amazingly legacy that is Chez Atlas Bnb. But really I just want you back. You are pain free now my baby boy. My cutest senior pet who just got cuter with age. I love you always.