We’ve recently had a string of record-breakingly hot, dry days (and nights!) leaving the landscape brown and yellow with only a touch of green. This normally happens each summer, but we’re ahead of schedule. And the scarcity of greenery brings out Australia’s most notorious pest: the grey rabbit. Not native to this continent but introduced by an Englishman in 1859 for sport hunting, its numbers have exploded to plague proportions in some regions.

Until her very last days, our border collie Rosie worked hard to keep the rabbit population in check. She became highly skilled at stalking and swiftly exterminating those on our property. In the early years, however, she was not so adept and, on one occasion, I found her prey in a somewhat less-than-dead state. I shouted out to Phil to please come help me drown the poor creature. Somehow it was understood that my role would be to fill a bucket while Phil’s would be to carry out the rest. To his relief, the rabbit vanished while the tap was still running.  [read more below]

[wpvideo OqBL7HWf w=484]

And now our puppy Lila has arrived on the scene. She has a strong curiosity about rabbits, but no killer instinct. Maybe it’s her laid-back Labrador nature, but she’d much rather admire a bunny than chase one. Or God forbid have one for breakfast. (My apologies for capturing her attitude through a flecked windowpane.)

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