Rescue & Adoptions

In Loving Memory

Leonardo

Rescued in one of the worst rabbit neglect cases Farm Sanctuary has ever seen, Leonardo was found languishing inside a filthy cage that was much too small for him. His owners, once they could no longer fit Leonardo through the door, simply stopped cleaning his cage. By the time he was discovered by rescuers, Leonardo was living literally up to his chest in his own waste. His nails were so overgrown that they curled in spirals around his cage, and he was suffering from a serious tooth deformity caused by a lack of proper materials to chew on. Happily, despite all he was forced to endure in his young life, Leonardo recovered quickly after settling in at our California Shelter. After spending years inside a cramped cage, life here must have seemed an unbelievable gift.

As soon as Leonardo arrived at Farm Sanctuary, he began making friends in our bunny barn and among our staff. Somehow, despite the cruelty he had experienced at the hands of humans, he was still able to love and trust us. We were always amazed by this. Day after day for all of his time here, Leonardo reached out to us in gentleness and hope, open to receiving affection and offering love of his own. Everyone who had the privilege of knowing him was moved by his capacity for forgiveness and couldn't help but love him ever more deeply as the years passed by. He reminded us all of how much we have to learn from animals.

Sadly, Leonardo's health began to fail late in 2005. A trip to the UC Davis Veterinary Hospital confirmed that he had a parasitic disease called E-Cuniculi and that he had developed severe arthritis in all four of his legs as well. Disappointed by this news, caregivers brought Leonardo home to the farm and began treating him for his arthritis pain. They did not have to treat him for the E-Cuniculi, however, because although doctors found him to be a carrier of the disease, he did not show any signs of an active infection. Despite this, caregivers did monitor him closely for any symptoms that would indicate that the disease was progressing. Thanks to his arthritis treatments and the doting care of our staff and volunteers, Leonardo seemed to be feeling better soon after his return from the hospital. He happily enjoyed all the extra attention being lavished upon him and his appetite remained strong.

Then, a few months later, Leonardo developed an infection known as Pasteurella. The Pasteurella, in turn, caused Leonardo to develop an upper respiratory infection and a chronic head tilt. Caregivers treated Leonardo with antibiotics, but they did not seem to help. Around this same time, Leonardo began having increased difficulty with his back legs. Soon he could barely use them at all. X-rays taken at a local veterinarian's office revealed the cause of Leonardo's mobility problems: his arthritis had moved into his spine. Although steroid injections could have helped reduce the inflammation in his spine, his doctor thought such treatments would be too risky. Already weakened by the presence of E-Cuniculi and Pasteurella in his body, Leonardo's immune system simply was not strong enough to endure a round of steroids. They would have done more damage than good. When we heard this, we knew that all we could do was keep Leonardo as comfortable as possible, and hope for the best.

Unfortunately, Leonardo's condition continued to worsen. As his body weakened, he lost weight, and soon doctors told us that he was suffering from kidney failure. Remaining his kind, affectionate self throughout all his struggles, Leonardo nonetheless seemed ready to say goodbye. We knew there was nothing more we could do to help him. So, hoping to spare him further suffering, we made the decision to have him humanely euthanized. On a cool, breezy day at the farm, Leonardo was put gently to sleep. He passed away peacefully while cuddled near his beloved companion, Nico, and surrounded by his caregivers.

Thank you, Leonardo, for sharing your life with us, and thank you for all the beautiful memories. We will never forget you!