Leaving your pets in someone else’s care can be stressful, even when you trust them completely. For pet owners, ensuring animals receive proper food, water, and attention is not just a matter of convenience, it’s a matter of their health and well-being.
In this story, today's Original Poster (OP) left for a vacation, relying on her friend to care for her bunny and cat. Despite detailed instructions, videos, and even pre-prepared food, she was left disappointed when she returned.
More info: Reddit
Asking someone to look after your pet can be surprisingly tricky, even with the best of intentions
Image credits: Laura Chouette / Unsplash (not the actual photo)
The author left for a vacation Sunday-Friday, leaving their cat and bunny in the care of a friend who agreed to feed and let the bunny out
Image credits: Tima Miroshnichenko / Pexels (not the actual photo)
She prepared detailed instructions, videos, and prepped the bunny’s foliage to make care as easy as possible
Image credits: Andrea Piacquadio / Pexels (not the actual photo)
However, unknown to her, the friend failed to show up for the scheduled visits, later claiming she was too sick with a sinus infection to notify anyone
Image credits: JQ0329
The author then returned home to find the bunny lethargic and dehydrated, realizing the friend neglected responsibilities
Before leaving for a Sunday-Friday vacation, the OP made detailed arrangements for her cat and bunny. The cat was easy as there was food and water left out. The bunny, however, required more hands-on care, including fresh foliage, water refills, and time outside the cage to hop around.
To make things foolproof, she went all out. Her friend agreed to stop by on Tuesday, and instructions were thorough. There were written details, meal-prepped greens in the fridge, and even step-by-step videos made by her daughter explaining how to access the cage and supplies.
As the vacation wrapped up and she was heading home, she received a message from the friend who explained she had been sick right from the beginning of the OP's vacation with a severe sinus infection and had been mostly bedridden all week. She claimed a fever, exhaustion, and difficulty even looking at her phone.
The OP wasn't upset that her friend was ill, rather it was that she had everyone’s phone numbers and multiple ways to reach out, yet never communicated that she wouldn’t be able to care for the bunny until the very end of the trip. Thankfully, both pets survived, however the bunny was clearly affected, lethargic, thirsty, and not its usual energetic self.
Image credits: Alex Green / Pexels (not the actual photo)
The situation in this story highlights just how critical proper care and communication are for rabbits. According to Everypaw, a lethargic and dehydrated rabbit is a serious warning sign that should never be ignored. Rabbits are highly sensitive to dehydration and can deteriorate rapidly without proper care, making even subtle signs of lethargy an urgent signal for immediate veterinary attention.
Delaying treatment can lead to rapid decline or even death, as rabbits can become critically ill much faster than many other pets. Everbreed reinforces this urgency, noting that lethargy paired with dehydration can indicate potentially life-threatening conditions like GI stasis, heatstroke, kidney issues, or severe infection, all of which can become fatal within hours if not treated promptly.
This makes clear communication equally vital. As PetDesk explains, when multiple people share responsibility for a pet, unclear expectations can result in missed feeding, overlooked medications, or delayed responses to subtle signs of illness, all of which could have serious consequences for a rabbit’s health.
They recommend establishing shared routines, emergency plans, and responsibilities help prevent misunderstandings and ensures that critical care is never neglected. In the context of this story, the lack of communication from the friend left the bunny at real risk, illustrating how both medical vigilance and clear communication are essential to keeping pets safe and healthy.
Netizens sided with the OP, saying the friend’s failure to communicate was unforgivable and potentially deadly for the bunny. They stressed how serious dehydration can be for rabbits and argued that sickness was not a valid excuse for total silence.
What would you do if you were in the OP's shoes? Would you end a friendship over this, or is this something you’d forgive? We would love to hear your thoughts!
Netizens echoed that the friend had shown she could never be trusted again and that this alone was grounds for a friendship breakup
