Liam bit a Bunny and...

RABBIT KILLER

I thought the title would be milder than the captioned photo above.
We are living with a rabbit killer.

Liam. 

I always wondered what Liam would do if he caught a rabbit. He had not been successful in snaring one.

Until Saturday. 

Background
Early each morning Liam rings his poochie bells. These hang on the doorknob of the side door. see photo

POOCHIE BELLS ON DOORKNOB

Their jingling is his signal for his morning excursion out to the backyard to do his business.
Before he leaves I give him a greenie (dental chew treat) I know. He is controlling me. True. He is. But that issue will be for another blog story.

This story is about murder. See the face of a killer. 

HEY MOM. WHAT'S YOUR PROBLEM?

Death Knell
The poochie bells are ringing.
It is 4:10 AM Saturday morning. No daylight yet, not a bit. I don't turn on any indoor lights. We have a powerful street lamp which shines up our driveway and illuminates half our backyard. We also keep on a side door light. I can find my way by these artificial lights. I give Liam his daily greenie. We proceed to the side door. I prop it open so he can come back in on his own.

He may be out for 5 minutes or 15. I watch through the rear room window. I can see him moving about...a dark shadow darting among the bushes and trees. He is sniffing and looking and listening. Stopping and going. I go into the bathroom and while in there I hear squeaks and squeals. Why is he back and why is he playing with his toys? He has rubber squeaker toys and the noises sound exactly like ones they make when squeezed.

Not his usual routine. I come out...look out the door. Liam is hovering over what appears to be a large animal. No, not a squirrel. A rabbit? I call his name. He ignores me.The shadows created by the street lamp light give a Halloweenish glow to the scene and I realize oh no, those sounds were from this animal. I don't see a head. Has Liam ripped off its head?! The body is still.

The Rabbit Died
Liam has killed. And he is not coming in right now. He is all over the yard. Following a trail...reliving the event. Paul appears. He heard the noises. I show him our killer and his prey. We are both horrified. Paul takes a close look. A bunny! Liam killed a bunny. Easter is coming. What bad timing. There is no blood. Its head is there. With a shovel and broom we get the body in a hefty bag.
And the bunny is placed in the back. It is over.

What the heck occurred here? We surmise our backyard stalker surprised a sleeping rabbit. And did what his instincts dictated. Pounce. Grab its neck and shake...

Would it have been better if I investigated the noise immediately/
It was only minutes.
Could I have stopped the killing? Should I have?

It is not murder if it is not planned, right?
Manslaughter

But Liam did plan it. Every time he runs after a rabbit he expects to capture it. So there's the plan.

Paul explains this is the better outcome. He says would we rather have looked out and seen a rabbit standing over Liam?

Or a dying rabbit in pain?

Liam did what he had to do.

BUNNY RABBIT DREAMS

Protected his territory.

He is at peace with himself
Or is he?
Liam has not been out for his early morning trip since the killing. Has rung his bells for his greenie. But after scoffing it down, he refuses to go out. 

Remorse? 

Or an item on his bucket list checked off?

Which is it Liam?
Woof, Woof