Bunny Beats The Blazes, Saves Family

Update: Video added.

A MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA COUPLE HAD A HARE-RAISING EXPERIENCE this morning when a fire broke out in their house. The family were awakened at 7 am by their pet bunny, named Rabbit, when he started thumping noisily in his cage.

[photopress:rabbit.jpg,full,centered]
Michelle Finn and Rabbit survey the damage.

The Brisbane Times tells us:

“Gerry only got home from work about 5.30am because he works night shift and about 7am we both woke to the sound of a thumping rabbit,” Ms Finn said.

“We heard windows breaking at the back of the house and got up to see what was wrong and the house was on fire.”

The blaze had broken out in the back office and smoke was spreading quickly through the house.

Ms Finn said she was grateful to her six-month-old, black, floppy-eared companion for reacting the way he did from his loungeroom cage.

“He’s in the cage during the night and just started thumping and running around and was trying to get out I guess,” she said.

“If it wasn’t for the rabbit we probably wouldn’t have woken up quite as soon.”

The smoke was so bad that they couldn’t get to Rabbit, but the firefighters were able to make the rescue. Rabbit is fine now, but his cage was destroyed.

Metropolitan Fire Brigade commander Mick Swift said it was the first fire he had attended where the life-saver was a rabbit.

“It could have been a lot worse and without the rabbit it could have been a tragedy where lives were lost,” he said. “We’re pretty happy to be able to giggle about it.”

The AP has this video report and introduces us to Rabbit:

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Foster

Kutungi, Why don't you learn what you are talking about before using such strong language. I have three rabbits. They are MUCH more like dogs and cats than hamsters or Gerbils. They are not rodents. They are highly intelligent. They use litter boxes, play with toys, and become extremely attached to those it bonds with. One of my rabbits sleeps with my dog and grooms her.

Any animal, no matter how small, will be a great alarm system. Any social animal will try to warn the others in their pack. Any educated person would know this. So who does that word stupid really apply too?

In the animal world, humans are far from being the smartest animals on Earth, Thanks for proving it for us.

Regan

I just read another story stating the husband returned from work and a half hour after going to bed the bunny was scratching at the door. He had escaped the cage and came to the rescue.
Either way a pet is a good alarm. All pets are hero's in my eyes. They react on instinct. More humans should be that way.

Valerie

To Katungi: I have several indoor bunny companions, and I can tell you when one of them starts thumping it WILL wake you up. If heat and smoke were responsible for waking the Finns, not Rabbit, then by extension no one should die in their beds from fire, and that's just not the case. Smoke overwhelms the building residents and fire finishes them off.

So give Rabbit his due. He was looking for an escape for himself, but he is a lop-eared hero.

Katungi

Are you positive that it was the rabbit that woke her up, or do you not want to admit that it was the smoke and heat. Why do you insist on naming your stupid bunny a hero?