Panther Williams

Panther loved every bunny, even those whose first instinct was to lunge and growl at him. He rarely fought back, instead hopping away. If you know bunnies, you know how rare that is. But that was Panther - a rare, magnificent soul who lived life on his terms, often preferring the companionship of other bunnies to us human family members, a choice we respected. We met Panther in a shelter, where he lived in a small hutch outdoors. The moment he sank into my arms, we both knew it was meant to be. He flopped with happiness when he got home and, within a few days, bonded with our beautiful Luna. After Luna's unexpected passing, Panther developed a deep bond with our stunning blue-eyed Bailey, and the two spent their days cuddling, sniffing out extra treats, and accepting cuddles from us, on their own terms, until Bailey passed at 10 years old. Panther lost some of his spunk after losing Bailey but then something - well, someone-happened....Posey. Panther and Posey, a Belgian hare saved from a meat breeder, immediately clicked, and Panther's spark returned. Posey, a puppy trapped in a bunny's body, dragged Panther into her misadventures, whether it was trying to break into the pellet dispenser or ripping open Christmas gifts. He may even have gotten away with biting the wall and letting Posey take the blame. In his later years, Panther and I started our own tradition. Every evening as I vacuumed, Posey hid under the bed, and Panther nudged me. That meant it was time to push the pellet dispenser so he could have extra pellets. As Panther got older, his hind legs weakened, requiring rest and extra pampering. He spent his days next to me, relaxing in his laundry basket bed, eating all his favorite greens and treats, and spending time with us as we savored every moment. At night, he returned to Posey's side. His legs weakened further so those trips for pellets, while Posey hid, stopped...until one March evening. I turned on the vacuum and turned to see Panther looking at me like old times. I pushed the button. A few evening later, Panther sat in bed and ate his favorite foods. After he finished his greens, he looked at me and told me it was time. I cuddled him, with Posey next to us, as he naturally passed away, leaving us heartbroken but forever grateful that we'd had so many years with our beloved boy, a sweet, gentle soul whose loss is still felt. Panther leaves behind his mom, his sister Carys, his bun siblings Posey, Koala, Brownie, Duchess, Sky and Obi, chinchilla Bubbles, and budgies.

Panther Williams

August 20, 2015 - March 16, 2024