A disabled woman says she has regained the use of her hands after adopting two long-haired bunnies that needed constant grooming to repair the damage done to their long fur by months of neglect.
Marley-Belle Quaid, 32, wanted to take in adorable bunnies Woodstock and Wilfred after seeing a post by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (RSPCA) detailing the trauma that they had suffered, having been found buried in bushes in the woods, abandoned by their previous owner.
They had been in foster care for two years after being rescued by RSPCA because no one wanted to take on the responsibility of taking care of two long-haired rabbits.
The best therapy: Marley-Belle Quaid says she regained use of her hands thanks to grooming her two long-haired bunnies Woodstock and Wilfred
They saved each other: The bunnies were found in the woods after being abandoned and were so neglected their hair was so matted it misshaped their bones, affecting their movement
‘The first time I saw them, I knew I would do whatever it took to have them in my life,’ said Marley-Belle.
But after undergoing several wrist surgeries in an attempt to repair the damage done to her nerves, Marley-Belle had been left totally unable to move her hands and was worried she would not be able to give the bunnies the care they needed and deserved.
And it wasn’t just her hands that were suffering; after losing the use of her hands entirely, Marley-Belle could no longer use the crutches she needed in order to move around, and was confined to a wheelchair.
Having tried physical therapy many times with no results, Marley-Belle was ready to give up – before finding out that grooming her long-haired bunnies was the only therapy that would help her regain use of her hands.
A great team: Marley-Belle adopted the bunnies despite worrying about not being able to take care of them because she was unable to move her hands after several wrist surgeries
All better: Although at first it was very painful for Marley-Belle to groom the long-haired bunnies, after a while she realized her hands and wrists were regaining movement
Marley-Belle didn’t know how she would manage to care for the bunnies, but decided to adopt them anyway, despite her worries, and somehow make it work.
Every day, she would make painful attempts to brush and groom Woodstock and Wilfred. Although it was incredibly difficult at first, after a while, a miraculous thing happened: her hands and wrists began to move again.
‘Within six months, I had full, malleable wrists; I was grooming Wilfred and Woodstock by myself on my own lap and I could use scissors again,’ she said.
‘My surgeon was quite astounded I had the use that I had with my wrists again. These bunnies were a massive part of my recovery.’
What a handsome pair! ‘Woodstock and Wilfred have given me so much more than love; they’ve given me independence and freedom,’ said Marley-Belle
They live a great life: Woodstock and Wilfred, now about six years old, have their own bedroom, and plenty of toys to play with like tunnels and a hay pit
After two years with Woodstock and Wilfred, Marley-Belle can now use her crutches again and doesn’t need a wheelchair.
The bunnies, now about six years old, have also benefited from Marley-Belle’s loving care. They have their own bedroom and a room full of toys like tunnels, boxes to hide, and even a hay pit.
Woodstock had been so neglected that his fur was matted on his legs so densely that his bones were misshapen, making it difficult for him to hop around. But now, thanks Marley-Belle’s dedicated grooming and her spacious apartment, the bunny is all better and even able to jump on the furniture.
‘Before, I had to use my wheelchair all the time, because I couldn’t use my hands to grip my crutches,’ Marley-Belle said. ‘That meant there were shops I couldn’t go into or places I couldn’t get to because I needed my crutches. Woodstock and Wilfred have given me so much more than love; they’ve given me independence and freedom’.