Wild Paws

Bunnies in Trouble

Ages 7+

Will the Wild Paws crew be able to save a snowshoe hare and her newborns?

The Wild Paws crew is called on to rescue an injured showshoe hare. But the hare has just had babies and if she isn't returned to the woods quickly, her little ones will starve! Max, Sarah and Abbie must brave a snowstorm to find a new wild-animal vet to save Cinnamon and her babies.

Scholastic Canada ISBN 0-439-98984-1

An Excerpt

The animal’s long legs dangled limply, and Abbie gathered them up. She cradled the animal in her arms. “There, there,” she murmured softly. “There, there. Let’s have a better look at you.”

Max leaned forward, wanting to get a better look too.

The long-eared animal had brown fur on its back and sides, and white fur on its tummy. Its front and back legs were white too. It was beautiful. Max could just imagine how soft the rabbit’s fur would feel. But she shook her head slightly and reminded herself: Abbie wasn’t sure it was a rabbit!

After only one glance at the animal, Abbie was certain. “Nope,” she said. “This certainly isn’t a rabbit.”

Max wasn’t the only one who was surprised. She saw the surprise in the faces of Sarah and Mr. and Mrs. Flanagan, too.

“This is a hare,” explained Abbie. “A snowshoe hare. And she’s a female. Snowshoe hares change colour in fall and spring. In the winter they’re white, so they’re camouflaged in the snow. In the summer, they’re brown. See how our friend here is exchanging her white hair for brown hair?”

Max nodded. Even the hare’s face was mostly brown with a few small white patches.

“And look.” Abbie gently touched the hare’s right hind foot. “See her large hind feet? They are much bigger and broader than a rabbit’s. Look, they’re furry on the bottom and padded with hairs. Those are the ‘snowshoes’ that help the hare spread out its weight as it runs through deep snow.”

A snowshoe hare for Easter! Max felt tingly all over. She had never seen a snowshoe hare before.

Now Abbie examined the hare’s left hind foot. Max saw a red patch on the long wide foot. She caught her breath.

“Hmm, there’s some blood here,” Abbie noted calmly.

Abbie looked at the motionless hare without speaking for a moment. Then she said to Max, “Could you please open the door of the carrier?”

Max hurried to help out, swinging the door wide as Abbie placed the hare in the carrier and carefully nestled her into the brown blanket.

“Do you think she’ll be all right?” Mrs. Flanagan asked worriedly. “Is her foot very badly hurt?” She gazed earnestly into Abbie’s face.

Abbie shook her head. “I don’t know,” she told them. Then she stood up. “But we’ll do our best to help her.”

“Oh, but wait,” Mrs. Flanagan insisted. She put her hand on Abbie’s arm. “You can’t go yet. That’s not all. When we went back to get the hare, Clive put the gloves on and picked her up, and we were just about to leave when . . . “ Mrs. Flanagan reached into the corner of the playpen and lifted the edge of the blanket.

Again Max leaned closer to peer into the playpen. She gasped at what she saw.