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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Lifestyle
Simon Steggall, as told to Joe Pinner

The pet I’ll never forget: Dory the 10kg rabbit, who saved me from a diabetic coma

Simon Steggall and Dory the giant rabbit
‘It was dear old Dory who sensed danger’ … Simon Steggall with his giant rabbit. Photograph: Courtesy of Simon Steggall

The first time I saw a Flemish giant rabbit was at TruckFest in Peterborough in 2002. Among a sprawling maze of stalls at the East of England showground, I was led into a tent filled with the biggest rabbits I’d ever laid eyes on. I’d never heard of Flemish giants before, but I knew then that I needed one. I couldn’t have predicted in that moment that one of these beautiful creatures might save my life.

Dory was a baby when I met her, but even as a bunny she was already bigger than most normal-sized rabbits. We brought her home in a cat carrier, but she soon outgrew it. By the time she was fully grown, she weighed nearly 10kg, and I was walking her on a leash like a dog.

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