Unhappy that Hoppy's gone
Abby students, teacher distraught at loss
Ian Austin, The Province
Published: Friday, November 17, 2006
Life just isn't the same for the kindergarten class at Harry Sayers Elementary in Abbotsford.
A cage sits empty without Hoppy, the abandoned bunny adopted by Sue Baker-Hamm's class.
"I've been crying so much over the last three days," Baker-Hamm said yesterday. "He has 32 students who love him.
"We searched for a rescued bunny who could be patted every day by 32 young children, and Hoppy was perfect."
Perfect, that is, until Baker-Hamm left Hoppy behind in her car when she dropped her daughter off for Girl Guides.
"It was cold, so we didn't want to take Hoppy outside," said Baker-Hamm, a kindergarten teacher for 14 years. "When I got back, I couldn't believe Hoppy was gone.
"He was in a Girl Guides [cookie] box, so maybe they expected to get money."
Instead, the heartless thief made off with the much-loved bunny, bringing pain to not only the classroom of kids, but also Baker-Hamm's two young children.
"He has grown to love me," said Baker-Hamm, who found Hoppy at the Small Animal Rescue Society after the previous class pet -- a guinea pig -- died of natural causes.
"I know it sounds kind of strange, but he has really grown to trust me -- he's a wonderful rabbit."
Baker-Hamm said many of her pupils don't have pets, so Hoppy is actually a furry, adorable teaching tool.
"We're trying to teach them compassion and gentleness, and caring for a pet," said Baker-Hamm.
Hoppy's bunnynapping is the latest trauma for the young furball.
"He used to live on a farm, but [the owners] moved and let all the rabbits go -- four females and a male," said the teacher. "The Small Animal Rescue Society rescued them all, and we searched all the foster homes for the perfect rabbit.
"That was Hoppy."
Now Baker-Hamm is frantically trying to find the little rabbit, hoping someone will hear of Hoppy's misadventures and feel compassionate enough to return the prized pet.
"The whole class is really hoping that the picture and the article will get him back," said the teacher, who took Hoppy on her daily commute back and forth between home and school.
"We want whoever took Hoppy to either bring him to the school or drop him off at the SPCA."
Husband Rob Hamm said life hasn't been the same at home since Hoppy was taken from their lives at about 6 p.m. Nov. 14 in the Abbotsford Wal-Mart parking lot.
"It's been a tough ride," said Hamm.
"Hoppy makes the trip to school every day, then comes home and plays with us.
"He is a special rabbit."
HAVE YOU SEEN HIM?
Hoppy is described as a young, black, neutered, male bunny with grey chin, chest, tail and toes. He is extremely friendly.
"All the kids want Hoppy back," said kindergarten student Jeevan Basrom, 5.
"I love Hoppy," added Manisha Sharma, 5.
"I feel sad and I miss Hoppy," said Imrin Shergill, 5.
© The Vancouver Province 2006