I CAUGHT MY DOG HIDING SOMETHING—AND IT CHANGED EVERYTHING I THOUGHT I KNEW

Every morning, I found my garden ravaged—nibbled carrots, uprooted lettuce, a chewed bean vine. I set up a trail cam, expecting raccoons or deer, but never imagined the truth would break my heart. When my dog Runa, a headstrong shepherd mix, skipped breakfast, I found her in the barn, nursing two tiny, orphaned baby rabbits. Their mother, likely the garden thief, lay dead nearby, having dragged herself to them. Runa, grieving her own lost litter, had taken them in. I’d been cursing a desperate mother feeding her kits. Stunned, I supported Runa,

bringing food and researching rabbit care. She tended them until their eyes opened and they hopped off, eventually leaving for the wild. Runa watched them go, her purpose fulfilled. She’s softer now, sleeping indoors, her wild spirit tempered by love. My garden still loses carrots, but I don’t set traps anymore. I smile, knowing what I thought was a nuisance was a miracle—Runa’s act of love proving family is who we choose to protect.