MURRAY, Utah – Staff at Wheeler Historic Farm were pleasantly surprised Sunday morning when they found abducted rabbit “Dolly Parton” had been returned to her hutch.
The Flemish Giant rabbit was taken Wednesday, and employees were especially concerned because they believed the animal may be pregnant.
But the animal turned out not to be pregnant, and the staff’s plea for the animal’s return was answered. Reagan Scharman, program coordinator at Wheeler Farm, was already cracking jokes about the ordeal Sunday.
“I gotta give whoever took her credit for their sneakiness, because when we bring the animals out we get swarmed,” she said.
There were no human witnesses to the abduction, so the identity of the thief is unclear. Employees said while they don’t know who took the rabbit, they did hear a report that someone spotted the rabbit in the company of two unidentified people and confronted them.
“I'm just hoping that maybe that sighting is what maybe spurred them to bring her back,” Scharman said of that concerned civilian’s reported intervention. “If it was, fabulous, that’s great.”
Dolly Parton is now under lock and key, and keepers have words of advice for those who might be enamored with her soft fur and celebrity status.
“Go adopt an animal,” Scharman said. “There's plenty that need homes. Do your homework of course. And then, you know: If it's not yours, don't touch it.”
While the staff was worried Dolly might be pregnant, they said they learned she was actually not—which they said is a good thing considering what she has been through.
Wheeler Farms stated Thursday they would not ask questions if the rabbit was returned, and they said Sunday they intend to honor that promise and will not be seeking a police investigation or to find the culprits.
