The Case of the Missing Bunny Ears: When Pet Treats and City Life Collide
There are moments in retail that make you question everything you know about people, animals, and, apparently, bunnies. If you’ve ever wondered what happens when modern urban life collides with the realities of nature—all in the small animal treat aisle—buckle up for this wild (and slightly fluffy) ride.
It all started at a seemingly ordinary pet food store, where the biggest dramas usually involve someone’s dog refusing one kind of kibble or a cat parent seeking the next gourmet treat. But one day, a single dehydrated rabbit ear sent a customer into a full-blown existential—and emotional—crisis.
When Treats Get Too Real
According to u/DibbyDonuts, an employee at a pet food store, a woman came in searching for an exciting new treat for her cat. After working through the usual suspects—Greenies, tube treats, even freeze-dried options—nothing piqued her interest. That’s when the employee introduced her to a staff (and pet) favorite: dehydrated rabbit ears.
Now, if you’re a pet owner, you know the drill. Dogs and cats love natural chews, and rabbit ears are a hit for many reasons (crunchy! furry! primal!). But for this customer, the experience became a horror show the second she realized the treat was, well, actually a real rabbit ear. She dropped it, screamed, and—through sobs—accused the staff of sending armies of bunnies hopping around, earless and bereft.
She left the store in tears, and the employee was left holding the proverbial bag (and a literal rabbit ear), wondering: how did we get here?
The Internet Reacts: Bunnies on Crutches, City Life, and the Great Disconnect
The Reddit community, as always, had thoughts. And as it turns out, this story unlocked a treasure trove of memories, jokes, and philosophical musings about our (sometimes tenuous) connection to the natural world.
u/notevenapro delivered a top comment that perfectly captured the absurdity: “Bunnies hopping around with no ears? That is kind of funny. She would have lost her mind if she saw the rabbit foot keychains from the 70s and 80s. She would have thought a bunch of bunnies were cruising around on crutches or mini wheelchairs.” Others chimed in with stories of their own “lucky” rabbit foot keychains—now recognized as considerably less lucky for the original owner.
But the laughter was tinged with a bit of social commentary. As u/Simon-Says69 pointed out, there’s a growing disconnect between city dwellers and the origins of their food: “Wait until she finds out how many pigs are running around without the bacon stripes she eats every weekend. Poor cows, missing whole steaks.” It’s a tongue-in-cheek jab, but it highlights a real phenomenon: for many, meat just appears in supermarket trays, disconnected from the animals it comes from.
u/PlatypusDream recounted gently breaking it to a group of teenagers that their beef dinner was, in fact, cow. The teens were shocked. “If you like it, eat it, but know what you are eating & where it comes from. Don’t blindly eat in ignorance,” they advised.
Animal Treats: Not for the Faint of Heart
For those in the know, pet treats can be a crash course in animal anatomy. Dehydrated rabbit ears, pig ears, even deer legs—these are all popular treats found in stores. One commenter, u/millhoogirl, recounted seeing actual deer legs for sale in the dog treat aisle, joking, “Must be some 3 legged deer running around.”
And if you think rabbit ears are shocking, wait until you hear about bully sticks. As several commenters gleefully noted, revealing their true origin (let’s just say, they’re not “sticks” at all) can send even the most stoic pet parent running for the hills. u/DinohKitteh suggested the employee should have followed up with a bully stick explanation—implying that sometimes, ignorance really is bliss.
The “Ear Thief” and Other Animal Myths
The story also dovetailed with some delightful online subcultures. u/badchefrazzy shared that in rabbit communities, there’s a running joke about an “ear thief” who steals bunny ears and sells them to pet shops—complete with photographic “proof” of earless bunnies (really just rabbits with their ears tucked back for the camera). There’s even a dedicated subreddit: r/earthief.
This kind of playful myth-making is a way to cope with the sometimes uncomfortable realities of animal consumption—whether it’s pets gnawing on rabbit ears or humans eating frog legs. And speaking of frogs: several commenters recalled a classic restaurant poster (and a George Carlin skit) featuring frogs on crutches, a nod to the long-standing urban legend that animals donate parts and keep on hopping.
When Reality Bites (or Barks, or Meows)
The heart of this story is a culture clash: the sanitized, shrink-wrapped world of modern urban life versus the messy, cyclical reality of animal life and death. As u/SongBirdplace and others noted, using these animal parts as pet treats is actually an environmentally responsible way to minimize waste. The bits people don’t eat become treats for our furry friends—nothing goes unused.
Yet, as u/CappuccinoBreve shared, the shock is real: “I picked up a few [pig ears] saying how my dog loved them. She said, 'Oh what are they made of?' When I said 'pig ears' she lost her mind, practically screaming, and left without buying her stuff.”
The Takeaway: Know Thy Treats (and Thy Food)
So, what can we learn from the case of the missing bunny ears? Maybe it’s that a little curiosity—and a lot more transparency—would serve us well, whether we’re shopping for our pets or ourselves. As u/PlatypusDream wisely said: know what you’re eating, and where it comes from.
And if you’re ever in a pet store, don’t be afraid to ask what’s in the treat bin—but be ready for some answers that might surprise you (or your cat).
Have you ever been shocked by the origins of a pet treat or favorite food? Share your own hilarious—or horrifying—discovery stories in the comments below!
What’s the weirdest treat your pet has ever loved? Would you give them a dehydrated rabbit ear? Let’s hear your tales from the treat aisle!
Original Reddit Post: All those bunnies...