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Wade Newman had no time to waste. Night was falling in Turin, New York, U.S.A. And his rabbit, Sniffles, was missing. The 14-year-old boy had to find the little bunny before the evening turned too dark to see.

Wade searched his yard. He peered under bushes and poked into weeds. He looked behind the garage and on top of the woodpile. But snuggly Sniffles was nowhere to be found.

Earlier that afternoon, Wade had let the rabbit out of its hutch. His dog, Boo Boo, was running loose in the yard. So was Sparky the cat. Sniffles needs to have his own adventure, Wade thought.

It seemed safe enough. Wade lived in dairy-farming country. His family’s house sat far back from the road. A creek ran along one side and a large cornfield bordered the other. Out back stretched a rocky cow pasture.

The only trouble was Sniffles’ small size. He was a Netherland (sounds like NETH-er-land) dwarf rabbit and weighed just two pounds (0.9 kg). The little hopper could disappear in tall grass or hide inside a flower pot. So where is he now? Wade wondered. I’ve always been able to find him before.

Did You Know?

The best way to pet a rabbit is to gently scratch its forehead and between its eyes.

Never once had he let Sniffles or Boo Boo stay outside all night. Sparky did sometimes stay out. Like all cats, Sparky had excellent night vision and enjoyed prowling in the dark. If only I could see that well, wished Wade. But he couldn’t. When total darkness fell, he gave up looking for Sniffles.

Scary thoughts rushed through Wade’s mind when he tried to sleep. Was Sniffles lost? Had he been nabbed by an owl or coyote? If only the rabbit had stayed in sight.

From forests to deserts, rabbits live all over the world. People began taming them about 500 years ago. Today there are 48 breeds, or kinds, of tame rabbits. The breeds differ in color, looks, and type of fur.

But breed doesn’t affect how friendly a bunny will be. So when choosing a pet, think about size. There are tiny, 3-pound (1.4 kg) “pocket pets” like the lionhead (shown here). And there are 20-pound (9.0 kg) checkered giants. Pick the bunny that you have room for, can afford to feed, and find easy to handle.

Morning finally came, and Wade’s father found Sparky sitting on the back porch stoop. And, surprise! Beside him sat Sniffles! How did that happen? Wade wondered. Were Sparky and Sniffles together all night? Or did they meet up at dawn?

Wade would never know. But relief flooded over him as he scooped up his bunny and rubbed him against his cheek.

Sniffles had returned unharmed, so Wade continued to let him out of his hutch. “Don’t go far, and come back before dark,” he told the bunny. But did Sniffles listen? No! The naughty bunny missed curfew many times. Wade learned not to worry and just wait until morning. Then Sniffles and Sparky would appear at the door.

But Sparky was old, and he eventually died. Everyone missed him, including Sniffles. The bunny had lost his friend and his guide. Wade worried that without Sparky, Sniffles might not find his way home. So Wade stopped letting the rabbit loose in the yard. He began bringing him inside the house instead.

Wade usually did this at night, when he lay on the couch and watched TV. Then Sniffles would crawl inside one of Wade’s pants’ pockets and sleep.

One night, Wade was focused on his TV show. He failed to notice when the little rabbit started chewing. Chewing is a natural behavior for rabbits. So doing it must have felt good to Sniffles. But he nibbled a big hole in Wade’s best pants. Oops!

Other problems came up. Hopping around outside used to wear down Sniffles’ nails. Now that he no longer did that, his nails grew too long. Wade’s mom tried to cut them. But Sniffles wriggled and squirmed. Once she cut too deep by mistake, and it made the rabbit’s toe bleed.

Did You Know?

Like cats, rabbits can be trained to use a litter box.

Sniffles was acting different, too. He used to show joy by jumping straight up and to the side. But the bunny stopped doing his happy dance.

Wade hated to see Sniffles so sad. So he took a risk. He started letting Sniffles run loose outdoors again.

All went well for a while. Then one day Sniffles disappeared and did not return. Wade felt terrible. Is my funny bunny lost for good? he wondered. If only Sparky was still alive.

Wade and his parents were outside searching for the little rabbit when Boo Boo joined them. That gave Wade an idea. Specially trained search-and-rescue dogs found missing people. Could his untrained mutt find a missing rabbit? It was worth a try. “Boo,” he said. “Go find the rabbit.”

To his surprise, the dog seemed to understand. Boo Boo immediately put her nose to the ground. She zigged and zagged. Then she picked up speed. “She’s got it!” Wade’s dad said. “Boo Boo has picked up Sniffles’ scent.”

The dog headed straight for the neighbor’s cornfield. Time passed. Wade grew concerned and plunged into the corn himself. Then he saw them! Boo Boo was walking behind Sniffles and pushing him along with her nose. Every time Sniffles stopped moving, Boo Boo nudged him again. “Good ole Boo,” said Wade, amazed. “Thank you for nosing Sniffles home!”

Boo Boo found Sniffles many times after that. Once, the rabbit was lost for so long that everyone had given up hope. Everyone but Boo, that is. On day four, a neighbor called. Boo Boo had found Sniffles inside the neighbor’s garage. Wade rushed right over and got both pets.

Thanks to his animal friends, Sniffles enjoyed a long and happy life. He lived for nine years. That is old for a bunny, especially a misbehaving bunny with a lousy sense of direction.

Babbity the rabbit and Flopsy the goat check each other out, while Flopsy’s kids nibble hay.