Agathe & Buddy
ph. Emma Riviera
text by Clara Bouteille
When Buddy is not eating a bag handle, a poster or cables, he's chomping on snacks. With his strong character, Buddy enjoys making his joy and displeasure understood. As for Agathe, his owner, fur allergies will prevent her from adopting a new pet after Buddy, yet his company is one of the best things that ever happened to her.
Buddy? He’s my rabbit…
“Buddy? He's my rabbit. I named him that because he's also been my best friend for the past four years. Before him, I had two freshwater turtles, Caroline and Sakura, because I'm allergic to furry animals. Buddy was a surprise gift from my brother for my 18th birthday. I was hesitant for two months to keep him because of my allergies. Finally, here I am, with my dwarf rabbit, and I think it's one of the best decisions I've ever made at the age of 22. My allergy has worsened since I started living with him, so despite my love for furry animals Buddy will be the last.”
A bad start…
“My rabbit is evil, so he has a tendency to mark his territory. At the time, I was living in Lyon, with my father. The environment was not safe for a rabbit, there were cables everywhere, so I left him in his cage, and when I let him out, he was unhappy about being locked up, and he would cause some mischief. Our relationship was complicated.
After we moved to Paris, I let him have his freedom, and we learned to live together. I have arranged and designed my space carefully to avoid giving him even the slightest temptation to nibble on a new book, a bag, or anything else. For example, the cables of the TV box are behind the fridge, which is behind a wooden board that is behind the laundry bin. I feel like a handler on a film set.”
A comfort…
“I'm a graphic design student, I work a lot from home, and Buddy is a comforting presence. He understands when I'm available for him and when I'm busy, we both have our own lives but we like to meet up from time to time. On holiday, I take him with me everywhere, in a travel crate with a little emergency bag of kibble, hay and litter. Sometimes I take him outside but his instinct to be afraid gets the better of him. I realised that Buddy was a cat. Although he can't speak, he has his own mimics and attitudes. One of his personality traits is that he is very possessive. If he had been a guy, he would be toxic. The last time my mother came to sleep at my place, Buddy had fun peeing on her while she was sleeping...
