Imke and Elise are in the play corner and have their hands full. Beside Imke is an open doctor's case and all around them soft toys are lying, sitting and standing. „Now it's the rabbit's turn,“ says Imke, picking up the grey animal. „Right, little rabbit, we need to check your ears,“ Imke says, handing the soft toy to Elise. „Please, vet assistant, hold the rabbit still. I'll get my instruments and then we'll begin.“
Lilli and Mali come over to the two girls. „What are you doing with the animals?“, asks Mali. „I'm a vet and I look after all the patients here. Some animals are very poorly and we have a lot of work. Would you like to join in?“, asks Imke. „Oh yes!“, cry Lilli and Mali and sit down beside Imke and Elise.
„Then I'm a vet too and you two will be our vet assistants,“ says Elise. She gives Mali the soft rabbit and takes a dog into her arms. „Look, Lilli, the dog has sprained its paw,“ Elise explains to her friend, „we need to treat it. Can you wrap a thick bandage round the paw?“ Lilli nods and takes a white roll of bandage from the doctor's case.
„How do you know so much about animals?“, she asks Imke and Elise. „We have a dog at home,“ Elise says. „His name is Lucky and he has soft white fur with black and brown patches. I like him very much and he often goes with my dad when he works as a forester in the woods.“ „But he didn't come on our trip to the woods that we took in autumn,“ says Lilli. „That's right,“ confirms Elise, „in autumn Lucky hurt his paw and couldn't come. That's why I know dogs sometimes need a bandage. We took Lucky to the vet and he was treated there.“ She checks the bandage that Lilli has wrapped round the paw of the toy dog.
„We had to go to the vet yesterday as well,“ Imke says. Mali looks shocked: „Why? Aren't Muckel and Stupsi well?“ Those are Imke's rabbits. „Well, the day before yesterday they suddenly began to sneeze. So yesterday we went to the vet. When rabbits sneeze it can be a cold or a sniffle. And rabbit snuffles can be dangerous,“ Imke explains. „The vet examined them very carefully and listened to them. Then they were given an injection and the vet told us to put a heat pad in their hutch. Luckily that helped and Muckel and Stupsi were much livelier this morning than yesterday.“ Mali, Elise and Lilli are relieved. All three have already visited Imke and so they know the two rabbits very well.
Veterinarian Imke in action„Where is Imke? We have an emergency!“, calls Felicitas as she rushes into the group. „Here I am. What's wrong?“, answers Imke. Felicitas takes a deep breath and tells the girls: „Milla and I were checking our beds for the first seedlings. And we found a beetle lying on its back, kicking its legs.“ „Oh dear, we must hurry and help,“ says Imke, and she runs with Elise, Mali and Lilli to the cloakroom. The girls get dressed in no time and a short while later are standing by the kindergarten beds.
„There, look, there's the beetle!“, Milla greets the girls. Indeed: on a stone slab next to the beds lies a small beetle on its back. „That's no problem at all,“ says Imke, offers the beetle a leaf and gently nudges it with her finger. And whoosh, it flips back onto its feet and crawls away. „You really know how to handle animals,“ says Milla. „I always find beetles so creepy, eew, they give me the shivers.“ „But you are great at comforting,“ says Mali to Milla, squeezing her hand. „Well, I find it easier to help people. I don't like insects at all. And I'm actually scared of dogs too,“ replies Milla. „But our dog Lucky is very gentle,“ says Elise as the girls head into the group. „Maybe you'd like to come and visit me sometime? Then you can meet Lucky and I'll show you how to approach dogs,“ Elise suggests to Milla. „Oh, that might not be a bad idea. I'll think about it,“ promises Milla.
Mali hangs her jacket next to Imke's. The friends have their places beside each other. „Good that you were able to help the beetle. You're almost a real vet,“ Mali says to Imke. „Well, we needed a real vet for Muckel and Stupsi. But at least we can already treat all the soft toys and rescue beetles,“ replies Imke, pulling Mali towards the play corner. „So let's go: many patients are waiting in our vet practice. Felicitas and Milla, would you like to play too?“ „Oh, I think we'd rather open a children's doctor's practice,“ replies Milla. „Oh yes!“, answers Felicitas and runs to the dolls' corner. „You can be the paediatrician and I'll be your assistant, OK?“ Milla nods and follows Felicitas: „Hopefully the vets have left bandages and medicine behind.“ „Of course they did!“, says Elise, handing Imke a toy tiger: „Vet Imke, are you coming? The stripes have slipped, we need to do something.“ Imke laughs and is happy that she is having so much fun with her friends. As soon as she gets home from kindergarten she will check on Muckel and Stupsi. Fortunately her rabbits are now only half ill.
If you feel like it, you can re-enact the story with the Little Friends dolls or make a picture of Imke and her rabbits. For that there's the Colouring page Imke with Rabbits.
