My (f30) work colleague (f25) is asking that I help with vet bills for an animal I helped rescue. Should I help?

So, over a year ago a I discovered a particularly stupid person I work with had bought a rabbit for her kids with no knowledge of how to look after it. She was essentially abusing this rabbit, leaving it outside with no shelter in the freezing cold, keeping it in a bird cage and feeding it no proper food. Horrified, I got permission from my boss to keep the rabbit at work (I couldn't take it home, I have a crazy dog). I told her to bring the rabbit in and I would look after it at work.

So that's what I did, with the help of other animal-lovers at work. Unfortunately, this arrangement wasn't working either - other colleagues started complaining about the smell and noise (we tried our hardest to minimise it). Eventually, a girl I work with suggested she simply take the rabbit home. She had been periodically taking the rabbit home over the weekends anyway and her mother loved it (she lives with her parents). So that's what happened. Frankly, I was relieved to no longer have the responsibility and that the rabbit was finally living in a place where he would be looked after.

The rabbit has now been living with this girl for about a year and other than occasional updates I don't hear much about him anymore. Until tonight. I've received a late-night text from the girl telling me he's very sick and has been taken to the emergency vets. She said the vet bill will cost hundreds and what should she do? Reading between the lines and knowing this girl, I can tell she's basically asking if I will pay the vet bills (or contribute). At this point after Christmas, paying the vet bill would clean my bank account out.

My question is: is this rabbit's vet bills partially my responsibility? I can see how she might think they are. My gut feeling is that as she took on responsibility she needs to pay them herself... But I was the one who originally insisted our colleague hand the rabbit over. Please advise.

Tl;Dr: My work colleague is asking that I help with vet bills. Is it right that I should contribute?

Submitted December 26, 2018 at 05:40PM by GlitteringTip http://bit.ly/2ESWyE7