We had pet bunnies, but seeing them in cages was heartbreaking. So we decided to let them free range, and they decided to escape across the street to live in our neighbors yard.
They still come to hang out, and eat our yard. I enjoy seeing them free and happy, maybe even more than I loved having them as pets.
We still benefit from the fertilizer and the experience of watching them frolic in the front yard. I’m guessing the lesson here is that release doesn’t always end in a deficit. Sometimes the situation just reconfigures itself and you realize you didn’t lose anything at all.