Water buffalo

In a typical neighborhood in America, a large van comes to a quick stop in front of a 2-story colonial. The grass is perfectly manicured, the morning paper is in the driveway behind the matching SUV's, but the family inside the house is distraught. A fellow with the look of a scientist leaps from the van and trots toward the house, he is followed closely by a film crew toting a small T.V. camera and a boom mic to lend authenticity to the endeavour. We pick up the audio after the scientist-like man has knocked on the door and it is being answered by the home owner.

"Oh thank goodness! The water buffalo whisperer is here."
"Hello folks, I understand you're having troubles with your water buffalo...can you tell me it's name?"
"Yes, she's named Shelly."
"That's a pretty Standard name... OK, What's the issue?
"Well, we've had her for a long time and just assumed things would always be the same with her; suddenly she became unreachable and there doesn't seem to be anything we can do to bring her back."
"Folks, you may have to face the real possibility that she's gone for ever, but we'll figure that out soon enough. I imagine you're feeling a bit of guilt over having taken her for granted for so long huh?"
"Yes, but our water buffalo support group has been helpful; we've realized that they were never meant to be in every home the way they are now...lots of countries don't have nearly the water buffalo per capita that we do in America."
"Is she drinking water folks?"
"No, but there's a common saying in the group, 'you can lead a water buffalo to water, but you can't make them last forever'."
"...heart warming; let's see what she has to say folks."
Making odd noises and hopping alternately on one foot and then the other, the whisperer attempts to make sense of the water buffalo's struggle.
In mid-hoppery, the spent buffalo keels over and ceases to exist.
"Well folks, you're going to have to find a replacement for her, and soon!"
"How can we possibly do that, water buffalo are all we've ever known!"
"May I suggest a replacement that is found locally and is in abundance in this area, and not one that has to be imported from across the world?"
"Get out you whispering menace! Anyone can come up with those kinds of plans...we just want an easy solution that you arrange for us...NOW!"
"Sorry folks, I'm not a miracle worker...you're gonna have to do some of the work yourselves. I've gotta go, I'm organizing a squirrel circus down the road a ways."
"...That's it, squirrels, they're everywhere! How do you make a squirrel a suitable replacement for a water buffalo?"
"They're smaller, so you have to get lots of them working together to get the same value from them, or you could adjust your expectations, accept that they are smaller and change what you expect from them."
"Thanks water buffalo whisperer, we'll try!"

And so, America slowly learned how to survive after the passing of water buffalo. Squirrels were eventually replaced by the ultimate renewable resource...rabbits.