Doesn't look "bitten." Looks more cut.
Are these roses in public view?

Jeri

Rabbits, maybe. They make clean cuts, and often just bite something off and leave it there (grrrr!!).

Look around for a part of the lawn (if you have a lawn) that is shorter than the rest, (means they've been grazing) and look for bunny poop. That will tell you for sure.

aimeekitty, you have a rodent (rabbit, squirrel, rat/mouse) guaranteed. Rodent teeth meet at a 45 degree angle. They chew off material at that perfect 45 degree angle characteristically. That is how you tell what kind of varmint you have. Cows and deer chew it off like it's torn. Rodents make that perfect 45 degree cut. Now, if you could train the little buggers to do it when and where you WANT it, you'd make a million!

If you find their poop and if you have dogs, keep them far away from it. Dogs LOVE rabbit and squirrel pills. Friends call them the dogs' "smart pills". Rabbits, in particular, have very inefficient digestive tracts. They frequently re ingest their own poop to digest more of the nutrients from it and dogs eat their pills, too. There are parasites the dogs can contract from the pills and they can pass it on to YOU, also. Check with your vet about it. Your doctor can prescribe antibiotics for you to rid yourself of the parasites. Yuck. Kim

We don't have an outdoor pet.

The roses are in the front unenclosed yard in public view, but there wasn't any blooming roses (or even buds) on that particular plant. It's a short plant, too. I'm thinking rabbits is correct. Not really sure what I can do about that except maybe get anti-rabbit spray? I think I tried that before with not much results. :\
guess I could put a little wire cage around the shorter roses?

I had some real trouble last year with whole flowers being eaten off, too. (in the back, so it wasn't neighbors or kids...) sometimes bitten off and then just left on the ground. :(

Chicken wire can help keep the rabbits from devastating your roses. Squirrels and rats will do exactly the same thing. Often, the latter will chew off sections of the plants to use for nesting material. I've had them gnaw off entire canes full of hips for food and nesting material as I've later found the canes worked into their nests. Truly gross! Kim

Aimeekitty, agree that it has to be rabbits. You can surround every rose with chicken wire or you can buy and couple of humane traps and "catch and elease"...preferably in range of a garden that makes you jealous.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Musings blog

Personally, I'd rather release them close to a coyote breeder or give them to a pet shop that sells snakes...

I've had customers when I worked at the beach who caught and released vermin, only to have them return like dogs finding their way home. One gentleman caught two squirrels, sprayed stripes down their backs with fluorescent paint then illegally released them six miles up Topanga Canyon, miles away from his home in Pacific Palisades. Within two weeks, both squirrels were back. The brilliant paint stripes made them impossible to mistake!

Careful roseseek, the Wolpertinger will hear you.
{{gwi:250553}}

Not to worry, Kerin, I've battled jackalopes and won! Kim

haha. you guys are awesome.

We have voles that do that kind of damage. They just cut it off right at the soil line. (killed 2 dogwoods by much chewing the bottom 6" of trunk over a season) (that noise? that's me growling...) They've killed dogwoods, sweet peppers, even mint and seriously damaged oak leaf hydrangeas, roses and several other plants. I've been using dried coyote urine around them, but I think it quickly fades away after rain and it's expensive --$15/smallish jar. I want to repel them, not murder them (though I have the occasional moments of bloodlust...). Anyone have any luck? My cat does catch one every few days, but he is lazy and they are legion.