Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHDV2) is a highly lethal disease affecting wild and domestic rabbits. Vaccination is essential for all pet rabbits but access and awareness remain inadequate.
RHDV2 death is rapid but not peaceful - affected rabbits experience internal hemorrhage affecting multiple organs. The welfare argument for vaccination is compelling: it is highly effective, the disease it prevents is lethal and distressing, and the alternative (unvaccinated rabbits) results in predictable deaths from an entirely preventable cause. The welfare tragedy of RHDV2 is that many deaths occur in rabbits whose owners were unaware of the disease or assumed indoor rabbits were protected. RHDV2 spreads via insects, contaminated food, and materials that can reach indoor rabbits - no rabbit is entirely safe without vaccination. Veterinary awareness and proactive vaccination advice remains inconsistent, and many rabbit owners receive no warning about RHDV2 at the time of rabbit acquisition. This represents a preventable welfare failure at the point of first veterinary contact.