Myxomatosis is a viral disease that causes severe suffering in wild rabbits and, preventably, in unvaccinated pet rabbits across the UK.
Myxomatosis causes prolonged, severe suffering in affected rabbits. The 10-14 day disease course involves progressive visual impairment, respiratory distress, secondary infections, and eventual death - a welfare catastrophe for wild rabbits who have no access to analgesic or euthanasia. Individual wild rabbits seen with myxomatosis are in significant distress. The welfare intervention for wild animals is limited - severely affected individuals can be euthanased by a vet or trained wildlife officer. Pet rabbit welfare is directly addressable through vaccination. The deliberate introduction of myxomatosis as a pest control measure represents a historical decision that prioritised agricultural pest management over animal welfare at population scale.