Wild rabbits face two severe diseases - myxomatosis and rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (RVHD). Both cause significant welfare harm to wild populations.
Both myxomatosis and RVHD cause significant suffering in affected wild rabbits. Myxomatosis causes swelling, blindness, and slow death over days to weeks. RVHD causes rapid haemorrhagic disease. Infected rabbits found alive should be humanely euthanised by a vet or wildlife rehabilitator rather than left to die from these diseases.