Wildlife Welfare

Wild Rabbit Welfare and RVHD

Wild rabbit populations have been devastated by myxomatosis and rabbit haemorrhagic disease, with RVHD2 causing rapid, widespread mortality and significant welfare impacts.

Key Facts

Wild rabbit populations have declined by over 60% since the 1950s due to myxomatosis
RVHD2 variant first detected in UK in 2018 causes rapid liver failure and death
RVHD2 spreads faster than RVHD1 and kills European hares as well as rabbits
Myxomatosis causes prolonged suffering with swelling, blindness, and respiratory failure
Domestic rabbits can be vaccinated against both myxomatosis and RVHD1/2

Welfare Considerations

Rabbits dying from myxomatosis face prolonged suffering over 10-14 days of progressive disease. RVHD causes rapid systemic illness with a different but significant welfare impact. These diseases cause enormous numbers of deaths with associated suffering in wild rabbit populations.

What You Can Do

Vaccinate pet rabbits against myxomatosis and RVHD with annual boosters
Report unusual rabbit mortalities to your local wildlife trust or veterinary surgeon
Support rabbit conservation projects working to protect declining wild populations