Myxomatosis Deadly Silent Rabbit Virus
-- protect your rabbit

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The Rabbit Sanctuary Myxomatosis Hotline

The Myxomatosis Hotline was developed by The Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary with the backing of The Pet Directory as a response to the issue of domestic rabbits not having access to the vaccine to prevent the disease.  The Australian Government will not allow Australian veterinarians to have the Myxomatosis vaccine to prevent the disease in domestic rabbits. We ask you to contact your local MP to request that this be changed. See our Myxo Campaign page for details.

The Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary was set up to assist people to help domestic rabbits that find themselves in difficult circumstances providing an adoption service and care for rabbits needing a home. We liase with RSPCA, interstate and local animal welfare groups such as Happy Paws Haven to assist with the rehoming of rabbits.  Rabbits that come to the Rabbit Sanctuary are housed in secure lawn hutches and we have the Big Rabbit Run which is 90 x 30 meters where the bunnies hop in and out of their little houses and form friendship groups.  All rabbits are vaccinated against Calicivirus on arrival and desexed as appropriate by Riverbank Animal Hospital at South Grafton who provides veterinary sponsorship for The Rabbit Sanctuary for which we are very grateful.

Losses at The Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary to Myxomatosis

Our losses have been great.  Many of the rabbits have succumbed to this horrendous and unnecessary disease in 2010 and early 2011.
Dr Chris Gough from Riverbank Animal Hospital has provided in excess of $4,000 worth of veterinary care to help at his own expense which we are very grateful for as he was able to ease the rabbits suffering.  The tragedy is that there is no known cure for Myxomatosis.  We have lost rabbits that we isolated in closed rooms so we believe the disease to be airborne as some research shows or simply that most buildings, even if screened are not 100% mozzie proof nor flea proof.  The implications of this are that there is nothing that can totally protect pet rabbits from the disease other than the vaccine which is tragically not available to pet rabbit owners in Australia.

The Campaign:  A Million Rabbits to Canberra!

Send a Rabbit to Canberra

We are encouraging people to send a toy or stuffed rabbit to the Australian Government in Canberra with a note asking them to release the Myxomatosis vaccine to veterinarians to use to protect their client’s pet rabbits. 
We are seeking support from veterinarians and the public.

Send a note and include your toy bunny and mail to:

The Hon Joe Ludwig MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry, PO Box 6022, House of Representatives, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600

For more information contact:
Kim Cooney, Manager, The Rabbit Rescue Sanctuary, Ph: 0416 062 947
Web: www.rabbitsanctuary.com.au Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it