The Rabbitats Rescue Society is on high alert and in urgent need of immediate RHD vaccine support.
What?
Raise $8,000 for vaccines as quickly as possible.
Why?
Due to the rapidly increasing number of confirmed rabbit hemorrhagic disease cases. We have 300 rabbits in urgent need of vaccinations this month.
The deadly Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus has just been found in Saskatchewan, and is currently surging in multiple states, including Montana, Wyoming, California, Texas, Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, Nevada, North Carolina and Arizona.
RHDV2 has historically decimated feral rabbit colonies, breeder barns, house rabbits and backyard pets. The only protection against this virus is vaccination, and a recent change in vaccine access has put the rescue’s rabbits at high risk.
Skyrocketing Vaccine Costs
Ceva Animal Health recently took over the only vaccine available in Canada and discontinued the bulk vaccine packs that rabbit rescues, breeders and community vets used to protect their animals.
While the move may be more profitable for Ceva, our costs have increased 10-fold. While we would normally spend $2500 to vaccinate the rabbits under our care, the new costs are $25,000.
At these rates, we can no longer embark on large-scale rescue projects, nor can we keep our current colonies vaccinated.
With the explosion of abandoned domestic rabbits and their feral offspring loose in the environment from coast to coast, and the virus now affecting the native populations as well as the European domestic rabbits, this is both an environmental crisis and an animal welfare crisis.
How Can I Help?
1. Donate to our fundraiser and help us reach our $8,000 goal.
2. Sponsor a shelter rabbit vaccine.
3. Spread the word! Share our fundraiser with friends, family, and beyond. Together, we can protect at-risk rabbits from this deadly virus.
4. Vaccinate your rabbits. This virus can survive for long periods in the environment and is easily spread. Vaccination is the only real prevention.
