Rabbit Awareness Week organiser Burgess Pet Care says this year’s Protect and Prevent campaign has been the most successful yet.
More than 5,000 campaign packs were downloaded from the Rabbit Awareness Week website and feedback from veterinary practices taking part in RAW has shown an increase in the number of RVHD2 vaccines being administered to rabbits.
This year’s Protect and Prevent campaign urged owners to have their rabbits vaccinated, following the continued outbreak of the latest deadly strain of rabbit viral haemorrhagic disease (RVHD2). Veterinary practices were also urged to ensure they were stocking the necessary vaccines to protect rabbits against RVHD2 and other fatal diseases such as RVHD and myxomatosis.
Thousands of pet shops, veterinary practices and rescue centres held events throughout the week of RAW to help raise awareness of this year’s campaign and the importance of vaccinations.
HORRIBLE DISEASE
Peter Lancaster, marketing manager at Burgess Pet Care, said: “RVHD2 is a very serious and horrible disease that has already claimed the lives of too many rabbits in the UK. This year’s Protect and Prevent campaign successfully raised awareness of the dangers around RVHD2 and the importance of vaccinations to protect rabbits against fatal diseases.
“We would like to say a huge thank you to the RAW partners, veterinary practices, rescue centres, pet shop retailers and, of course, rabbit owners, for their continued support in helping us to improve the health and wellbeing of rabbits.
“Collectively, the RAW partners are committed to maintaining this momentum of the campaign in addressing the issue of preventative healthcare for UK’s rabbits. Work has already begun on planning for next year’s campaign and we look forward to announcing more details in due course.”
The RAW partners received calls from rabbit owners in advance of this year’s campaign raising concerns that not enough practices were stocking the RVHD2 vaccines that were necessary to protect their rabbits. Comparing sales figures of the vaccines from June 2019 with June 2018 shows a 55% increase in the uptake of from the veterinary sector year-on-year.
HEART-BREAKING
Dr Richard Saunders, veterinary advisor to RWAF, said: “We heard lots of heart-breaking stories from owners and vets alike about rabbits, sometimes whole groups of rabbits, which had not been vaccinated.
“None of those people realised just how widespread the RVHD2 is and how easy it is to pick it up. We will continue to campaign and share our message that it is very much better late than never to vaccinate rabbits against all three killer diseases of rabbits: myxomatosis, Rabbit Viral Haemorrhagic Disease 1 and 2.”
This year’s campaign was supported by the RSPCA, PDSA, Rabbit Welfare Association & Fund (RWAF), Wood Green the Animals Charity and Blue Cross.
For more information on Rabbit Awareness Week, including free access to rabbit CPD, please visit www.rabbitawarenessweek.co.uk
