Petition Tag - myxomatosis

Currently the myxomatosis vaccination is not available in Australia, even though it is available in other countries.

Due to high rainfall and an increase in mosquito breeding in 2010/2011 hundreds of pet rabbits in Australia have already been euthanased from this fatal introduced disease. Myxo is fatal and there is no cure.

Australia's wild rabbit population have already developed a mild immunity from myxomatosis.

Pet rabbits do not carry any immunity and 100% will die from the disease. Pet rabbits are highly unlikely to pass on immunity to wild rabbits if vaccinated as there is less chance a person who would vaccinate their rabbit would also release it into the wild.

Pet rabbits do not carry the capabilities to exist in the wild due to their colourings, build and lack of survival skills.

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Myxomatosis is a deadly strain of virus that affects the European and Cottontail rabbits, and there is currently no vaccination available in Australia against this virus.

The myxomatosis virus was originally spread through the American wild rabbit population during the late 1800’s and was subsequently introduced into Northern Australia and its relative parts so as to control the rabbit problem in crops and other plantations around Queensland. It managed to control the pest problem, devastatingly reducing the rabbit population from 600 million to 100million in two years.

The ones that survived developed a strong immunity to the disease, and as a result wild rabbits are more immune now to myxomatosis than when the virus strain was implemented into Australian rabbit populations during the 1950s.

There is however, no vaccination currently available in Australia to domestic rabbits and they remain at a constant risk to contracting the virus. Myxomatosis usually proves fatal for any rabbit exposed to it, and they can die as soon as 48 hours after being exposed to the virus.

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