Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD) is a contagious viral infection caused by the Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV) that affected feral rabbits (domestic rabbits living in the wild) and domestic rabbits in British Columbia six years ago.

To date, this disease has never been reported on Salt Spring or any of the Gulf Islands, neither in domestic nor in wild (eastern cottontail) rabbits.

Nevertheless, it has made a return in a nearby area, with new cases of the RHDV2 strain identified in feral and domestic rabbits in San Juan County, Washington. These cases were reported during the past month, specifically on San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands.

Currently, this outbreak is confined to these US islands, with no cases detected in British Columbia to date.

The first outbreak of RHD in BC occurred in 2018-2019, affecting feral and domestic rabbits on Vancouver Island and in parts of the lower mainland, including Vancouver. Notably, San Juan, Orcas, and Lopez Islands were also impacted. In 2023, some isolated cases were reported in Courtenay in domestic rabbits.

The RHDV2 strain currently in the San Juan Islands has not been shown to cause mortality in wild native North American rabbits, such as our local eastern cottontail rabbits. Nevertheless, cottontails are still considered potentially at risk.

Please note that RHDV poses no risk to humans, livestock, or any other pets. Only domestic and wild rabbits, as well as hares, are susceptible to infection by this virus.

RHD is a very contagious disease with a high mortality rate. The virus is transmitted by direct contact between rabbits or with contaminated objects, such as food, water, bedding, shoes or vehicles. It can also be transmitted via vectors like insects or predators. It is a hardy virus that can remain in the environment for several months.

To minimize the risk of RHD spreading to the Gulf Islands, it is strongly recommended to avoid transporting rabbits to and from affected areas and to refrain from visiting these locations, especially if you own rabbits.

Additional information regarding prevention can be found here:
https://inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrial-animals/diseases/immediately-notifiable/rhd/fact-sheet

As a precaution, we will be monitoring the situation in the cottontail population. If you encounter a sick or freshly dead wild rabbit (if there is no other obvious cause of death) on Salt Spring or the Gulf Islands, please give us a call at 250-537-0777.

If you own domestic rabbits and have questions about RHD, please contact your veterinarian.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our rabbit populations safe!

Island Wildlife
http://www.sealrescue.org – phone: 250-537-0777