Rupert the therapy bunny has been sidelined from his volunteer work, due to a deadly virus outbreak among rabbits.
Rupert has been , as he visits patients at Chilliwack General Hospital on a regular basis to comfort them in their rooms, and brighten up the spirits of pediatric patients. But when the outbreak of rabbit haemorrhagic disease was announced, Rupert and his handler Norm Keller immediately stopped public appearances.
害羞草研究所淭here has been an outbreak of 害羞草研究所楻abbit haemorrhagic disease害羞草研究所� in Nanaimo, B.C.,害羞草研究所� they announced on Rupert Bunny害羞草研究所檚 Facebook page on March 2. 害羞草研究所淭his is reported to be a very contagious airborne disease fatal to rabbits, which doesn害羞草研究所檛 affect other animals. It is reported to be easily transported/transmitted so Rupert will be under quarantine and not visiting for the near future.害羞草研究所�
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Rabbit owners across B.C. and Washington are being asked to take precautions, by the B.C. government after a large number of dead rabbits were found in the Vancouver Island University area.
害羞草研究所淩abbit haemorrhagic disease is an extremely infectious and lethal disease of rabbits,害羞草研究所� said Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. 害羞草研究所淚t is the third confirmed diagnosis of this virus in Canada, and the first in British Columbia. The disease is exclusive to rabbits. Other animals, including dogs and cats, cannot be infected.害羞草研究所�
Humans are not at risk, so the precautions are for Rupert害羞草研究所檚 and other rabbits害羞草研究所� safety, not the patients he was visiting.
害羞草研究所淎s well, rabbit owners should take precautions when disposing of any rabbit remains, and contact their veterinarian for more information. Rabbit calicivirus is a pathogen, which affects only European rabbits, not native rabbits,害羞草研究所� the ministry said.
The quarantine lasts 15 weeks from the last reported, which could mean Rupert will be at home for quite some time. On Rupert害羞草研究所檚 Facebook page, they害羞草研究所檝e been sharing the most up-to-date information from the Dewdney Animal Hospital. They recently reported that a case of the virus has been detected on the mainland.
jpeters@theprogress.com
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