Highly Contagious Rabbit Disease Arrives In PA: What To Know

PENNSYLVANIA — The first cases of a highly contagious rabbit disease have been found in Pennsylvania, and state officials are asking residents to help protect their populations by reporting any dead animals.

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease was first confirmed in the state in August when two captive rabbits in a Fayette County facility tested positive. The Game Commission had issued an executive order in Oct. 2021 aimed at stopping it from entering the state.

“RHD poses a significant threat to the Commonwealth’s cottontail rabbit and snowshoe hare populations, and as such, the Game Commission is taking this recent detection very seriously,” said Andrew Di Salvo, a Game Commission's veterinarian, said in a statement. “We are working diligently to learn more about this occurrence of RHD and determine what actions, if any, to take and when.”

Officials urge the public to submit reports of dead rabbits and hares online or by calling 1-833-PGC-WILD.

The disease cannot infect humans or other animals, but it is highly contagious among domestic rabbit populations and has been responsible for "mass die-offs," officials said. It's considered endemic among populations in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Texas, Utah, and Wyoming, and cases have been confirmed in Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Washington, and Wisconsin.

First found in France in 2010, the disease is described as extremely contagious. It causes internal bleeding, and a telltale sign among the infected is a blood-stained nose.

Making control of the virus even more challenging is its persistence: the virus can remain infectious on the landscape for months.

Disease control or eradication is inherently challenging as the virus is extremely resilient and can remain infectious on the landscape for months. Infected rabbits spread the virus through urine, feces, or respiratory secretions.

The disease was found in Pennsylvania in 2018 but was contained, authorities said.

Experts say it's a threat to the ecosystem's balance because of how it could impact certain predator species. With fewer wild rabbits, animals like coyotes and raccoons could easily be driven in greater numbers into suburban and urban areas in search of food.

Residents are urged to keep an eye out and report suspicious sightings. If you find two or more dead rabbits or hares in a single location with an unknown cause of death, do not touch the animals, and call the Pennsylvania Game Commission office.

Pennsylvania is home to multiple lagomorph species that are crucial cogs in the health of the environment, including cottontail and snowshoe hares.

Residents who have pet rabbits should also contact their veterinarian if they are concerned.