Author Archives: Julie Wolfe

Ohio House Rabbit Rescue is sorry to announce that Midwest BunFest 2018 has been cancelled

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Ohio House Rabbit Rescue is sorry to announce that Midwest BunFest 2018 has been cancelled.

In late September, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHD2) was detected in Medina County, Ohio, about 150 miles north of Columbus. RHD2 is very contagious and highly fatal. As the situation continues to develop, there are many unknowns about the virus.

Ohio House Rabbit Rescue is committed to the safety of all rabbits. For that reason, we will not take any risk of spreading the disease, no matter how low the risk may be.

Many rescues, including Ohio House Rabbit Rescue, depend on Midwest BunFest to raise funds to support their work with rescue rabbits. We plan to promote any fundraisers that our rescue partners may create in order to recoup funds lost by this cancellation. We will also be showcasing our sponsors and vendors on our Facebook page over the next few weeks. More to come on this virtual Midwest BunFest.

If we work together, we will be back stronger than ever for Midwest BunFest 2019. On behalf of the all-volunteer team who organizes Midwest BunFest, we thank you for your understanding and support. We hope to see you in 2019.

For more information on the cancellation or the RHD2 virus, click here to read the MWBF Cancellation Notice.

Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHD2)

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Ohio House Rabbit Rescue has been made aware that on Sept. 19, 2018, rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus 2 (RHD2) was detected in a domestic rabbit in Medina, Ohio which is just south of Cleveland. RHD2 is a viral disease that can cause sudden death in rabbits.

For those concerned with how this could pontentially impact their rabbits, please see the Ohio Dept of Agriculture’s RHD2 update page for information and updates regarding this case. Your bunny-savvy vet is likely keeping tabs on the situation and may have tips for you as additional information about the virus is collected.

With Midwest BunFest 2018 only a few short weeks away, Ohio House Rabbit Rescue and the OHRR team that bring you Midwest BunFest are taking this news very seriously and are currently consulting with trusted veterinary advisors to determine how best to respond. Our veterinary advisers have been in contact with the state veterinarian’s office. We are hoping to have more information to share in early October, before MWBF, as new evaluations are completed after the incubation period of 7-10 days has passed.

We appreciate your patience as we pull together the necessary information to address the implications for the bunnies that may be in attendance at the event. Their health and safety are of the utmost importance to us. 

As we get more information, we will be posting details on our websites (www.ohiohouserabbitrescue.org and www.midwestbunfest.org) and on social media.