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Date Posted: 12:52:16 06/14/02 Fri
Author: bunny
Subject: Urgent - Help legalise the keeping of pet bunnies in Queensland

Hi,
The keeping of pet rabbits in Queensland is illegal yet pet rabbits are
Queenslands most popular illegal pet. Fines for the keeping of pet rabbits
in Queensland are, I believe about $3000.

Pet rabbits are a legal pet in all other States of Australia

The review of regulations governing the keeping of pet rabbits in Queensland
was said to have a deadline of the 7th of June.

However, submissions sent in now while the reviewer/consultant is still
examining the submissions will be taken into account.

I would suggest anyone with comments about the
Land Protection Regulation Review visit the web site
<a rel=nofollow target=_blank href="http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/pests/issuespaper.html">http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/pests/issuespaper.html</a>
and print out the paper concerning the review of keeping pet rabbits for
comment.

Apparently there is a fax number on the review paper (pdf form) to send in
your
comments.

Some points to consider in the legalisation of keeping pet rabbits in
Queensland are
*Keeping pet rabbit sales out of pet shops
*Having licensed breeders knowledgable about rabbits and
with limits on the numbers of rabbits they may keep
*The sterilisation/desexing of pet rabbits
*Licensing owners of pet rabbits and microchipping pet rabbits
(to avoid the ease of dumping/abandoning pet rabbits)
*A welfare paper with the minimum requirements for keeping pet rabbits
(providing of adequate food and shelter and taking into account the special
needs of rabbits - eg rabbits can die of heat stroke in Summer and should be
kept out of the heat - the RSPCA recommends 27 degrees celcius as being
the temperature above which pet rabbits become uncomforable).
Rabbits may catch pneumonia.
*Fines for people found abandoning rabbits or breeding them without a
license etc
*Consider the impact on Queensland rabbits and vets under existing laws.
If a sick rabbit is taken to a vet, the vet most probably treats the rabbits
but could be under the threat of a fine.
*People with pet rabbits in Queensland may be hesitant at seeking veterinary
help because they fear the fines so the rabbits suffer.
*There have been rumours of some pet rabbits who ended up in shelters
being euthanased because the shelters did not want to face the possibilities
of
fines even though homes could be found for these rabbits in NSW as a last
resort.
*To see regulations governing the keeping of rabbits in other Australian
states see
Rabbit Information Service Website - note the relaxation of keeping rabbits
in
Western Australia
(see press release below) which states ""People have been allowed to keep
pet rabbits since 1986 and there has been very little evidence of domestic
breeds establishing in the wild and having an impact on agriculture and the
environment."

For further information on the submission process contact
Elton Miller
Qld Land Protection Department
(07)3405 5525

Press release from Agriculture WA about change of regulations 2001
On the 1st of February 2001, Agriculture WA put our a press release
indicating that the "two rabbits per household" regulations had been
removed.
Here is that Agriculture WA News Release (Western Australia)

*********************************************************
Permits no longer required to keep domestic rabbits
*********************************************************
Permits are no longer required to keep domestic rabbits and commercial
rabbit breeds.
The Agriculture Protection Board (APB) has changed the classification
ofdomestic
pet and commercial rabbits to enable them to be kept by households without
restrictions.However, keeping wild rabbits is still prohibited.
Agriculture Western Australia animal pests project manager Marion Massam
said the deregulation
of domestic rabbit keeping requirements was more a practical arrangement.
"These changes mean that people no longer require permits, inspection
approvals or auditsto keep domestic pet rabbits or breeding rabbits," she
said.
"People have been allowed to keep pet rabbits since 1986 and there has been
very little
evidence of domestic breeds establishing in the wild and having an impact on
agriculture and the environment."
Ms Massam said there was little risk that pet rabbits or commercial rabbits
vaccinated
against the control agent Rabbit Calicivirus Disease (RCD) would result in
resistantpopulations in the wild,
"The vaccine used for RCD cannot reproduce in the host and therefore cannot
spread to otherrabbits," she said.
"The level of protection against RCD from the vaccine may also wane over
time, which is why
pet owners and breeders need annual boosters. The offspring of the
vaccinated rabbits also
become susceptible to RCD at about 10 weeks of age, like the offspring of
non-vaccinated rabbits."
Ms Massam recommeded that people continue to contain their rabbits in escape
proof,insect proof hutches to ensure their rabbits do not cause damage in
their
own or theirneighbours' yards, which would also reduce the chances of their
pets
catching Myxomatosis or RCD.
"It is also in the best that rabbits on commercial rabbit farms or for human
consumption are kept according to the Model Code of Practice for the Welfare
of Animals (Intensive Husbandry of Rabbits)," she said.

**************************************************

.You may keep only domestic or fancy breeds, not common grey (wild) rabbits.
.Some popular rabbit varieties are NZ white, Californians, Flemish Giant,
Chinchilla, Satins and English, German and French Angoras.
.Rabbits must be kept in an enclosure that effectively prevents them
escaping.

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