illegal to own rabbits in Australia?

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This topic has 9sd replies, 6 voices, and was last updated 16 years, 4 months ago by Kokaneeandkahlua.

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- 04/02/2009 at 6:36 AM
  Deleted User
  Participant
  22064 posts
  Jerseygirl, etc… from Australia, is it true that it is illegal to own rabbits as pets in some parts of your Country? I read that in a book.
- 04/02/2009 at 10:12 AM
  MarkBun
  Participant
  2842 posts
  I know that the jackrabbit is not a native species to Australia and it has caused a major issue with the ecosystem. Probably why they’re rather careful about any other lapines being about.
- 04/02/2009 at 11:18 AM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  In some areas it actually is illegal-you can get a huge fine and have your rabbit put to sleep-I can’t remember where it’s allowed and not though, I was reading about it a couple years ago as I was hoping to immigrate to Australia at some point
- 04/02/2009 at 12:16 PM
  Deleted User
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  22064 posts
  KK, are you just simply desperate to live in a warmer climate???
  I looked up in the meantime and it seems it is in Queensland where they are officially illegal and the fine is astronomical. I wonder if it makes a difference if they are neutered?
  So now I have one good thing to report on the North: bunnies allowed!
- 04/02/2009 at 12:34 PM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  Soooo desperate LOL I grew up in Southern ontario and it was HOT-when we first moved to Edmonton I thought our house had air conditioning (as we had in Sarnia) because there were units in the basement-turns out we actually had TWO furnaces and no A/C -I was frightened-then I heard it got so cold the windows would freeze shut…LOL
  
  Yeh that’s right I think there are four provinces and Queensland is the one that’s illegal -I think that’s the biggest province actually!
- 04/02/2009 at 12:44 PM
  Deleted User
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  22064 posts
  I lived in Niagara before coming to AB. Talk about humid-hot.
  I visited Australia once as a teenager, I couldn’t believe people had kangaroos as pets! i like snow, though….
- 04/02/2009 at 4:31 PM
  Lisa_43
  Participant
  1499 posts
  It is illegal to own a rabbit in Queensland but the rest of Australia it is legal. I live in Perth and it has been legal to own rabbits since the early 80’s
- 04/02/2009 at 5:00 PM
  hooty22
  Participant
  606 posts
  Holy Crap K&K you’re from Sarnia?? My silly Canadian boyf (who is finally making the big move to Pittsburgh in a month!) is from Sarnia! Small world.
- 04/02/2009 at 6:07 PM
  jerseygirl
  Moderator
  22356 posts
  That’s right, as Lisa said, just in Queensland. That’s a large state in the north with a tropical climate. Not sure why – the have pest problems they have to keep pretty tight controls on – like the cane toad. I guess rabbits have decimated crops.
  Short history 101:
  1850’s – Rabbit introduced to Australia to provide a sport for game hunters. Well they er – bred like rabbits and 20 years later the population reached plague proportions.
  1950’s Myxo virus introduced to cull wild population. The rabbits developed a sort of immunity to it so they keep releasing different strains to this day. However, the virus is a major threat to the domestic rabbit and farmed rabbits. The vaccine is not allowed in Australia because scientist believe the immunity could spread amoungst the wild population (which is bogus i believe).
  1990’s – Calici virus (Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease Virus) trialed and spread before official release. Also biological culling method but threat to domestic rabbits.
- 04/03/2009 at 12:37 AM
  Kokaneeandkahlua
  Participant
  12067 posts
  Oh my gosh Hooty! What a small world LOL Yup I’m actually from Bright’s Grove (your bf probly knows BG-it’s the suburb of small ol’ Sarnia) and I went to Northern Collegiate Too funny!
  
  Awww that’s a sad history lesson… I agree Jers-I’ve NEVER heard of any immunity acquired from vaccination ever being passed on to offspring (i.e. like hello measles-why do we need it if our parents had it?? BECAUSE it doesn’t pass on-infants only have immunity while nursing…) Anyways I’m in the same camp
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