While cannot know exactly how animals are feeling, there is evidence that animals can experience positive and negative emotional states such as grief [1]. Numerous studies document changes in animal behaviour consistent with distress and grief following the loss or absence of a close companion [1, 2]. Following the death…
Rabbits are timid, gentle, curious, and affectionate if given the opportunity. However, they lack the ability to communicate directly with people and this can lead to miscommunication between rabbits and people. The use of body language (e.g. thumping their feet, biting, or licking you) is the only way they have…
Myxomatosis is caused by the myxoma virus, a poxvirus spread between rabbits by close contact and biting insects such as fleas and mosquitoes. The virus causes swelling and discharge from the eyes, nose, and anogenital region of infected rabbits. Most rabbits die within 10-14 days of infection however highly virulent strains…
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) is caused by the rabbit haemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV), a type of calicivirus which is fatal in non-immune rabbits. There are currently two pathogenic types of this virus in wild rabbit populations in Australia. Rabbit owners should talk to their veterinarian about making sure their rabbits…
Your guinea pigs are herbivores, which means they eat only plant material. Grass hay should be the high-fibre cornerstone of every guinea pig’s diet. The fibre in hay helps meet the important digestive health needs of herbivores such as guinea pigs. A daily recommended amount of a uniform, fortified food…
The management of unowned and semi-owned cats is a complex issue. Trap-neuter-return (TNR) is one method promoted as a humane alternative to lethal cat control for managing and reducing populations of unowned and semi-owned cats. Further detail and references are provided in the attached RSPCA Australia Research Report. In TNR…
The term euthanasia comes from the Greek language meaning a good death (eu = good, thanatos = death). Euthanasia of animals to end suffering and pain is widely accepted as an important component of safeguarding their welfare, providing that the euthanasia process minimises or eliminates pain, anxiety, and distress prior…
The status of fish under State and Territory animal welfare legislation depends on whether they are included in the definition of an ‘animal’. In all jurisdictions, Animal Welfare or Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Acts cover vertebrate animals, but only some include fish, despite all fish being vertebrates. Fish are…
Breed specific legislation (BSL) consists of legal restrictions on the importation, sale, keeping and rehoming of certain types of dogs (‘restricted breeds’), irrespective of their actual behaviour. BSL is based on assumptions that certain breeds of dog are inherently dangerous, that those breeds can be readily identified, and that banning…
Rabbits and guinea pigs should not be housed together in the same enclosure. While they are often regarded as similar, rabbits and guinea pigs are actually totally different kinds of animals, with different (and often conflicting) needs. Different Order – Rabbits and guinea pigs aren’t just different species, they’re different…