Rabbit carcass in Sheridan area tested positive for RHDV2

A rabbit carcass found northwest of the City of Sheridan has tested positive for Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2.

Since December of 2020 –when the first case was detected in the southeastern region of the Cowboy State– Game and Fish biologists have been monitoring the spread of rabbit hemorrhagic disease. 

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus serotype 2 is a fatal disease in rabbits and is classified as a foreign animal disease in the United States.

Recently the disease has been detected in the Sheridan Region, according to Wyoming Game and Fish Public Information Specialist Christina Schmidt. 

The disease is highly contagious to rabbit species. According to the US Department of Agriculture, in February 2020, animal health officials detected RHDV2 for the third time in the United States, since 2018. Since that detection, RHDV2 has spread to multiple states across the Southwest.

Schmidt asked listeners of Sheridan Media’s Public Pulse Program to notify the Game and Fish Regional Office should they discover any rabbit carcasses in the area. 

If residents find a rabbit carcass without immediate signs of cause of death, do not attempt to move or touch the carcass. Make note of the carcass location and notify the Sheridan Region Game and Fish Office at (307) 672-7418. To find out more about RHDV2, click here.