The Fight goes on

last weeks casualties of the calici strain that decimated the IxCHeL Fibre farms precious angora rabbits : RIP Flopsy, Skye, Gilderoy and Kabuki

After Last weeks horrific events , we have still lost 4 of our gorgeous animals: Flopsy and Skye on Friday night, Kabuki and Gilderoy. The vet confirmed by autopsy that its a strain of calici. "bad luck"he calls it and I think I am going to put a trade mark on that since I seem to be the sole user of extreme bad luck for the last two years. I am heartbroken and what is worse, there is absolutely nothing I can do and nothing I could have done differently to prevent this.

At this moment we have only 8 bunnies left and what is more, there is no way of telling whether the virus is just dormant and will strike again and kill horribly in a half hour death struggle while blood vessels explode and invade vital organs.

I was holding Skye throughout her death struggle and the only thing I could do was hold her like a baby and tell her over and over again "it's okay honey. it's okay. I love you, i love you"while tears were streaming down my face. Skye was so so special. So amazing intelligent and brave and strong. Most bunnies only let out one deathcry when they die, not Skye. She held on for over 30 mins and let out 5 warcries. I am so heartbroken.

Obviously RCD vaccine is not 100% proof to protect rabbits...and I am not even talking about not being able to vaccinate against Myxo. Not that any of it is any help. Virus's mutate all the time.

I wish I had the capability of having filmed the death struggle of Skye and ram it down the throats of all the dpi and csiro scientists to see, to let the media see what mankind is doing to much loved animals, to rub peoples noses in the pure hell we are putting animals and us through. This has got to STOP !

Sorry about the rambling, but I am livid, angry, upset, sad , heartbroken but most of all: ready to fight. So many lives lost for nothing! so much hard work and care and love gone in matter of days and for what???????

You ask what you can do:
fight with all your heart for animal friendly treatment, against cruelty to wild animals and pets alike. Calici is like ebola, it is cruel and horrendous. Stop the deliberate spread in inocculation of wild rabbit populations AND random baiting that is going on in Australia today ! Petition, write, question, anything you can think of for the love of animals and mankind.

You ask what you can do to help us rebuild? Show us your support just like you have always done : I am just a phonecall or an email away.

Things have settled down a bit now, only 8 of our animals left though and we are still in the process of major cleaning and desinfecting. Huge jobs ahead. No breeding is on the horizon yet!: we first need to rebuild and have numerous safety measures in place, even more so than we did before. We will fight for better vaccines and research and public awareness on line, at every venue we go to and ofcourse at the Bendigo Sheep and wool show. If you want to do your bit to help, please contact me.

As for the calici virus: Here is some arresting information and what has been happening in Australia. Apparently it wasn’t enough that the virus escaped from a research facility (?) on Wardang island (SA) no, then someone decided it was too late anyway , let’s just inocculate some wild rabbits to kill off the wild rabbit pest…(2nd mistake) and then as if nr 1 and nr 2 mistake was not bad enough: hey why don’t we randomly BAIT the virus and put it on carrots and drop them off in parks and reserves!? I mean, how utterly STUPID is that? Not only do we have no idea how the virus can cross contaminate on its own, no we had to help that process along and have it spread through wild life and other animals (and humans) !

Anyway: here’s a point by point overview of the Calici Disaster in Australia in letter form: you can copy and paste it in word format, print it out or email it to the Minister for agriculture, fishery and forest as well as animals Australia, the RSPCA and other senators that might be able to help us in our fight against this horror:

Email: contact@apvma.gov.au,RCS@apvma.gov.au, AERPCoordinator@apvma.gov.au , chemrev@apvma.gov.au, david.hutchison@apvma.gov.au, bruce.johnson@apvma.gov.au, gerry.maynes@ea.gov.au , senator.brown@aph.gov.au , W.Truss.MP@aph.gov.au

From:

Date:

To Inquiries at APVMA,RCS at APVMA, AERP Coordinator at APVMA, Chemical reviews at APVMA, David Hutchison at APVMA, Bruce Johnson at APVMA, Gerry Maynes at Environemnt Australia, Senator Bob Brown (Australian Senate), Mr Warren Truss,

Dear Sirs,
In 1996 Australian authorities approved the use of Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease (VHD) (renamed Rabbit Calicivirus Disease [RCD] by Australian authorities) as a biological control agent of the European Rabbit in Australia.
Currently there is a proposal before the APVMA (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) for a change of usage of RCD injectible live virus. The APVMA was previously known as the NRA in Australia (the NRA adopted the name APVMA on the 5th March 2003). At present, the RCD virus "product" can only be administered to live wild rabbits trapped by authorities and injected with RCD virus and then let loose to infect other rabbits. The authorities now want to mix deadly live RCD/VHD virus with baits to spread across areas where they deem rabbits to be a problem. Other animals may also eat these grain or carrot based baits (the new "bait" usage will not be a species specific method of delivery of deadly RCD virus as is the "injectible" RCD).
Please register my opposition to the proposed application to register RCD/RHD/VHD coated baits in Australia as a biological control agent of wild rabbits.
I believe that the Australian authorities failed to fully consult the global community in making the decision to declare RCD/RHD a biological control agent. The Australian authorities also failed to consult the most notable international calicivirus experts for their opinions on the safety of using RHD/RCD as a biological control agent. The international working committee on caliciviruses were also not consulted by the Australian authorities for its learned opinion concerning the potential dangers of deliberately spreading RCD/RHD across the Australian continent.
Four out of the five major calicivirus groups were known to cause disease in humans at the time the RCD/RHD virus was legalised as a biocontrol of European rabbits in Australia. RCD/RHD has existed in its current state only since it first appeared in China in 1984 and little is known about the origin of the disease. Also, there are no safe vaccines to protect non-target species and there is no funded research world wide to search for potential infection by RCD/RHD in non-rabbit species. According to CSIRO research, high antibody levels of RCD/RHD were found in many species never before infected by RCD/RHD. Also, according to the 1996 BRS report on RCD/RHD some non-exposed animals (chicken, falcon and blue-tongued lizard) tested positive to RCD/RHD by having antibody levels to RCD greater than the cut off point of 30%. Some animals such as mice showed signs of infection (anti-body levels higher than 30%) after being deliberately infected with RCD.
Antibodies to RCD were found in a Mexican laboratory worker and it is quite likely that humans will be affected by RCD/RHD exposure.
An article in Medline shows pigs may be susceptible to RHD. "1: Can J Vet Res 2000 Apr;64(2):134-7.
Susceptibility of piglets to rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus following experimental infection.
Shien JH, Lee LH.
Department of Veterinary Medicine, National Chung Hsing University, Taichung, Taiwan.
The possibility exists that rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) can be transmitted to swine, through lapinized hog cholera virus (HCV) vaccine. To investigate the infectivity of RHDV in swine, 16 four- to six-week-old piglets were inoculated subcutaneously with RHDV, and samples of liver, lung, spleen, kidney, bile, adrenal gland, tonsil, mesenteric lymph node, thymus, urine, buffy coat, and feces were collected from each of 2 animals on Days 0, 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 14, and 28 post infection. Using reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, viral RNA was detected in most tissues by Day 3 and was absent after Day 5, except in lung and liver tissues, in which viral RNA was detected up to Day 14. Viral RNA was not detected in kidney, urine, feces or bile. Antibody responses, as detected by hemagglutination inhibition, were of low titer and short duration, and were similar in animals inoculated with viable RHD and in those given formalin-inactivated RHDV (n = 2). Neither viral RNA nor antibody were detected in the negative control or in the uninfected, in-contact animals.
PMID: 10805254 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]
[If the researchers were finding RHD in the tissues of the pig's liver and lungs at day 14 that means the RHD is replicating].
Dr Alvin Smith (Professor of Calicivirus Studies) at Oregon State University has studied caliciviruses for over 20 years. The Biological Control Authority did not address Dr Smith's concerns regarding the dangers of using RHD as a biological control agent but chose to ignore them. The BRS Report August 1996 on RCD did nothing to address the concerns of many international scientists who oppose the use of RCD as a biological control agent.In a letter to the New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture (11th April 1997) Dr Smith wrote:
"1. The origins (mutation or non-rabbit host) of RHD in China in 1984 remain unknown.
2. The genetic determinants and mechanisms resulting in a rapid and bloody RHD induced death are unknown.
3. The modes of RHD transmission across ocean channels and between continents are unknown.
4. The mechanisms of RHD transmission, which is sometimes rapid and sometimes leap-frog (hundreds of kilometers), are unknown.
5. The reason for failure of RHD to transmit even under contact conditions in fenced enclosures (Wardang Island) are unknown.
6. The host range of RHD is virtually certain to extend well beyond rabbits (Geelong experiment showing 2-17 fold antibody increases in 11 test species using purported subimmunogenic virus doses) but remains unknown.
7. Diagnostic reagents for RHD lack the specificity and sensitivity to carry out adequate epidemiologic assays, particularly in non-rabbit species including humans.
8. RHD vaccines for rabbits in Spain are reported over time to have become less protective.
9. RHD vaccines are not available to protect any non-rabbit species at risk, including humans.
10. RHD has not been shown (using proven and acceptable scientific methods) to be caused by a calicivirus alone; therefore, the infectious makeup of RHD is unknown.
11. RHD cannot be propagated in cell culture. Yet, that was a stated essential CSIRO requirement to be met before infectivity studies were to be carried out (1994 BRS report).
12. Contrary to the report that there was no evidence of human health risk in a study of this issue in Australia, the data indicated health was adversely affected. Because the study was so poorly designed, it is impossible to conclude with certainty what the actual status of health risk is.
13. In Australia, RHD is uncontrollable, unpredictable, and often unreliable as a rabbit control agent. Thus, the reality of RHD now loose in the countryside has turned virtually every Australian/New Zealand RHD program prediction and pronouncement into a statement of foolishness."
Taking into account all of the above, it is obvious that the risks to humans and all other species currently being blanketed with RCD/RHD by the Australian authorities outweigh any perceived benefits as put forth by Australian authorities. Also, the continued deliberate spread of RCD/RHD by Australian authorities is causing an increased likelihood of spreading RCD/RHD to the rest of the world (where RCD/RHD is unwanted). It is true that over 40 countries may have RCD/RHD on their shores. However, RCD/RHD arrived in those countries univited and unwanted as the result of epidemic. Many countries who value their rabbit populations would rather see the demise of the RCD/RHD than their rabbits. I also disagree strongly on moral and ethical grounds with the use of deadly diseases as biological control agents of any species. No-one can ever determine that a deadly virus will stay specific to one host and the deliberate introduction and spread of such deadly exotic viruses from one country to another poses unacceptable risks of cross species infection to all species.
Please ask the APVMA to de-register the live RCD/RHD virus as a licensed chemical product. Also ,please call for an open and independent public inquiry into (a)how the RCD virus was allowed to escape onto the Australian mainland (and who allowed this to happen) and (b)how RCD/RHD [a deadly hemorrhagic virus of mammals] was ever allowed to become registered as a safe and acceptable veterinary chemical product by the APVMA in Australia when international calicivirus experts (who believe RCD/RHD is unsafe to deliberately spread across Australia) were not consulted.
I am also aware of the painful ear-rot that is occuring in New Zealand wild rabbits since farmers illegally imported and spread RCD/VHD on baits there. The ear-rot in New Zealand rabbits associated with RCD spread on baits is discussed in the February 1999 issue of the New Zealand Veterinary Journal. Pictures and an explanation of the New Zealand ear-rot rabbits are available on the internet at http://www.iinet.net.au/~rabbit/earadv.htm

Yours sincerely, ------------------------------------------------------------

If you want to put a stop to the releasing of calici and myxo here are some petitions you can sign on line:

http://www.petitiononline.com/RHD123/petition.html

http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/make-myxomatosis-vaccine-legal/sign.html

If you want you can copy the text and send a signed copy to

Senator Joe Ludwig, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, PO Box 6022, Parliament House, Canberra ACT 2600 Australia. Fax +61 2 62764120 or email him mailto:joe.ludwig@maff.gov.au

read more on this site: http://members.iinet.net.au/~rabbit/rrcd.htm

I will also be collecting signatures at Bendigo ! Help by changing the way things are unethically done now and secure a better, peaceful , animals and human friendly world tomorrow.

Thank you so much fro your help and support !
(((HUGS)))
Charly

my friend Shevi made this alter ego of me: Super Bunny J Thank you so so much for putting a big smile on my face !!!! Check out her fabulous work on http://evilmcweevil.blogspot.com/

Please email (ixchel at rabbit dot com dor au or ixchelbunny at yahoo dot com dot au) or message me on Ravelry.com or on facebook if you want to adopt some of these fibres and yarns. I will email or message you right back with all the order and payment details.

Blue faced Leicester Bunny 4ply spun hand dyed sock weight yarn (95% Blue faced Leicester, 5% angora)
100g /AU$26 yardage: +/- 320meters/100g

daleks in manhattan

black purl bunny

sunset boulevard

midnight velvet

fairytale ending

ninja bunny

mutant barbiedoll

butterfly bush

mimosa

outback

secret garden

Mulberry Peace Silk Tops

50g AU$23
Animal friendly silk, harvested when tehe silk moth has already escaped. Beautiful to spin, lush and shiny and super soft

Silk Daleks in Manhattan -sold-

Heaven sent

Magic

Crocodile Pond

Misty Outback

Zen

Lush

Cashmere Fling (Cashmere-tencel-Glitz-Bamboo-5/40/40/5)
100+grams- AU$22
Super soft, vibrant, lustrous and sensual hand dyed tops.Amazing to spin and wear. Has a gorgeous drape.

Mumbo Jumbo -sold-

Party Pete -sold-

Pacific rift -sold-

Daleks in Manhattan

Pixie Party -2 left-

red Ochre Dream -2left-

Pigs can fly

-SOLD: the pigs flew out of the door in matter of seconds..

which proves the point: pigs CAN fly ..lol-

Catatonia -2 left, looks REALLY nice plied with Heaven sent silk!-

Velvet Underground -3left-

IxCHeL Fibre Club
(july-august-september)
The subscription is for a period of three months and you will receive one special hand dyed top/roving per month to the value of AU$20 or more !
All the tops will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel Fibre Club !
Price to join the Ixchel Fibre Club and receive your special hand dyed top :)) for three months is AU$60 + postage (parcel post or airmail). AND double and triple serves are available !!! So in short:
For Australia :
single serve $60+$18 postage (parcel post)
double serve $120+$21
triple serve $160+$33
For USA + Canada:
single serve AU$60+AU$35 (Airmail)
double serve AU$120+AU$60
For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$60+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$58
For Asia:
Single serve AU$60+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve AU$120+AU$39
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FIBRE CLUB #10 now. Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for fibre club #10 is JUNE 30th ! And the first installment is going to be shipped out mid JULY:)
Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))


IxCHeL Funky Bunny Batt Club
Here are all the details and just pm me when you have any questions or want to be part of the funky bunny batt club Movement ;-) Welcome to the blingy dark side ;-D
At the request of so many fibre fans and bunny lovers I am starting this thread so that everybody who wants to join the 10TH funky bunny batt club can put their name on the list.
The subscription is for a period of three months (july-august-september!) and you will receive one special hand dyed funky bunny batt per month to the value of AU$32 or more . The batts will range in weight from 100grams to 150grams with luxury fibres like camel , angora, cashmere, silk, yak, llama even quiviut this time ! is on the cards for the next funky bunny club!! )
All the batts will be hand dyed and will be especially made for the members of Ixchel funky bunny Club ! Every month you will receive a HUGE luxury funky bunny batt !
Sign up now and you will receive an Ixchel Hand dyed , super luxurious funky bunny batt in july-august-september 2011 !
Price to join the Ixchel Funky bunny #10 :)) for three months is AU$96 + postage (parcel post or airmail). So in short:
For Australia : $96+$18postage (parcel post)
For USA + Canada: AU$96+AU$35 (Airmail)
For UK,Europe, rest of the world: AU$96+AU$38 (airmail)
For Asia: AU$96+AU$28 (airmail)
If you want to receive a fibre surprise every month then join the IXCHEL FUNKY BUNNY Batt CLUB now. Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for the funky bunny batt club #10 is JUNE30th! And the first installment is going to be shipped out mid JULY 2011 :)

IxCHeL Sock it to me yarn club
What is the deal? hmmm it is sooo good and fun and sockaliscious you just will HAVE to join :)
Here are the details:
Every month for three months you will receive:
1. enough hand dyed luscious yummy yarn to make a pair of socks; (the hand dyed yarn will be exclusive for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB and will range from a sockweight yarn or a 3ply or a 4 ply);
2. Every month a new sock pattern, tips and instructions ! Now is that GOOD or is that GOOD ??! :) I will even offer a double serve for those of you who like their socks extra long :)
Here is the nitty gritty:
For Australia :
single serve $78+$18 postage (parcel post)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +$21
For USA + Canada:
single serve AU$78+AU$35 (Airmail)
double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$49
For UK,Europe, rest of the world:
Single serve AU$78+AU$38 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$57
For Asia:
Single serve AU$78+AU$28 (airmail)
Double serve $130 (= one skein FREE!!!) +AU$42

Numbers are strictly limited ! Deadline for signing up for the Ixchelbunny SOCK-IT-TO-ME Yarn CLUB! is JUNE 30th ! And the first installment is going to be shipped out mid July 2011 :) Payment via direct deposit or credit card. Just PM or email me your details :))
By the way: you don’t HAVE to knit socks if you don’t want to.. the hand dyed yarn is amazingly nice for scarves, cowls, beanies and even tops ! Anything goes :)

Email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au or ixchel@rabbit.com.au if you want to adopt any of these Yaaaarns! or fibres : message me on Ravelry or facebook where I am Ixchelbunny !

Dates to Remember:

Bunny Spin in at the Ixchel Fibre Farm (11am-5pm)

All bunny spin ins are cancelled due to the calici virus out break until September ! I will let everybody know through this blog and Ravelry when the spin ins will start again, probably in September.

Contact me on Ravelry where I am Ixchelbunny, message me on facebook there or email me on Ixchelbunny@yahoo.com.au


The BENDI PARTY is ON!
15-16-17th of July !
Bendigo Sheep and Wool Show (with a big dash of Rabbit from yours truly)
see website ; www.sheepshow.com
Bendigo Sheep & Wool Show is NOT to miss in this year of the rabbit ! Now more than ever!

Lots of special goodies on offer, prizes to be won and a super competition of “Bunny dress up”again this year! Make a a statement ! This year there’s a “Rock-a-Billy Bunny-dress up competition”and win a super duper Bunny Spin or Yarn bunny Prize! C’mon be a rockin” Fibre Bunny! You know you want to and everybody who spends over $50 to support the IxCHeL fibre farm will have a chance of winning amazing prizes !
Also there will be petitions to sign and buttons for sale to support the cause of making this world a better and safer place for our pet and rare breed rabbits.

All the preperations are already on their way to make this years Bendi show an amazingly FUN & EXCITING FIBRE EVENT !!!!!


Bunny invasion in Queensland planned again just after Bendigo ! @ Mapleton Camp of the Queensland Spinners & Weavers

Mapleton Camp July 22-24 !
Contact the QSW&FA if you want to be part of this awesome weekend of fun !! I will be doing workshops on Art yarn (my nip ‘n’tuck special and Jewellery Sculpture Art yarn)


RABBIT ON !
((hugs))
Charly