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Rabbit Awareness Week goes virtual
Rabbit Awareness Week 2020 aims to educate owners about the five key welfare needs.

Organisers have announced a packed programme of digital events.
 
Organisers behind Rabbit Awareness Week (RAW) have announced an exciting line up of digital events to improve the health and welfare of rabbits in the UK.

The annual RAW campaign aims to reach, educate and inform rabbit owners about the five key welfare needs of rabbits and encourage them to join in the conversation.

Normally organisations and individuals host physical events which, due to COVID-19, will not be possible this year. Instead, the RAW team is putting together a packed programme of digital workshops, live Q&As, virtual tours and educational videos – all of which will be shared online.

This year's campaign takes place over two weeks (10 – 23 August), and rabbit owners, animal lovers and anyone else interested in learning more about rabbit welfare is encouraged to get involved in the campaign via the official website and social media pages.

Campaign organiser Holly Ackroyd said: “Vets have always played an active, and absolutely vital, part of Rabbit Awareness Week but the coronavirus pandemic means we’ve had to get a bit more creative to make sure we can drive and facilitate their involvement this year’s campaign. We’re delighted that the RAW partners and our supporting vets will once again be lending their support to the campaign by delivering online content that promises to both entertain and educate UK owners, and ‘would-be’ owners of these amazing animals.
 
“Despite the current challenges, we’re confident this year’s campaign will build on previous years to be our biggest RAW campaign yet. As one of the UK’s most misunderstood pets, it’s so important that we continue to raise awareness about the welfare needs of rabbits. We’ve invested significantly into the creation of new content and collateral on all of these needs and have extended the length of the campaign to ensure that we comprehensively shine a light of them all.”

More details about RAW 2020 are expected in the coming weeks.

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Birmingham Dogs Home makes urgent appeal

News Story 1
 Birmingham Dogs Home has issued an urgent winter appeal as it faces more challenges over the Christmas period.

The rescue centre has seen a dramatic increase in dogs coming into its care, and is currently caring for over 200 dogs. With rising costs and dropping temperatures, the charity is calling for urgent support.

It costs the charity £6,000 per day to continue its work.

Fi Harrison, head of fundraising and communications, said: "It's heart-breaking for our team to see the conditions some dogs arrive in. We really are their last chance and hope of survival."

More information about the appeal can be found here. 

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News Shorts
Avian flu confirmed at premises in Cornwall

A case of highly pathogenic avian influenza H5N1 has been detected in commercial poultry at a premises near Rosudgeon, Cornwall.

All poultry on the infected site will be humanely culled, and a 3km protection zone and 10km surveillance zone have been put in place. Poultry and other captive birds in the 3km protection zone must be housed.

The case is the second avian flu case confirmed in commercial poultry this month. The H5N5 strain was detected in a premises near Hornsea, East Riding of Yorkshire, in early November. Before then, the disease had not been confirmed in captive birds in England since February.

The UK chief veterinary officer has urged bird keepers to remain alert and practise robust biosecurity.

A map of the disease control zones can be found here.