Pet rabbits are among the most poorly housed companion animals; traditional hutches deny nearly all natural behaviour and cause chronic welfare deficits that appropriate housing can prevent.
The stereotype of rabbits as low-maintenance pets kept in small garden hutches has caused enormous preventable suffering. Rabbits require complex social environments, extensive space for running and jumping, constant access to hay for dental and digestive health, and companionship from bonded partners. Welfare organisations now campaign for minimum housing standards equivalent to those for other companion species.