Intensive Rabbit Farming Welfare

Farmed rabbits for meat are among the least regulated farm animals in many countries, kept in conditions that cause serious welfare harm largely invisible to consumers.

Key Facts

An estimated 200 million rabbits are farmed annually, primarily in Southern Europe
Most are kept in wire cages that prevent running, jumping, and social behaviour
Wire floors cause foot sores (pododermatitis) that are nearly universal in caged rabbits
EU partial regulation requires enrichment but does not ban conventional cages until 2027 minimum
Rabbit meat is not subject to the same welfare scrutiny as chicken, pork, or beef

Welfare Considerations

Farmed rabbit welfare is a neglected crisis: the same behaviours that make rabbits appealing as pets — social nature, running capability, environmental curiosity — make wire cage confinement a comprehensive welfare failure. Rabbits in cages cannot sprint, cannot rear up, and cannot maintain the foot health required for normal locomotion. Conventional rabbit cages represent one of the most extreme mismatches between farm animal needs and production conditions of any species in European farming.

What You Can Do

Avoid rabbit meat from conventional wire cage production
Ask retailers about the housing system behind any rabbit meat they sell
Support CIWF and Animal Equality campaigns for rabbit farming reform
Advocate for a ban on conventional rabbit cages in UK and EU law
Raise awareness about farmed rabbit welfare as a neglected issue