Rabbits are the UK's third most popular pet but also the third most abandoned, suffering from widespread misunderstanding of their complex needs.
Pet rabbit welfare failures are systematic and pervasive. Tiny hutches that prevent normal movement cause muscle atrophy and skeletal problems. Solitary rabbits experience chronic loneliness. Inappropriate diets heavy in pellets and light in hay cause fatal dental and digestive disease. Many owners do not recognize rabbit body language indicating fear or pain, as rabbits are stoic prey animals. The Rabbit Awareness Week campaign by UK vets aims to shift cultural expectations, but millions of rabbits currently live in conditions that cause ongoing suffering.