Companion Animals

Domestic Rabbit Care Welfare

Domestic rabbits retain wild behavioral needs that most housing systems fail to meet adequately.

Key Facts

Evidence-based approaches to domestic rabbit care welfare inform welfare improvements globally
Animal welfare science provides tools to assess and improve conditions for all species
Individual consumer choices combined with advocacy create lasting systemic change
Every action to reduce animal suffering contributes to a more compassionate world

Welfare Considerations

Domestic rabbits need minimum 3 hours of free exercise daily and require rabbit companions to thrive. They are prey animals with powerful fear responses. Dental disease is the most common health problem due to diets lacking adequate hay. Outdoor hutch housing is widely used but frequently inadequate for domestic rabbit welfare needs in cold or wet climates.

What You Can Do

House rabbits indoors or in secure outdoor runs with weather protection
Provide unlimited timothy hay as the foundation of the diet
Never lift rabbits from above which triggers predation fear responses
Adopt from a rescue rather than purchasing from pet shops