Rabbits are uniquely fragile animals whose spines can fracture from improper handling or sudden movement, causing permanent paralysis.
The rabbit skeleton is designed for explosive acceleration and rapid direction changes, not for being lifted by nervous or inexperienced handlers. When a rabbit panics in someone's arms, the force of its kick against a restrained body can fracture its own lumbar spine. This welfare problem is largely preventable through handler education. Rabbits should ideally be interacted with at ground level rather than lifted.