Rabbits are among the most commonly kept companion animals but also among the most frequently kept in conditions that fail to meet their basic welfare needs.
Rabbit welfare failures are pervasive and largely invisible. The small hutch paradigm — a rabbit in a box in the garden — was accepted welfare standard for decades despite providing none of what rabbits need: space to run and binky (jump and twist), companionship, complex environments, and unlimited hay. The combination of social isolation, movement restriction, poor diet, and inadequate veterinary care causes suffering in millions of pet rabbits. The welfare evidence is now clear: rabbits need large housing, compatible companions, daily free roaming, and access to hay as their primary food. Adoption from rescues, which provide welfare education, is far preferable to pet shop purchase.