Farmed rabbits are among the least welfare-protected farm animals in Europe. Conventional battery cage systems cause significant suffering to highly social, inquisitive animals.
Wire battery cages for rabbits prevent burrowing, hopping sequences, hiding, and social choice — all highly motivated behaviours. Rabbits in barren cages develop stereotypic behaviours including wire chewing and repetitive pacing. The hard wire floor causes pododermatitis (sore hocks) in many confined animals. Rabbit farming receives far less regulatory attention than chicken, pig, or cattle farming, leaving significant welfare gaps. More welfare-friendly park systems that allow some natural behaviour exist but remain a minority. The EU rabbit welfare standard reforms have faced prolonged delays due to industry lobbying, leaving hundreds of millions of animals in inadequate conditions.