Rabbits are among the most misunderstood companion animals, frequently kept in conditions entirely unsuited to their needs. Their cognitive complexity makes appropriate care both more important and more rewarding.
Pet rabbit welfare is an area of chronic failure. The traditional small hutch, solitary keeping, and iceberg lettuce diet represent a perfect storm of welfare compromise that is normalised by their historic status as a cheap starter pet. Rabbits kept in appropriate conditions — spacious enclosures, bonded companions, hay-based diets, and daily interaction — show strikingly different behaviour from those in poor conditions. The RSPCA and Rabbit Welfare Association run campaigns to raise standards, but progress depends on changing the commercial sale conditions that incentivise cheap starter rabbit packages.