Rabbits are the third most popular pet in the UK but among the most poorly understood and poorly kept. Addressing rabbit welfare requires changing widespread misconceptions about their needs and appropriate care.
Rabbit welfare in the UK is one of the most significant companion animal welfare problems by number of animals affected. The traditional hutch-and-run model fails to meet rabbits social, spatial, and behavioural needs. Solitary housing causes chronic anxiety. Inadequate space prevents natural locomotion, causing skeletal muscle wastage and boredom. Dental problems from inappropriate diets cause chronic pain that owners often fail to recognise. The welfare gap between common practice and best practice rabbit keeping is very large. Consumer education — through pet retailers, vets, and welfare organisations — and regulation of minimum housing standards for pet rabbits are the most effective systemic interventions. Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund has campaigned for decades for better minimum standards in law.