Wild Rabbit Welfare: Managing Britain's Most Common Wild Mammal

Wild rabbits are one of Britain's most familiar mammals, but their welfare is affected by disease, agricultural management, predation and human activity. Understanding wild rabbit welfare helps us engage with them more thoughtfully.

Key Facts

Myxomatosis — introduced deliberately to control rabbit populations in the 1950s — remains endemic in the UK, causing a slow, painful death in unvaccinated animals
Rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHDV2), a highly lethal virus, has become established in UK wild rabbit populations since 2014, causing rapid death in affected animals
Wild rabbits are a keystone species whose grazing maintains open grassland habitats vital for dozens of other species including stone curlew, chalkhill blue butterflies and many wildflowers
Snaring of wild rabbits for pest control is legal but poorly regulated — welfare standards for snare design, checking frequency and dispatch methods vary widely
Wild rabbits found injured or ill should be handled minimally and taken immediately to a vet or wildlife rehabilitator — they are highly susceptible to capture myopathy

Welfare Considerations

Wild rabbit welfare sits at the intersection of disease management, pest control and conservation. Myxomatosis causes visible and prolonged suffering in affected animals — reporting cases to wildlife rehabilitators is the most direct welfare response an individual can take. Vaccination of domestic rabbits against myxomatosis and RHDV2 prevents spillover to wild populations. Snaring regulation reform is an active welfare advocacy area where tighter controls on snare design and checking frequency would reduce welfare harm. The ecological importance of rabbits means that their welfare cannot be separated from habitat conservation considerations.

What You Can Do

Report wild rabbits showing signs of myxomatosis or RHDV2 to local wildlife rehabilitators rather than leaving them to die slowly
Vaccinate domestic rabbits against myxomatosis and RHDV2 to prevent disease amplification and spillover to wild populations
If you find an injured or ill wild rabbit, handle minimally, keep warm and dark, and seek immediate professional help
Advocate for stronger regulation of rabbit snaring including mandatory checking frequency and humane dispatch standards
Support wildlife habitat conservation that maintains the grassland habitats wild rabbits need for population health