Rabbits are highly social animals that suffer from solitary keeping, requiring carefully managed bonding with compatible companions to meet their fundamental need for long-term social relationships.
Rabbit social welfare is one of the most commonly violated welfare needs in companion animal keeping, with many rabbits still kept in solitary hutches despite clear evidence that this causes chronic psychological deprivation. The solution — bonded pairs or small groups — requires more initial effort and cost than single keeping, but dramatically improves lifetime welfare. The bonding process demands patience and appropriate management, but is achievable for most owners with the right guidance. Rescue organisations that bond rabbits before rehoming and provide adoption advice on pair keeping are making a significant contribution to rabbit welfare that deserves support. The hutch-alone rabbit model that dominated for decades is increasingly being replaced by more welfare-conscious approaches, but change is slow.