Rabbits are among the most poorly housed companion animals, with the traditional small hutch model failing to meet minimum space, social, and behavioral needs of these active, social animals.
The traditional rabbit hutch model represents one of the most significant welfare failures in companion animal keeping. These are active animals that evolved to run, jump, dig, and graze across open spaces, and confining them to small hutches denies virtually all their behavioral needs. The result is an epidemic of welfare problems including obesity, dental disease, stereotypic behaviors, and depression. Welfare-conscious rabbit keeping requires indoor housing with large run access, pair or group social housing, constant hay availability, and daily enrichment. Public education campaigns have made progress on rabbit welfare awareness, but significant cultural change remains needed.