Rabbits are the third most commonly used laboratory animal species in Europe, yet their specific behavioural needs for space, hiding, companionship and elevated resting places are frequently unmet in standard housing systems.
Laboratory rabbits are often housed in conditions that cause chronic stress through social isolation, lack of space, inability to perform natural movement patterns and absence of environmental complexity. Fear during handling causes acute physiological stress responses that can influence experimental outcomes. The quiet, apparently calm demeanour of stressed rabbits is frequently misinterpreted as contentment, masking significant ongoing suffering. Refinements such as pair housing, larger enclosures with elevated resting areas and structured positive reinforcement training for handling are well-evidenced, low-cost improvements that are underimplemented across the sector.