Rabbits are widely used in research and product testing but face specific welfare challenges that the 3Rs framework can substantially address.
Laboratory rabbit welfare presents a combination of species-specific challenges that require targeted refinement interventions. Rabbits are prey animals whose fear responses are particularly acute during restraint, a routine requirement in most research contexts. Standard handling methods including scruffing trigger strong stress responses, while tunnel handling and trained gentle restraint significantly reduce these responses. Social housing addresses the isolation welfare deficit that single caging imposes on a species that naturally lives in social groups. Replacement and reduction are also relevant: the continued use of in vivo rabbit testing for some regulatory submissions, where validated in vitro alternatives exist, represents a refinement opportunity that requires regulatory acceptance of alternatives alongside scientific validation.