Rabbits are frequently kept in conditions that profoundly fail their welfare needs, making them one of the most commonly welfare-compromised companion animal species.
Companion rabbit welfare suffers from a profound mismatch between public perception of rabbits as simple, low-maintenance pets and the reality of their complex needs. Rabbits are social, active, cognitively engaged animals with specific dietary, spatial, and companionship requirements that standard hutch keeping cannot meet. The welfare consequences of inadequate housing include chronic boredom, dental disease from inappropriate diets, obesity from insufficient exercise, and psychological distress from social isolation. Rabbits are also frequently kept by children as educational pets, when their care requirements actually exceed those of many other companion animal species. Improving rabbit welfare requires a cultural shift in how the species is understood and presented, alongside regulatory standards that prevent the sale of inadequate hutches and require basic welfare information at the point of purchase.