Rabbits are the third most popular companion animal yet among the most commonly mistreated, with small cages, social isolation, and inadequate diet causing preventable suffering in millions of households.
Companion rabbit welfare is chronically poor at a population level, driven by a combination of misinformation, inadequate retail guidance, and the cultural misconception that rabbits are simple, low-maintenance pets suitable for children. The traditional small hutch provides no space for the binky (a joyful leaping behaviour expressing positive welfare), running, or normal social interaction. Isolated rabbits develop stereotypies including bar-chewing and repetitive circling. Dietary inadequacy — insufficient hay — leads to dental malocclusion as teeth that require continuous grinding down through fibrous material grow unchecked, causing pain and eventual starvation. Rabbits that thump and show freezing behaviours are communicating fear, not affection. The gap between typical housing conditions and what rabbits need to experience good welfare is among the largest of any common companion animal. Significant improvement requires both better consumer education and stronger retail regulation.