Rabbits are the third most farmed animal in the EU, yet their welfare receives far less attention than pigs or poultry. Understanding their specific needs is essential for demanding better standards.
Conventional rabbit cages represent one of the most restrictive confinements in European animal agriculture. The inability to perform any natural locomotor behaviour — including the characteristic binkying (jumping and twisting) that indicates positive welfare in rabbits — means animals exist in a state of chronic behavioural deprivation. Wire mesh flooring causes painful hock sores that affect the majority of caged rabbits by end of life. High stocking densities and inadequate ventilation contribute to respiratory disease prevalence. The contrast with what rabbits need behaviourally — space to run, jump, hide, and gnaw — and what conventional cages provide is stark. Welfare science has demonstrated that colony housing with enrichment is feasible at commercial scale.