Current minimum space requirements for farmed rabbits in most countries are far below what is needed for normal behaviour, and the science of rabbit space needs is advancing rapidly.
The minimum space requirements in current rabbit welfare legislation were established with production efficiency rather than behavioural science as the primary consideration. A rabbit that cannot perform a full running stride, cannot stand upright on its hind legs without touching the cage ceiling, and cannot access hiding places is confined below any reasonable welfare minimum. The development of colony housing systems — which allow platforms for elevated resting, substrate for digging, social groups, and hiding boxes — demonstrates that meaningful improvement is commercially feasible. The welfare gap between what the law requires and what the science shows rabbits need is large, but is closing as the evidence base grows and as consumer and regulatory pressure increases on producers.