Rabbits are farmed in large numbers for meat and fur, yet slaughter welfare standards are poorly developed and inconsistently enforced. Their unique physiology and acute stress sensitivity make pre-slaughter handling a critical welfare intervention point.
Rabbits present specific welfare challenges at slaughter that are underappreciated relative to other farmed species. Their stress response is extreme — rabbits can die of fright from the fear associated with handling alone. This means that any slaughter method, however effective in principle, will produce poor welfare outcomes if pre-slaughter handling causes severe acute stress. Effective rabbit welfare at slaughter requires: low-stress handling from catching to restraint, effective species-appropriate stunning, and minimisation of time between stunning and killing. The live plucking of Angora rabbits — which leaves animals clearly in pain and distress — represents an additional welfare issue that consumer pressure has partially addressed through brand commitments. Certification schemes for rabbit welfare remain far less developed than for poultry or pigs.