Rabbits are farmed for meat in large numbers, particularly in Europe. Their complex behavioural needs including burrowing, hiding, and social contact are rarely met in conventional farming systems.
Farmed rabbit welfare has historically been among the poorest of any farmed species in Europe. Conventional individual wire cages provide nothing for an animal that in the wild lives in social burrow systems, performs extensive foraging, and uses elevated positions for predator detection. Wire floors cause chronic foot pain from pododermatitis. Social isolation prevents social grooming and contact behaviour. The absence of hiding opportunities causes chronic fear in a prey species evolved to hide from predators. Park systems — enriched group housing with elevated platforms, nest boxes, gnawing material, and sufficient space — address all of these deficits and produce rabbits with demonstrably better welfare across multiple indicators. Consumer demand for welfare-certified rabbit meat has driven some industry change, and updated EU standards represent a meaningful step forward.