Companion rabbits are frequently housed in conditions that cause chronic suffering; updated welfare science has fundamentally changed minimum space and environmental requirements.
Millions of companion rabbits live in conditions that cause chronic physical and psychological suffering. Small hutches prevent the binkying, running, and jumping that are essential for musculoskeletal health, leading to bone fragility and sore hocks. Social isolation causes depression in these highly social animals. Rabbits in inadequate housing often develop gastrointestinal stasis from stress and insufficient foraging activity, which is painful and potentially fatal. The widespread persistence of traditional small hutches reflects a historical misunderstanding of rabbit needs; modern welfare science supports a fundamental revision of how rabbits are housed, marketed, and sold.