Rabbits are the third most farmed animal in Europe, yet welfare protections for farmed rabbits lag far behind those for pigs and poultry. Intensive battery cage systems cause severe suffering.
Farmed rabbits experience some of the poorest conditions of any agricultural species due to the almost complete absence of species-specific welfare regulation. In bare wire cages, rabbits cannot express any of their natural behaviours: they cannot run, binky, hide, forage, or engage in normal social interactions. The wire flooring causes chronic foot lesions. High stocking densities in colony systems can increase aggression if social groups are mismanaged. Rabbits are highly sensitive animals that suffer acutely from stress and fear. The combination of inadequate space, barren environments, and high mortality rates makes intensive rabbit farming one of the most pressing yet underrecognized farm animal welfare issues.