Millions of rabbits are farmed annually for meat under conditions that frequently fail to meet their welfare needs. Understanding these needs is essential for meaningful welfare reform.
Farmed rabbit welfare has historically been among the most neglected areas of farm animal welfare advocacy, despite the enormous numbers involved and the severity of welfare compromise in standard intensive systems. Rabbits are complex social animals with strong locomotory drives, natural curiosity, and specific dietary needs that are poorly served by small wire cage systems. The EU has been debating rabbit welfare legislation for decades without achieving comprehensive binding standards, creating a regulatory gap that enables poor welfare practices to persist. Consumer demand for higher-welfare rabbit products, combined with industry-led welfare improvements and eventual legislation, represents the pathway to meaningful reform. The conservation of rabbit genetic diversity and welfare of farmed rabbits are interconnected issues that deserve greater advocacy attention.