Rabbits are farmed at scale across Europe in some of the most intensive and welfare-compromised conditions of any mammal species, making rabbit welfare reform an important but neglected priority.
Farmed rabbit welfare is a neglected crisis that receives far less attention than equivalent problems in chicken or pig production despite affecting hundreds of millions of animals. The welfare deficiencies in commercial wire cage rabbit farming are severe and multiple: inadequate space for any normal movement, wire floors causing foot injury, social isolation or overcrowding without stable group structure, complete denial of burrowing motivation, and absence of environmental complexity. The combination produces animals with high disease rates, stereotypic behaviours, and greatly reduced quality of life. Enriched or park systems that provide more space, appropriate flooring, and social housing significantly improve welfare. Consumer awareness and purchasing choices that avoid intensively farmed rabbit are among the most powerful available interventions.