Traditional rabbit hutches fail to meet the behavioral and social needs of pet rabbits, with reformed housing standards dramatically improving welfare outcomes.
Pet rabbit welfare is substantially underserved by traditional husbandry practices. The image of a rabbit contentedly living in a small hutch is a welfare fiction — rabbits in such environments are stressed, under-exercised, often lonely, and at risk of conditions that cause significant suffering. A rabbit that cannot run, jump, or stand fully upright in its living space is unable to meet its basic locomotor needs. Single-rabbit housing denies a social species its fundamental social needs. Proper housing — a large enclosure with outdoor run access, neutered companion, and daily interaction — enables rabbits to thrive. Public education about rabbit needs is urgently needed given the scale of miskeeping.