Millions of rabbits are farmed for meat annually, primarily in Europe and China, under welfare conditions that receive far less scrutiny than equivalent chicken or pig farming.
Farmed rabbits occupy an unusual welfare position: they are among the most commonly farmed mammals, yet receive far less welfare attention than chickens, pigs, or cattle. The welfare problems of intensive rabbit farming are severe: barren wire cages prevent virtually all natural behavior, group housing introduces aggression without management, and the fast growth rates required in commercial farming create physiological stress. Welfare reform for farmed rabbits is largely an EU project — other major producing regions have almost no standards. Consumer awareness, certification development, and regulatory pressure are all needed to drive improvement.