Spaying and neutering companion rabbits provides substantial health and behavioral welfare benefits, reducing cancer risk and improving social compatibility.
Rabbit welfare is significantly improved by spay and neuter for most companion animals. The uterine cancer risk in unspayed female rabbits is extraordinary — the majority will develop this painful, fatal cancer by middle age. Spaying eliminates this risk entirely. The behavioral benefits extend welfare through social compatibility: bonded pairs of spayed and neutered rabbits cohabitate peacefully and provide companionship benefits that significantly improve psychological welfare for these highly social animals. The risks of surgery are real — rabbits are more challenging anesthetic patients than cats and dogs — but are substantially outweighed by the lifetime welfare benefits when performed by an experienced veterinarian. Finding a rabbit-savvy veterinarian for this procedure is the primary practical challenge for owners.