Rabbit farming is a significant global industry, particularly in Europe and China, but welfare standards lag behind other species. Improving living conditions for farmed rabbits is an active advocacy priority.
Farmed rabbit welfare has historically received less attention than pigs, poultry, or cattle despite the scale of the industry. Battery cages for rabbits prevent fundamental natural behaviors: they cannot hop, stand upright, or engage in social grooming. Wire floors cause pododermatitis (painful foot sores) from constant pressure. The high-concentrate, low-fiber diets typical of intensive systems also cause gastrointestinal problems. Park systems, which house small groups in enriched pens with adequate floor space, straw bedding, and shelter structures, allow near-natural behavior and dramatically improve welfare. These systems are increasingly demanded by European retailers and regulators.