Rabbits are among the most commonly kept and most frequently neglected pets. Traditional hutch housing severely restricts their welfare, and reform is urgently needed.
The hutch-kept rabbit is a welfare tragedy that persists despite decades of advocacy. Rabbits confined to small hutches cannot perform the binky jumps, running, and exploration that are fundamental to their behavioral repertoire. They develop muscle wastage, obesity, skeletal problems, and psychological distress. The traditional image of a small hutch as adequate rabbit housing is deeply embedded in culture but profoundly wrong. Welfare improvement requires both owner education and retail reform that stops selling inadequate housing equipment.