Companion rabbits are among the most commonly surrendered pets, often kept in conditions far below their welfare requirements in small hutches that prevent exercise, social interaction, and natural behavior.
Companion rabbit welfare is characterized by a wide and persistent gap between what pet shops sell, what buyers expect, and what rabbits actually need. Rabbits are marketed as low-maintenance children's pets but are actually sensitive prey animals with complex behavioral, dietary, and social needs. The high rates of dental disease, behavioral suppression, and surrender to rescues reflect this systematic mismatch. Effective welfare improvement requires both consumer education before acquisition and better regulation of the information provided at point of sale. Rabbit rescue organizations carry an unsustainable burden of welfare failures downstream of inadequate preparation.