Traditional small hutch housing for rabbits causes chronic welfare problems. Evidence-based guidance on rabbit housing is transforming understanding of what these social, active animals need.
Rabbit welfare in companion settings has historically been poor due to widespread misunderstanding of their needs. The classic small hutch fails on every welfare dimension: space, social housing, diet, and behavioral opportunity. Rabbits in small hutches cannot perform their natural locomotion (binkying, running, jumping), must be kept alone or in incompatible pairings, and often receive pellet-heavy diets deficient in the long-stem fiber essential for dental and gut health. Loneliness in solitary-housed rabbits causes depression and withdrawal. Modern guidance based on scientific evidence emphasizes pair or group housing of compatible individuals, large enclosures with access to grass runs, unlimited timothy hay as the dietary basis, and enrichment including digging opportunities and hiding spaces. The Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund (RWAF) has run successful campaigns to update veterinary and public guidance on rabbit needs.