Farmed rabbits are among the least regulated farm animals despite being intelligent, social creatures with complex behavioral needs. Reform efforts are advancing across Europe.
Farmed rabbit welfare is one of the most neglected areas in European farm animal welfare policy despite the enormous number of animals involved. Wire cage confinement prevents rabbits from performing virtually any natural behavior — they cannot run, jump, stand fully upright, gnaw, or engage in normal social behavior. The result is high levels of stereotypic behavior, skeletal problems from inability to move, and mortality rates far higher than in enriched systems. Enriched group housing parks, while not without their own management challenges including kit crushing and aggression, represent a substantial welfare improvement that maintains commercial viability. Consumer pressure and corporate commitments are the primary drivers of change given the regulatory gap.