Farmed rabbits are among the least protected livestock in the EU. Welfare reforms addressing conventional cage systems represent a major opportunity to reduce suffering.
Farmed rabbits are kept in wire cages so small that they cannot perform natural locomotion — hopping, standing upright, or turning around. This severe restriction causes muscle weakness, bone fragility, and chronic psychological frustration. Unlike poultry and pigs, rabbits have received little regulatory attention despite widespread suffering. Welfare reforms toward park housing systems — providing floor space for movement and structures for hiding and elevated resting — are gaining momentum but face industry resistance. Consumer pressure is a significant driver of change.