Rabbits are widely used in biomedical and safety testing research. Welfare refinements can significantly improve their quality of life without compromising scientific outcomes.
Laboratory rabbits occupy an unusual position — widely used in research but belonging to a species that hides illness and pain as an evolutionary survival strategy, making welfare monitoring especially difficult. Standard laboratory housing typically provides individual caging with insufficient space and no social contact. Pair housing of rabbits, where feasible, dramatically improves welfare without compromising most research applications. Providing hiding boxes, platforms, and foraging opportunities addresses fundamental behavioral needs. The Draize eye test, where substances are applied to rabbit eyes and responses assessed, faces justified welfare criticism and has alternatives that should replace it wherever possible.