Rabbits are widely used in biomedical and safety testing research, yet their welfare needs for social contact, space to run, and ability to express natural behaviors are often poorly met in laboratory settings.
Laboratory rabbits represent a population where significant welfare improvement is achievable through relatively simple changes to housing and husbandry. Pair housing, increased space allowances, and enrichment that allows natural behaviors substantially reduce distress indicators. Yet many facilities maintain minimum-standard solitary housing that causes chronic psychological suffering. The prey animal nature of rabbits means welfare problems are often silent and unobserved. Regulatory reform requiring social housing and enrichment for laboratory rabbits, combined with continued development of in vitro alternatives to rabbit-based tests, are the most urgent priorities.