Rabbits are among the most farmed but least welfare-protected animals globally, with billions raised in conditions causing severe suffering.
Farmed rabbit welfare is one of the most significant gaps in the global farm animal welfare movement. The species is farmed at enormous scale with minimal regulatory protection and limited consumer awareness. Wire cage systems deny rabbits their fundamental behavioural needs, causing stereotypic behaviour, foot lesions from wire flooring, and chronic frustration. The transition to group-housed park systems has been demonstrated to be technically and economically viable, but regulatory mandates are absent in most countries. Consumer pressure on retailers to adopt higher welfare rabbit sourcing has achieved some success in Europe, where several supermarket chains have committed to cage-free rabbit sourcing timelines.