Advanced examination of welfare metrics for farmed rabbits and the development of certification standards that genuinely improve the lives of approximately one billion farmed rabbits globally.
Developing meaningful rabbit welfare certification requires investing in welfare indicator validation specific to rabbits — the species-specific adaptations and behavioral needs of rabbits differ sufficiently from poultry and pigs that direct translation of welfare metrics from other species is inadequate. The welfare science community has recognized this gap and is developing rabbit-specific protocols, but implementation in commercial systems lags behind the research. The welfare case for group housing with appropriate enrichment — hiding spaces, elevated areas, gnawing materials — is supported by available evidence showing improved behavioral indicators and comparable or better production metrics in well-managed systems. Certification that requires these provisions would represent meaningful welfare improvement for billions of animals.