Pet rabbits are among the most commonly kept and most commonly mistreated companion animals, with inadequate housing being the primary welfare problem affecting millions of pet rabbits worldwide.
Companion rabbit welfare is characterized by a profound gap between perceived and actual needs. Traditional small hutch housing has been normalized across generations of rabbit keeping, yet denies rabbits the space to run, binky, and express natural behavior. The resulting boredom, obesity, and musculoskeletal problems are pervasive. Single rabbits in small hutches represent one of the most common chronic welfare failures in companion animal keeping. Education campaigns, updated retail standards, and veterinary guidance are shifting expectations, but change is slow against decades of normalized inadequate housing.