Rabbit housing standards have been revised significantly based on welfare science, with traditional hutch housing now recognized as inadequate for rabbit welfare.
Rabbit housing welfare represents a significant gap between conventional practice and evidence-based welfare standards. The traditional small hutch — a fixture in UK and European back gardens for generations — is now understood to be inadequate for almost every dimension of rabbit welfare. Insufficient space prevents natural locomotion, the lack of social companion causes chronic loneliness, and isolation from the household prevents meaningful human-animal interaction. Welfare organizations have advocated successfully for updated guidance, but implementation across the millions of rabbits kept as pets requires sustained owner education and retailer responsibility.