Farmed rabbits endure some of the poorest welfare conditions in European livestock farming. Legislative reform is slowly improving conditions across the EU.
Conventional rabbit battery cages are among the most welfare-compromising livestock systems in Europe. Rabbits cannot perform their most basic natural behaviours — hiding, running, social grooming and gnawing — in wire floor cages of typical commercial dimensions. High stocking densities cause respiratory disease, foot sores and fractures. Reform is progressing but slowly. Enriched systems with hiding areas, elevated platforms and social housing provide dramatically better welfare outcomes at a modest cost premium per animal.