Rabbits are social, active animals whose welfare needs are frequently misunderstood. Evidence-based housing and care significantly improves life quality for companion rabbits.
Rabbit welfare suffers significantly from public misconceptions about their needs. The image of a rabbit happily living alone in a small hutch is profoundly at odds with their behavioral biology. Rabbits are prey animals that mask illness and pain, making welfare assessment challenging. They require space to run and binky (spontaneous leaping that expresses positive welfare), companionship, mental stimulation, and appropriate veterinary care. The Rabbit Welfare Association estimates that the majority of UK rabbits are living in conditions that fail to meet their basic needs.