Rabbits are the third most popular companion animal yet experience some of the poorest welfare outcomes of any pet, with many owners unaware of their complex needs.
Rabbits are frequently given as gifts with inadequate understanding of their needs, leading to lives of chronic deprivation in undersized hutches without adequate space, companionship or appropriate diet. The suffering of solitary rabbits in small cages encompasses physical discomfort, chronic social isolation, dental pain and psychological frustration of natural behaviours including running, jumping and digging. Because rabbits are silent and still when stressed, their suffering is invisible to owners who believe they are content. The welfare gap between what rabbits need and what most receive is one of the most significant unaddressed companion animal welfare issues.