Why traditional outdoor rabbit hutches fail welfare needs and how to transition rabbits to more appropriate housing arrangements.
The small traditional rabbit hutch is perhaps the most normalized welfare failure in companion animal keeping. Millions of rabbits spend their entire lives in spaces so small they cannot perform even a single natural behavior. The welfare consequences are severe - muscular atrophy, behavioral frustration, bone density loss, and profound loneliness. The gap between what rabbits need and what many owners provide is substantial, but it can be bridged through education and the availability of better housing options. Rabbit welfare advocates have made significant progress in changing public understanding of rabbit housing needs.