Rabbits are widely used in biomedical research and testing, and are particularly vulnerable to welfare problems due to their behavioral needs and stress sensitivity.
Laboratory rabbits face specific welfare challenges rooted in their prey animal psychology. As animals that evolved with constant predation pressure, they find the inability to flee, the presence of handling and the proximity to predator species (dogs, cats in the same facility) chronically stressful even in the absence of experimental procedures. Traditional wire-floored individual housing that prevents natural locomotion, cannot meet their social needs, and causes foot sores represents a significant welfare failure now addressed by improved housing standards. The production of polyclonal antibodies through repeated bleeding and adjuvant injection causes significant suffering. Non-animal alternatives including recombinant antibody technology are available for many applications and should replace rabbit antibody production wherever possible.