Rabbit Housing Welfare: Two-Foot Hutches and the Space Revolution

Rabbits are the UK's third most popular pet but among the most poorly housed. The campaign for minimum space standards is transforming rabbit welfare.

Key Facts

Around 900,000 pet rabbits are kept in the UK
The RSPCA estimates that up to 75% of pet rabbits have a poor quality of life
Traditional hutches are far too small - rabbits need to run, jump, and stand fully upright
The minimum recommended enclosure size is now 3m x 2m x 1m for a pair of rabbits
Rabbits are social animals and should be kept in compatible pairs or groups
Dental disease, obesity, and GI stasis are the most common welfare problems in pet rabbits

Welfare Considerations

Rabbit welfare in the UK is in crisis - millions of rabbits are kept in hutches that prevent normal movement, social interaction, and expression of natural behaviours. A rabbit unable to perform a full binky (joyful leap and twist) is physiologically and behaviourally compromised. Dental disease from inappropriate diets causes chronic pain. Loneliness in single-kept rabbits causes depression and abnormal behaviours. The shift in guidance toward larger, complex environments with companion rabbits represents genuine welfare progress, but implementation in the pet-keeping population lags far behind.

What You Can Do

Provide rabbits with a minimum 3m x 2m run attached to a large hutch or shed
Always keep rabbits in bonded pairs or small groups
Feed 80-90% hay to maintain healthy teeth and gut function
Handle rabbits gently and at floor level - they can die of fright from mishandling
Adopt from Rabbit Welfare Association and Fund rescue centres rather than buying