Rabbits are among the most welfare-compromised companion animals in the UK due to inadequate housing that prevents natural behavior including running, jumping, and digging.
Pet rabbit welfare in the UK is a widespread problem shaped by commercial incentives, public misunderstanding, and inadequate regulation. Rabbits sold with hutches that are entirely inadequate for their size and behavioral needs, combined with the impression that rabbits are low-maintenance animals requiring minimal space, creates conditions for chronic welfare compromise. Rabbits that cannot run, jump, or stand upright are unable to express fundamental aspects of their natural behavior. The prey animal nature of rabbits means they suppress signs of distress and illness, making welfare compromise invisible to owners who may genuinely believe their rabbit is content when it is not. Dental disease from pellet-heavy diets is epidemic and causes chronic pain.