Rabbits remain among the most commonly used laboratory animals, and applying the 3Rs framework - Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement - to rabbit research offers significant welfare gains.
Laboratory rabbits occupy a welfare position that reflects historical entrenchment of practices developed before welfare science or ethical frameworks were applied to research animals. The Draize eye test persists despite validated in vitro alternatives partly due to regulatory conservatism requiring animal testing for certain categories. Individual housing of rabbits - social animals that suffer when isolated - is standard in many facilities because pair or group housing creates management complications, despite strong evidence for its welfare benefits. The 3Rs framework provides a principled approach to improving rabbit welfare: replacing rabbit tests with validated alternatives, reducing the number of animals used per study, and refining husbandry to minimize pain and distress.