Rabbits farmed for meat are typically kept in wire cages that prevent locomotion and natural behaviour, with welfare improvements lagging far behind those for other farmed species.
Farmed rabbit welfare has received less attention than chicken or pig welfare despite involving hundreds of millions of individuals annually. Wire battery cage systems prevent the running, jumping, and social behaviour that are fundamental to rabbit biology. Rabbits in barren cages show bone density loss from insufficient exercise, GI problems from inappropriate diets, and stress behaviours from social isolation. Park or pen systems that allow movement and social grouping achieve substantially better welfare outcomes with manageable production implications. The relative lack of consumer awareness about rabbit farming conditions means that industry change has been slower than for more visible species.