Farmed rabbits face some of the poorest welfare conditions of any commercially farmed species. EU regulatory reform and growing retailer standards are beginning to drive improvement.
Farmed rabbits represent one of the largest welfare gaps in European agriculture - the number of animals farmed approaches that of pigs or poultry, yet they receive virtually no species-specific welfare protection. Wire cage confinement prevents normal locomotion, social behaviour, and environmental interaction, causing chronic frustration and physical health problems. Park system alternatives demonstrate that higher-welfare rabbit farming is commercially viable. Consumer and retailer pressure for higher welfare sourcing is currently the most effective driver of change given the absence of regulatory reform.