Rabbits are social animals with complex behavioural needs. Traditional single-cage farming prevents natural behaviours and causes significant chronic stress and frustration.
Barren cage rabbit farming imposes profound welfare costs. Confined rabbits cannot perform binkying (joyful jumping), run, explore or engage in social grooming. The result is high rates of stereotypic wire-gnawing, excessive self-grooming and chronic muscle atrophy. Bone density is severely reduced in caged compared to pen-housed rabbits, causing skeletal problems. The EU's move toward enriched systems is a significant improvement, but implementation speed, enrichment quality and social group management all determine whether welfare genuinely improves on paper standards.