Rabbits are the third most farmed land animal globally, yet receive far less welfare attention and regulatory protection than chickens or pigs in most countries.
Rabbits are prey animals with a strong flight response, meaning conventional farm housing — small wire cages, inability to hide or escape — causes chronic fear and stress that is physiologically measurable. Their fragile skeletal structure means wire flooring causes pododermatitis, a painful foot condition affecting most conventionally-housed rabbits. Despite high production volumes, rabbits fall outside EU laying hen or broiler welfare directives, leaving them in a regulatory gap with fewer protections than most other farmed species.