Rabbits are the third most farmed animal in the EU and are often kept in barren wire cages that deny all natural behaviours, with welfare reform campaigns gaining traction.
Farmed rabbits in conventional systems suffer multiple welfare harms: wire floors injure feet and prevent natural digging behaviour, barren cages prevent foraging and exploration, and social isolation denies the companionship rabbits require. Reproduction-focused management keeps does in near-continuous pregnancy, depleting body condition. The EU's failure to extend the laying hen cage ban to rabbits represents a significant welfare policy gap.