Farmed rabbits are among the most intensively confined and least welfare-regulated farm animals. Their housing in small cages denies fundamental behavioral needs including running and foraging.
Farmed rabbits experience some of the most extreme confinement of any farm animal species with among the weakest legal protection. Wire cage floors cause pododermatitis; movement restriction prevents running, which rabbits are highly motivated to perform; and isolation denies social needs. Consumer awareness of rabbit farming conditions is relatively low compared to poultry, creating an opportunity for welfare advocates to generate rapid progress through targeted campaigns.