Rabbits are the third most commonly surrendered pet in the UK, reflecting a significant gap between expectations and the reality of their complex welfare needs.
Pet rabbits suffer from widespread misconceptions: they are not low-maintenance, cage-dwelling animals, but social, active animals requiring large spaces, companion rabbits, and complex diets. Tiny hutches, solitary housing, and grain-based diets cause suffering that is often invisible because rabbits suppress signs of pain. Education of prospective owners before adoption — not after a rabbit is already home and suffering — is the key welfare intervention.