Traditional rabbit hutches are inadequate for welfare, with modern guidance emphasising large enclosures providing space for running, jumping, and foraging.
A rabbit confined to a standard hutch is unable to perform any natural movement behaviour - no running, jumping, or exploration. This confinement causes chronic stress, muscle atrophy, and boredom stereotypies. Modern welfare guidance reflects decades of research on rabbit needs and represents a minimum, not an aspiration. The gap between traditional practice and welfare-based guidance is enormous and must be closed through education.