Traditional rabbit hutches are inadequate for rabbit welfare, and the campaign to replace them with larger, more appropriate housing has made significant progress through welfare campaigns and retailer changes.
The traditional rabbit hutch is one of the most welfare-compromising standard pet keeping environments — a barren box offering inadequate space for movement, no opportunity for social interaction, limited or no enrichment, and often inadequate protection from extremes of temperature. Campaigns by RSPCA and PDSA have pressured retailers to remove the most inadequate hutches from sale and have raised awareness among prospective owners. The target is cultural change in how rabbits are kept — from impulse-purchased starter pets in small hutches to properly housed, socially bonded, enrichment-provided companion animals receiving appropriate veterinary care. Progress is genuine but the welfare gap in rabbit keeping remains large.