Commercial rabbits in conventional cage systems cannot express natural digging, hiding, and social behaviours. The UK has no species-specific legislation for farmed rabbits, leaving welfare standards poorly regulated compared to other farm animals.
Rabbits evolved as prey animals with complex behavioural needs including burrowing, hiding, running, and social grouping. Wire-cage systems deny all of these behaviours. Rabbits cannot signal distress as visibly as mammals that vocalise more readily, making their suffering less immediately apparent. The lack of UK-specific farm rabbit welfare legislation means that minimum standards fall far below those applied to pigs or poultry.