Companion Rabbits

Companion Rabbits: Scientific Insights into Behaviour, Welfare, and the Owner–Rabbit Relations

Abstract:

Although companion rabbits are popular pets in many countries, concerns about their welfare have been expressed for decades. Concerns have also been expressed about the lack of research regarding rabbits in the home environment and about their behaviour, especially in the context of human-animal interactions. Misconceptions about rabbits’ unique husbandry and health needs can lead to poor welfare. This webinar begins with a glimpse of normal house rabbit behaviour, followed by an overview of key behavioural drivers rooted in rabbits’ evolutionary history and why these matter for husbandry and health. Essential behaviours – such as running, digging, hiding, and social interaction – will be highlighted alongside common challenges, including aggression, destructiveness, and limited interest in socializing with owners. Drawing on findings from my research, we will also examine risk factors for relinquishment and abandonment, owners’ favourite rabbit behaviours, and how rabbit behavioural interaction scores compare to those of cats and dogs. This session aims to deepen understanding of companion rabbits and their care needs, with the ultimate goal of fostering lasting human-rabbit relationships and promoting rabbit welfare.

Speaker:

`Dr. Carol Tinga is a Postdoctoral Scholar at the Ontario Veterinary College (OVC), University of Guelph, Canada. She earned her PhD at OVC, focusing on owner-companion rabbit relationships and rabbit welfare. Her research examined the use of human-animal relationship scales for rabbit owners, risk factors for relinquishment or abandonment, and trends in domestic rabbit intake and management at shelters and rescues in Canada and the USA. Currently, Carol is preparing four open-access publications from her thesis, presenting findings at conferences, and supporting organizations that care for rabbits. Additional upcoming papers will address access to veterinary care, challenges of rabbit ownership, owners’ favourite rabbit behaviours and their significance, and validation of a third relationship scale. Vespa, a remarkable lop-eared rabbit, inspired her PhD. Before her doctoral studies, Carol completed an MSc in epidemiology, exploring how veterinary students and recent graduates perceive their technical and professional skills. She now shares her home with Ellie and Coco, a bonded pair of free-range rabbits affectionately known as “the hooligans,” adopted after being abandoned outdoors.