Rabbit suffering on Spanish farms revealed
Spain is Europe's largest producer of rabbit meat. An undercover investigation reveals catastrophic keeping conditions on the farms.
Despite a marked decline in rabbit meat consumption, Spain continues to lead in production and consumption in Europe, followed by Italy and France.
Rabbits are currently the second most commonly bred and slaughtered animal for human consumption in the EU, with 180 million rabbits killed every year. In a new undercover investigation, AnimaNaturalis gained access to 10 farms in Castilla y León, Catalonia, Aragón and Castilla-La Mancha – some of the regions with the highest concentration of rabbit farms in the country.
They discovered deplorable conditions and non-compliance with animal welfare regulations. The images and footage show the suffering of the animals throughout the entire production cycle, from breeding females to rearing and fattening.
Our investigations provide irrefutable evidence that the rabbit sector is based on a cruel system that is far removed from any minimally acceptable standard of animal welfare. Cage farming in itself prevents rabbits from developing their natural behaviours, causing them a high degree of physical and psychological suffering throughout their entire lives.
Aïda Gascón, Director, AnimaNaturalis
In 2020, the European Food Safety Authority reported that Spanish operations apply the worst production system in terms of animal welfare and that 20% of rabbits die before reaching the slaughterhouses.
The European Citizens' Initiative «End the Cage Age», which received more than 1.2 million signatures, made clear that citizens are demanding an end to cruel agricultural practices in which animals spend most of their lives in cages.
Rabbits are particularly at risk, as there are no specific protection regulations for them. Their situation could soon change, however, if the European Commission keeps its promise to review animal welfare regulations in the coming months as planned.
Following the investigation, AnimaNaturalis denounces the mistreatment of millions of rabbits in Spain and calls on the authorities to immediately enact regulations to protect them and ensure a minimum level of well-being.
