Rabbits and hares fall through gaps in animal law
Wild and domestic. In the UK and internationally.
A rabbit’s welfare needs stay the same whether the rabbit lives as a pet, on a farm, in a laboratory or in the wild. Yet legal protections can differ. Hares face different rules too.
Hop to Save Rabbits uses evidence and law reform to close those gaps.
Why do rabbits and hares need saving?
Domestic rabbits may be abandoned, neglected or kept in unsuitable housing. Wild rabbits and hares face hunting, while rabbits bred for meat may face serious welfare problems. Animal welfare laws provide some protection, but important gaps remain.
We work for stronger laws and better enforcement to prevent suffering.
Abandonment and neglect
Abandoned pet rabbits face hunger, disease and danger. We press for prevention, identification and accountability.
Read our research →Breeding and welfare
We call for licensed breeders, suitable housing, inspections and clear welfare standards.
See our analysis →Wild rabbits and hares
We seek protection from cruel hunting practices and greater use of non-lethal wildlife management.
Explore our wildlife work →Farming, slaughter and trade
We campaign to end rabbit farming and the rabbit-meat trade, while pressing for better welfare standards now.
See current campaigns →Who we are
Hop to Save Rabbits (HTSR) works to improve laws and welfare standards for rabbits and hares. We focus on policy and campaigning.
Our work: closing the gap
Different categories. Different protections.
We call this the category gap. We identify gaps in the protection of companion, farmed, laboratory and wild rabbits, and wild hares, and press for practical changes.
POLICY AND EVIDENCE
Formal submissions
We present research and practical recommendations
to governments, regulators and parliamentary
committees.
PUBLIC ACTION
Petitions and campaigns
We run or support focused campaigns that bring rabbit and hare welfare concerns to decision-makers.
What better protection means
Clearer laws
Close gaps that leave rabbits and hares with inconsistent protection.
Responsible breeding
Require licensing, suitable housing and enforceable welfare standards.
Humane wildlife management
Protect wild rabbits and hares and prioritise non-lethal approaches.
Effective enforcement
Make welfare rules meaningful through inspections and accountability.
Selected outcomes
Hare-coursing sentencing guidelines
HTSR asked for suffering, injury and death to count as serious harm. The Sentencing Council named and quoted HTSR in its official consultation response.
Read the outcome →
UK parliamentary evidence
HTSR submitted evidence on trade, labelling, farming and rabbits as a gap species. Three HTSR papers entered the official House of Commons record.
See our parliamentary evidence →
In the media
Quoted by BBC Wales · 2 July 2026
BBC Wales quoted HTSR in reporting on proposals for rabbit-welfare education before people buy or adopt rabbits.
Read the BBC coverage →
Featured research and updates
Recent HTSR research, submissions and campaign analysis spanning wild and domestic rabbits and hares.
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VARC 2026: Rabbits in Law and Policy — From the Meat Trade to Military Training
Dedicated to Sandy, 15 August 2019 – 17 March 2026, with love. I was honoured to speak at VARC 2026 on rabbits in law and policy. This presentation examined how…
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Overview: Ending the Era of Animal Testing
This report by Hop to Save Rabbits examines the legal, ethical, and scientific arguments against the continued use of animals in laboratory research. While millions of animals—including rabbits, dogs, and…
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Overview: Tackling the Rabbit Abandonment Crisis
Rabbit abandonment is a significant and growing welfare crisis across the UK. While the tireless work of rescue centres remains vital, long-term success depends on a “prevention-first” approach that addresses…
View all research and updates →
Where we’re heading
Our long-term goals are to:
- End the hunting of wild rabbits and hares.
- End the farming and slaughter of rabbits for meat, and the rabbit-meat trade.
- Require rabbit breeders to be licensed under enforceable welfare standards.
We pursue these goals through practical reforms, education, stronger enforcement and humane alternatives.
See our current work →