The History of The Hutch

The domestication of the rabbit is believed to have begun when medieval monks living in Southern Europe began to keep the animals in cages for food.

The collapse of the Western Roman Empire had turned the 5th century into a period of migration and political instability throughout Eurasia. Food could be scarce. So 2 rabbits could breed about 200 pounds of meat per year and as such, people kept bunnies strictly for meat, not pets.

From there, domesticated rabbits spread to every continent except Antarctica. Again, just for food purposes since meat could be hard to come by.

Quickly the rabbits began to get sick and pass in wet climates due to exposure, so these cages were given legs and little roofs. Still cages, but raised off the ground and given the name ‘hutch’.

Basically hutches were designed nearly 1,500 years ago with the sole purpose of breeding meat rabbits.

There wasn’t enough room for them to move around, so it was easier to get them fattened up. They were off the ground, so more protected from predators and elements. They were totally wire enclosed so they could not escape.

Over 1,500 years later, there are grocery stores on every corner. Food is easily accessible and can be obtained for extremely low prices in most places. We’re in 2023, so why are people stuck so far in the past?

Times have changed and we need to as well.

Hutches are cruel for rabbits. They were designed with zero regard to a rabbits well-being and instead designed to fatten them up. Rabbit welfare has evolved and hutches are clearly too small to be suitable for bunnies. There is no need to eat rabbits and no need to use hutches. Both are cruel. Get with the times.

Frankly, it’s embarrassing to be stuck 1,500 years in the past. 450 A.D. called and they’d like their hutches back.