Environmental pollution with heavy metals is one of the most significant threats to human health. Heavy metals enter the human body through the skin, respiratory tract, and consumption of plant and animal products. The transfer of these elements to subsequent links in the food chain, and consequently into the human body, is limited by the action of biological barriers. However, it should be emphasized that excessive element concentrations reduce the effectiveness of these barriers, which poses a risk of negative impact on the environment and, above all, on human health. The safety and health quality of food is determined, among other things, by the content of undesirable elements such as cadmium, lead, mercury, and arsenic. The health safety of raw materials obtained from game animals is an important element in consumer health protection, especially in the context of environmental degradation. The aim of this study was to assess the health risk (non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic) resulting from the presence of heavy metals in the tissues of the European hare (Lepus europaeus) in the context of public health and to verify the suitability of this species as a bioindicator. The kidneys were selected for analysis as a critical organ for xenobiotic accumulation. Cadmium, lead, and mercury concentrations were analyzed in hares from the western part of the Lublin Upland. Assuming a dietary intake of 0.08 kg person year, the hazard indices (HI) were shown to be low (<0.03) and the carcinogenic risk of lead was negligible (<10-9), indicating no toxic threat to the consumer. At the same time, the statistically significant accumulation of cadmium and mercury with age confirms the hare's role as a sensitive bioindicator of environmental pressure.