Review of the Animal Welfare Act, 2012-13
The Animal Welfare Act (AWA) 1999, the single most important piece of legislation that affects animals in New Zealand, is now under review.
New Zealand depends on its reputation for high standards of animal welfare. However, like the nation's ‘100% Pure' brand, this reputation is more aspiration than substance, as there are holes in the regulatory system, little enforcement and a serious lack of funding for animals.
Let's make it happen
You can help turn the negatives into positives for the millions of New Zealand animals: in the wild, in the lab, in entertainment, and on the farm. The bill is expected to come in front of Parliament in early 2013 and your local MP will vote for or against the legislation, a vote that could make a big difference for the animals! Have your say by sending a message to your MP and vote for a nation that is truly a world leader in animal welfare! 
Make a personal submissionAn amendment bill to the Animal Welfare Act was introduced to Parliament on May 8 2013. The public will soon have the chance to make submissions on the proposed changes. SAFE strongly encourages the public to make a submission on the key issues regarding animal welfare, and those that you feel most passionately about. If you would like to be notified of when select committee is inviting public submissions you can sign up to SAFE's news bulletin, or keep an eye on the website for updates.
Proposals will take New Zealand backwards
The Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) proposes regulations that would exempt practices from animal welfare obligations for indefinite periods and also wants matters relating to "practicality" and "economic impact" to become primary considerations when setting animal welfare standards. These proposals will make it highly likely that practices such as battery hen farming and keeping pigs in crates would be allowed to continue indefinitely despite being cruel and in breach of principal Sections of the AWA. SAFE submission
After twelve years the Act can be seen as an abject failure and SAFE has made a substantial submission to demand significant change. In the revised AWA SAFE wants to see: • the establishment of an independent Commission for Animals;
• an end to the legal loopholes that allow factory farming practices (such as farrowing crates for pigs) to exist;
• breaches of welfare codes become offences;
• a complete overhaul of the animal ethics committees that oversee animal experimentation.
DOWNLOAD SAFE's preliminary submission document: the road to world-leading animal welfare. DOWNLOAD SAFE's final submission: a response to the Ministry proposals and strategy.
Supplementary resources Almost 80% of submissions were in support of SAFE's proposals. Find a summary of the 2,209 submissions from the public and interested parties, and read the strategy and review documents on the Ministry for Primary Industries website.
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