News

SAFE is calling for rodeo riders to be excluded as contenders from all future rounds of the New Zealand Rural Sports Awards, saying the inclusion of rodeo legitimises animal cruelty. SAFE Campaign Manager Emily Hall says the organisation was shocked to learn 20-year-old bull rider Rylee Ward has been named...

SAFE is condemning the Government’s $11.72 million investment into salmon farming and demanding an urgent review into endemic animal welfare breaches. SAFE Campaign Manager Emily Hall says the funding allocated via the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) is a concerning misdirection of Government resources. Read more

SAFE is once again urging the Government to ban rodeo following the deaths of four animals so far this summer – deaths that could have been prevented had the Government acted on long overdue animal welfare reforms. SAFE Campaign Manager Emily Hall says animals used in rodeo events endure extreme...

SAFE is calling for an independent inquiry after evidence of severe violence towards sheep was captured across 34 farms. Workers on New Zealand sheep farms were filmed beating, cutting, and throwing sheep to the ground, with one individual seen stomping on the neck of a sheep. Read more

Animal rights organisation SAFE is urging the Commerce Commission to enforce honest egg labelling after polling shows most Kiwis don’t realise ‘colony-laid’ eggs come from caged hens. Currently, all New Zealand cage egg brands omit the word ‘cage’ entirely from their packaging, using vague and confusing terms like ‘colony’ or...

Animal rights organisation SAFE is reinforcing its call for the immediate release of the revised rodeo code of welfare following the deaths of two animals over the new year period. The first fatality was of a horse used in the Taupō rodeo. The horse was exhibiting lameness following the event...

On the very same day the Government announced a historic decision to ban greyhound racing in New Zealand, a dog named Diamond Roman suffered a catastrophic injury and was killed following a race at Southland’s Ascot Park Raceway. Diamond Roman is the sixth greyhound to die this racing season, which...

Animal rights organisation SAFE is elated with the Government’s announcement today that it will ban greyhound racing in New Zealand. “Today marks the end of an era of exploitation,” says Campaign Manager Emma Brodie. “We are relieved the Government is finally bringing an end to a practice responsible for the...

SAFE condemns the Government’s announcement that it is progressing legislation to reinstate live export by sea, calling it a betrayal of public trust and a devastating step backward for animal rights in New Zealand. Read more

SAFE is urgently calling on Environment Canterbury to stop the harmful wastewater disposal practices at Silver Fern Farms’ Pareora slaughterhouse near Timaru. Shocking footage obtained by SAFE reveals substantial volumes of toxic wastewater flowing directly into the ocean, raising alarm over environmental degradation and grave risks to marine life. Read...

A Message from Debra Ashton, CEO of SAFE As this year draws to a close, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to you for supporting SAFE throughout the past 12 months. This year has been filled with challenges, but together, we’ve made significant strides in advocating for the protection...

With the 2025/25 rodeo season due to commence this Sunday 3 November, animal rights organisation SAFE is reinforcing its call for a ban. SAFE Campaign Manager Emily Hall says rodeo events directly breach New Zealand’s Animal Welfare Act, with animals used at these events subjected to extreme psychological and physical...

Our work to Protect the Ban on Live Export We are thrilled to announce that we have successfully achieved and surpassed SAFE’s Operation Protect the Ban fundraising goal! The importance of this campaign cannot be understated. Thanks to people like you, we have a fighting chance to counter Livestock Export...

SAFE is demanding the Government urgently ban greyhound racing following the tragic death of yet another dog. On Friday, 18 October, What’s On sustained a catastrophic spinal fracture during a race at Addington Raceway in Christchurch. The injury was so severe the dog had to be euthanised. Read more