Our vision for the future - SAFE

We want a kinder, safer Aotearoa for all.

Together, we can create a future-forward, robust economy that considers the wellbeing of all who call New Zealand home.

Why now?

We can’t go back to the way things were. Too much has changed.

We often hear that New Zealand is a treasure. We are privileged to live in such a special place, with fellow Kiwis who put each other and our wellbeing first during the COVID-19 crisis to ensure that we could continue to live and thrive.

Our bravery and courage in battling COVID-19 show that our actions matter.

Now is the time to be bold and to invest in a stronger, kinder Aotearoa, and to realise our vision for future generations.

Animals need us to act now

Most animals in our intensive farms are still kept in barbaric cages.

• 14,000 mother pigs in crates so small, she cannot turn around or tend to her piglets.

• 3.5 million hens laying eggs in cages so cramped, she cannot spread her wings or dust bathe.

• And, 125 million chickens used for meat, whose bodies are a prison, growing so explosively fast, her tiny baby bones cannot hold her weight.

Our economy, our health, who we are, demand a different way. Change needs to happen right now. Animals need us to make their lives better, today and into the future.

Animal agriculture is pushing for animal welfare protections to be delayed or abandoned. What the pandemic has taught us is something we’ve known deep down all along ‒ that intensive farming is cruel.

As a country, we’ve lost our appetite for it.

Our habits are killing us

One New Zealander dies from heart disease every 90 minutes. This alarming statistic, as well as New Zealand having one of the highest rates of obesity in the world, with over 200,000 New Zealanders diagnosed with diabetes, clearly shows that our diets need to change.

There is plenty of evidence that supports the health benefits of a plant-based diet. Not only would plant-based eating ensure New Zealanders are healthy and feel great, research demonstrates that an increase in the consumption of plant-based food in New Zealand will save our health care system billions of dollars.

During the COVID-19 crisis, the Government put the welfare of Kiwis front and centre, and it needs to continue to do so by promoting a move to plant-based eating.

Join us and create a better world for animals

As we set out to create a stronger New Zealand, we have an opportunity to move away from the outdated thinking that stands in the way of real progress for animals, people and the economy.

As we look towards this year’s election, we are calling on politicians to change our relationship to animals, particularly those on farms.

We will

Give animals a voice

Animals are afforded certain protections by the Animal Welfare Act 1999, but this is undermined by codes of welfare that put profits before kindness. We can end this hypocrisy by investing in a Crown entity for animals ‒ a true voice for animals, empowered to uphold, at a minimum, the five freedoms for animals, without exception.

Open the cages

No animal deserves a life behind bars. Every animal deserves a life worth living. That means the freedom to express his or her natural behaviour. That means no one is in a cage so small she cannot turn around or spread her wings. That means no one is bred to suffer for profit.

Reinvent our food system

We have pivoted in the past from other industries made redundant due to the convergence of technology and social attitudes, and we must do so again. If we don’t, farmers and our Kiwi way of life will be at risk. It’s time that our dietary guidelines aligned with science, not industry. We need to put our health and the health of our planet first, and this begins with what we put on our plates.

Stand up to bullies

A sport contest is played between two willing parties. Barbaric acts of showmanship such as rodeo will be relegated to the history books. Animals will no longer be subject to bullying, injury and death. No, it’s not ‘fun,’ and it teaches future generations that they can disrespect others.

Respect for all

Thousands of young people want to see real change. They want our world and the animals we share it with to be respected. They want compassion to shape the future. To foster critical thinking and empathy towards others, animal rights educational resources need to be available in every high school in the country. Only through critical thinking, can we redefine our relationship to animals.

You can help

Donate to defend animals.

Now is the time for us to safeguard the things that matter most. We can build an economy that protects us all – people, our beautiful natural world and the animals we share it with.

Join us this election period as we push politicians to keep animals on the agenda. We’ll be in touch to let you know how you can use your voice and your time, so candidates in this year’s election know what we want Aotearoa to be for all who live in it.

[1] Drew J, Cleghorn C, Macmillan A and Mizdrak A, ‘Healthy and Climate-Friendly Eating Patterns in the New Zealand Context,’ Environmental Health Persepectives,128, no.1 (2020) p.1.

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Help us continue helping animals in need

As a charity, SAFE is reliant on the support of caring people like you to carry out our valuable work. Every gift goes towards providing education, undertaking research and campaigning for the benefit of all animals. SAFE is a registered charity in New Zealand (CC 40428). Contributions of $5 or more are tax-deductible.

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