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...

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...

On 23 April 2024, the Government announced that it planned to repeal national intensive winter grazing regulations through amendments to the Resource Management Act 1991.  SAFE has previously highlighted the devastating effects intensive winter grazing (also known as mud farming) can have on animal welfare. If this legislation is enacted,...

The spread of bird flu, which has led to the killing of tens of millions of farmed birds globally, prompts us to examine the role of intensive animal farming in zoonotic disease outbreaks, and rethink our entire relationship with animals.  What is bird flu?  Bird flu is a contagious disease...

In the ‘big story’ of combating climate change, there’s a chapter that often goes unnoticed: animal agriculture. Unfortunately, without examining that chapter, the story doesn’t make sense.  Here in New Zealand, where agriculture is a cornerstone of our economy, the connection between animal agriculture and greenhouse gas emissions is undeniable.  ...

By now, you may have come across the headlines about the government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill, which has been gaining attention recently. You may even have heard some of the many concerns raised by environmentalists, animal welfare organisations, indigenous leaders and advocates across the spectrum.  But how did we get here?...

As a country known for its commitment to animal welfare and ethical standards, New Zealand has long prided itself on leading by example. One of the most significant steps we’ve taken in this regard is the ban on live export—a crucial measure that upholds our values and protects the well-being...

A year has now passed since a leaked draft Code of Welfare for Rodeo hit New Zealand headlines, proposing significant changes to the treatment of animals in rodeo events. Despite the urgency of the matter, the draft code is still in limbo, with the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC)...

In 2021, the Government announced it would phase out the export of cattle, sheep, deer and goats. On 30 April 2023, live export by sea was officially prohibited in New Zealand. Decades of evidence has indicated that animals suffer in the live export trade. In their review of the live...

Shakespeare said "A rose by any other word would smell as sweet", but how much weight does a name really hold? Last month, the Vegan Society marked World Vegan Month by investigating consumer attitudes towards ‘plant-based’ and 'vegan' terminology, and wh

Is the bell finally tolling for greyhound racing in New Zealand? If conversations and media stories with Racing Minister Kieran McAnulty are to be believed, the industry’s days may very well be numbered. After yet another horror weekend on Auckland’s race

The ‘end of the cage age’ has been a hot topic in New Zealand media over the past few days. Unfortunately, though the end of 2022 will bring with it a ban on battery cages, colony cages will remain legal. While they’re marketed as a ‘kinder’ option, what

SAFE is urgently renewing calls for a Commissioner for Animals, following MPI’s lacklustre response to images of thin to emaciated cows, taken on two separate farms in recent weeks. SAFE received images via its 0800 EXPOSE programme, which showed thin cattle on a farm near Palmerston. The images were passed...