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...

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...

Top greyhound trainer John McInerney has escaped charges on a technicality following the Racing Integrity Board’s (RIB) investigation into 11 greyhounds taken to a Christchurch rehoming facility earlier this year. The RIB found that one dog had an injury that should have been diagnosed earlier, and subsequently needed two partial...

With more severe weather expected, SAFE is urging farmers to take immediate measures to protect newborn lambs. Heavy snowfall overnight has left countless lambs at the mercy of the freezing conditions. SAFE Head of Investigations Will Appelbe said farming practices have to change. “Every year, lambs born in the late...

Another greyhound has tested positive for methamphetamine in the racing industry. The drug was detected in June 2022 in Palmerston North only after the trainer used a string of excuses to delay the urine swab by two hours. SAFE Campaigns Manager Anna de Roo said methamphetamine detections in the greyhound...

The Animal Welfare Amendment Bill passed its third reading last night, which will give effect to a ban on live export. All exports of cattle, deer, goats, and sheep by sea will stop on 30 April 2023. SAFE Chief Executive Debra Ashton said it’s a relief that animals will soon...

A potential end to the use of farrowing crates on pig farms has drawn battle lines between farmers and animal advocates. SAFE Chief Executive Debra Ashton explains why the legal and social license to confine pigs in farrowing crates has expired. Our country’s leaders love to talk about animal welfare....