I have a theory about cats. They come into your life for a reason and more often than not they choose you. This is certainly true of the amazing Max. (AKA Maxibon. AKA The Bon) https://safenewzealand.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/maxibon4.jpg?w=742&h=374 742w, https://safenewzealand.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/maxibon4.jpg?w=150&h=76 150w, https://safenewzealand.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/maxibon4.jpg?w=300&h=151 300w” sizes=”(max-width: 371px) 100vw, 371px” width=”371″ height=”187″> I was flat...

The government released its report on the outlook for the primary industries today. SAFE says the report demonstrates factory farming is the wrong direction for New Zealand.   “Only 1.8% of the money involved in farming came from pigs and chickens in 2015. The government is writing all these exemptions...

The deaths of three horses in jumps races at an Auckland meeting  on Queen’s Birthday, has animal advocates demanding that jumps racing  be banned.   Tu Meta Peta was euthanised after jumping the first fence awkwardly,  falling and fracturing his right shoulder at the Ellerslie racecourse.  Musashi was killed after...

Leading animal advocacy organisations hope tomorrow could spell  the end for rodeo in New Zealand as the government convenes to consider  animal welfare concerns. The discussions on 2 June involve a formal  hearing with a Select Committee mulling over a ban on rodeo.   The Select Committee hearing will include...

The opening of Countdown’s new flagship Ponsonby store on June 2 will see animal advocacy organisation SAFE in the air and on the ground, taking bold action on behalf of New Zealand hens: ramping up the consumer campaign for Countdown to phase out cage eggs.   SAFE says Countdown is...

Pretending to work or study, but secretly looking at cute animal videos, are we? Well, now you can ditch that guilt for good because I have the Best. News. EVER! It’s official: Looking at photos of cute animals makes you happy and can even improve your concentration and dexterity. Oh...

Every time I see or hear a pro-duck shooting advertisement in  mainstream media it never fails to shock me a little. Surely your  average, caring Kiwi is not OK with the idea of blasting wildlife out of  the sky for fun? Anyone would think that New Zealanders as a whole...

Government still allowing lead shot loophole for duck shooters Saturday 7 May will herald another season of death for hundreds of  thousands of ducks, swans and geese—including native wildfowl—as the  duck shooting season opens. Not only will around a million birds be  killed by shooters, but tens of thousands will...

Call me sentimental, but one of my favourite things to do on Earth  Day is to gather my favourite people and treat them to a home cooked,  candlelit dinner. My hope for each year’s meal is that we slow down and  enjoy some beautiful food, company and conversation about how...

Farrowing crates are likely to be used for the foreseeable future after a report by a government committee claims no suitable alternatives exist. But the use of Farrowing crates breaks New Zealand’s animal welfare laws, as the crates do not allow sows to express their normal behaviour.   Farrowing crates...

A complete farce. That’s what animal advocates are calling the new proposed animal welfare regulations, which the Ministry of Primary Industries (MPI) has devised.   The suggested changes are over 100 pages long, but SAFE says that very little will change for the animals.   The rules cover almost every...

Around 15 years ago I was walking past a popular eatery in my  hometown of Derby (UK) when I came across a group of animal rights  activists dressed as kangaroos, covered in fake blood and protesting  loudly outside the entrance. I quickly cottoned on to the fact that the  group...

A brand new colony cage farm that supplies eggs to major New Zealand supermarkets has been exposed in an undercover investigation that shows extensive cruelty to hens.  Filmed by investigators from Farmwatch, the footage shows:  Hens trapped beneath perches and left to starve to death; Dead hens left to rot...

Animal advocacy group SAFE is horrified that dozens of pigs have burnt to death at a pig farm north of Ngaruawahia. The current fire is the third at the property, after 400 mother pigs and piglets burnt to death in August 2015.  300 animals died in a similar blaze in...