Media releases

SAFE is proud to back the Greenpeace initiated March for Nature to stand up against the government’s reckless Fast-Track Approvals Bill. Taking place on 8 June in Auckland, the march will bring together activists from across the country to demand justice for our precious environment, and for those who inhabit...

Yet another dog has died on New Zealand’s racetracks, prompting a renewed urgency in the calls for an end to the greyhound racing industry. On 24 May, Rapido Scud tragically died following a race at Hatrick Raceway in Wanganui. The dog collapsed at the lure and was pronounced dead upon...

Today marks a pivotal moment in the campaign to end greyhound racing in New Zealand as Dogwatch, HUHA, SAFE and SPCA announce a commitment to assisting the industry to rehome greyhounds. Published today in The Post, the joint statement outlines our commitment to facilitate greyhound rehoming should a ban on...

Two greyhounds were tragically killed following a single race at Christchurch’s Addington Raceway on 16 May 2024. Both Jovita and Palawa Queen were euthanised after suffering catastrophic fractures. SAFE Head of Investigations, Will Appelbe, says it is beyond comprehension that greyhounds continue to suffer and die on New Zealand racing...

Distressing new video footage from the opening day of this season’s duck shooting has been obtained by SAFE, highlighting the brutal reality faced by Aotearoa’s ducks. The video, taken on the morning of Saturday 4 May, captures a grievously wounded bird, shot by a hunter and unable to fly, struggling...

Today marks the one-year anniversary of New Zealand’s groundbreaking ban on live export by sea, a move hailed globally as a pioneering leap forward for animal welfare. Since its implementation on 30 April 2023, tens of thousands of animals have been spared the harrowing ordeal of sea journeys to countries...

SAFE is expressing deep concern over the Government’s proposed amendments to the Resource Management Act (RMA), particularly the repeal of all regulations on intensive winter grazing (also known as mud farming). The proposed reforms, announced by the Government yesterday, seek to remove existing regulations on mud farming, a move that...

Animal rights organisation SAFE is proud to announce its active participation in the forthcoming School Strike for Climate rally scheduled for Friday 5 April, in centres across the country. As staunch advocates for both animal rights and environmental sustainability, SAFE is eager to stand in solidarity with the youth-led movement...

In the wake of three recent fatalities within a single week and the temporary closure of a racing track following a surge in injuries, SAFE is issuing an urgent plea to the Government: immediately implement a ban on Greyhound racing in Aotearoa. Just yesterday, Greyhound Racing New Zealand announced it...

SAFE is urgently calling on the Environment Committee to reject the Government’s Fast-Track Approvals Bill, and is urging New Zealanders to rally behind the call. The proposed Bill, currently under consideration with the Environment select committee, has sparked widespread concern among environmentalists, indigenous advocates, and animal welfare organisations. Read more

SAFE is today launching a nationwide campaign aimed at the new government, issuing an urgent call to preserve the ban on live animal export. The campaign is calling on New Zealanders to add their names to a parliamentary petition, headed by Former Chair of the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee...

The distressing emergency stop of the Al Kuwait in Cape Town has revealed a grim spectacle of suffering and neglect. With 19,000 cows aboard, this voyage has laid bare the cruel reality of live export by sea. Disturbing images have surfaced revealing dead, dying, diseased and distressed cattle, some of...

The consequences of the previous Government’s delay on banning greyhound racing has resulted in countless injuries and deaths – with two dogs killed in Christchurch already this year. Miss Madrid, aged four, was euthanised at Addington Raceway on 26 January 2024 after she suffered two broken legs while racing. Read...

An animal welfare group is warning reversing the ban on live exports will turn us into an international laughing stock. Labour [Party] banned live exports in April, but the government is promising to overturn the ban with new safety rules in place. SAFE [Save Animals From Exploitation] Chief Executive Debra...