Media releases

The results of SAFE’s political survey published today demonstrate that most parliamentary parties neglect animal welfare. SAFE Campaign Manager Emma Brodie says this stands in stark contrast to the sentiments of the New Zealand voting public. “While the Greens championed animal welfare, the other results were disheartening,” says Brodie. Read...

WARNING: graphic depiction of greyhound racing injuries. The greyhound Lolly Rapper couldn’t survive horrific injuries when she fell during a race on Friday 8 September 2023. She suffered a compound fracture where bones broke through her skin. She was subsequently euthanised. Read more

National will bring back the cruel live export trade – that’s the message animal rights organisation SAFE wants to remind voters ahead of the election this year with a nationwide advertising campaign. SAFE CEO Debra Ashton says the ban on live export must remain in place. Read more

This Sunday, SAFE joins Aotearoa Liberation League, Animal Save NZ, Climate Justice Taranaki, Animals Aotearoa and Freedom for the Animals in calling attention to the plight of bobby calves killed by New Zealand’s dairy industry. An estimated two million male calves will be killed within their first week of life...

Footage has been passed on to SAFE which shows sheep caked in mud and struggling to walk. The footage was shot in Southland on Sunday 13 August 2023. This property has had ongoing issues with winter grazing. Photos were taken in early July also showing sheep standing in mud. Read...

“Game-changer for animals” – Government told to review all codes of welfare Source: SAFE For Animals — The days of winter grazing and colony cages could be numbered, along with other practices inconsistent with the Animal Welfare Act 1999, following a ground-breaking report from the Regulations Review Committee. Read more

On the eve of a new campaign targeting the dairy industry, SAFE received shocking footage showing a new-born calf drowning in mud. The footage provided to SAFE by Christchurch Animal Save shows a newly born calf collapsed, writhing in wet and muddy conditions on a winter grazing paddock. Read more

ABC News in Australia has obtained footage of dogs being kicked, punched, beaten and thrown at the property of a top greyhound trainer. Tony Rasmussen is one of South Australia’s top-earning greyhound trainers. The footage was taken over a two-week period at his property. Read more

Taxpayers foot Fonterra’s bill to ditch coal, but not cows Source: SAFE For Animals — Animal rights organisation SAFE is critical of the $90 million the Government is giving to Fonterra to reduce CO2 emissions, which won’t make a dent to their methane emissions. Read more

Animal rights organisation SAFE is appalled that a deliberate act of abuse in the greyhound racing industry received such weak penalties last week. A licensed greyhound handler has been fined $1,200 for abusing two dogs and assaulting a trainer at Addington Raceway in February. Read more

The New Zealand Herald has reported that a cat was shot in North Canterbury last week, and subsequently had to be euthanised due to his injuries. The killing follows the controversial North Canterbury Hunting Competition a week earlier, which included a cat-hunting category. Read more

Animal rights organisation SAFE has slammed a judge’s decision at the Porirua District Court to discharge without conviction two men who shot a much-loved bull multiple times with a bow. The attack took place in North Wellington in August 2021. Arrows were found embedded in his stomach and neck and...

After cancelling the category due to public backlash, the North Canterbury Hunting Competition have bought back the feral cat hunting category. The category has new rules. Hunters will receive one entry into a prize draw for each feral cat thats entered the category. Read more

Animal rights organisation SAFE is calling on National and ACT to walk back their policy to restart live animal exports by sea ahead of the election. SAFE is drawing a line in the sand today, which marks Ban Live Exports International Awareness Day, a global initiative denouncing the atrocities of...