Media releases

“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...

A licensed greyhound handler – already charged earlier this year after a greyhound tested positive for methamphetamine – now faces several charges relating to animal abuse, including throwing a greyhound into a swabbing kennel, causing them to hit their head on the back of the kennel, and picking up a...

SAFE has been notified today that the resource consent application to build four composting barns/feedlots in Kaituna Valley has been withdrawn. The feedlots would have confined 2,200 cows permanently indoors. The controversial proposal faced substantial backlash from local environmentalists concerned about the impacts on the vulnerable Te Waihora (Lake Ellesmere)...

“Animals deserve respect” – National Animal Rights Day this Sunday Source: SAFE For Animals — This Sunday, 4 June, Wellington and Christchurch will join over 300 cities worldwide in observing the National Animal Rights Day. The events remember the billions of animals who lose their lives each year due to...

The Racing Integrity Board’s (RIB) damning reports, released today by Racing Minister Kieran McAnulty, show the greyhound racing industry can’t continue. Two reports, delivered to the Minister in December 2022 and March 2023, highlight increasing injury rates, an unsustainable rehoming system, and slow responses to track safety concerns, and states,...

The duck shooting season, which begins on Saturday 6 May this year, means countless birds, including natives like pūkeko, kakīānau (black swan), pūtangitangi (paradise shelduck), pārera (grey duck) and kuruwhengi (Australasian shoveler duck), will be killed. Read more