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Panel 1 — “Read the stories” They refused to accept cruelty as normal  1890s–1940s  In 1929, a group of people gathered at the Theosophical Hall in Queen Street, Auckland, for a meeting called “No cruelty is useful.” By the end of the evening, they had formed the Auckland branch of the...

While the New Zealand Government is moving to weaken our animal welfare laws and keep cruel cage farming practices in place, the European Union (EU) is heading in the opposite direction. The European Commission is now seeking public input on reforms to strengthen on-farm welfare – including proposals to phase...

Sadly, Kiwis may not be aware that one third of hens farmed for egg production in Aotearoa are farmed in these cruel cage systems. Why? Because the cage egg industry is doing its best to hide the truth. Right now, millions of cage eggs are being sold across Aotearoa without...

Content warning: This article contains images and descriptions of animal suffering that some readers may find distressing.     New footage from a Taranaki pig farm has revealed the grim reality of life inside a farrowing crate for mother pigs – the same cages the Government is rushing to legalise...

Before the 2023 general election, Andrew Hoggard was the head of farming lobby group Federated Farmers. Yet he now serves as the minister responsible for animal welfare – despite being deeply entangled with the very industries that profit from animal exploitation.  We’re calling on the Prime Minister to reassign the animal welfare portfolio. Here’s why:   A minister with not-so-hidden agenda Andrew Hoggard is a...

The Government has taken a major step backwards for animal welfare by advancing a Bill that would allow the continued use of mating stalls and farrowing crates – cages that stop mother pigs from turning around, nesting, or caring for their piglets. The Animal Welfare (Regulations for Management of Pigs)...

In September 2024, SAFE helped to expose harrowing footage of dead and dying sheep on a Southland mud farm. The footage gained national attention, raising serious concerns about the ethics of intensive farming practices. Federated Farmers dismissed the tragedy as the result of “bad weather.”    Image and footage by...

When most people hear the phrase “world-best practice”, they expect it to mean the highest standards of care – for people, for animals, and for the environment. That’s what Lincoln University promises at its Dairy Demonstration Farm (LUDF), a showcase for international students and a training ground for the next...

An updated Code of Welfare for Sheep and Beef Cattle is now open for consultation, and it’s a disaster for animals. Rather than lifting standards or upholding the Animal Welfare Act 1999, the code would lock in cruelty and continue to allow harmful practices that cause serious and avoidable suffering.  ...

In 2025, your support enabled SAFE to keep pushing where it matters most: exposing cruelty, challenging industry influence, and holding decision makers to account. Across multiple campaigns, we continued to shine a light on practices that cause suffering, and on the systems that allow them to persist. One of the...

As we wrap up another busy quarter, we want to take a moment to reflect on all that we’ve achieved together in our fight for animals – and what lies ahead in 2025. From calling for a total ban on cruel practices like mud farming and rodeo, to challenging misleading...

A Message from Debra Ashton, CEO of SAFE As this year draws to a close, I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to you for supporting SAFE throughout the past 12 months. This year has been filled with challenges, but together, we’ve made significant strides in advocating for the protection...

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,...