News

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...

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...

Exactly one year ago, SAFE helped expose shocking footage of dead and dying sheep on a Southland mud farm. Today, new footage from the very same farm shows that nothing has changed. Filmed between 5-6 September, the footage shows a sheep likely struggling to give birth, her lamb’s head visibly...

This Sunday is Bobby Calf Awareness Day – a day to recognise the two million newborn calves who are separated from their mothers and killed every year by New Zealand’s dairy industry. To mark the day, SAFE has launched a nationwide campaign with cinema ads, digital advertising, and Read more

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...

SAFE is condemning Lincoln University after footage from its own dairy demonstration farm, filmed between 11-13 August, reveals animal suffering and squalid winter conditions at what is touted as a “world-best practice” facility. The Lincoln University Dairy Farm (LUDF) is promoted as a global leader in pastoral dairy systems, attracting...

A three-year-old dog named Hilton Hype has died after breaking his leg during a race at Addington Raceway on 2 August, just two days into the start of greyhound racing’s final season. Despite plans for surgery, he couldn’t be stabilised in time and died shortly after. Read more

Slovenia has announced a total ban on caging hens by the end of 2028. The move follows Sweden’s announcement last month that is has officially ended the caging of hens without needing a legal ban, driven by overwhelming public opposition to animal cruelty. Read more

The greyhound racing industry has ended its 2024/25 season with yet another dog killed – bringing the season’s death toll to 17; the deadliest year for greyhounds since 2021. The final fatality was Opawa Justin, a two-year-old greyhound who won his race at Addington Raceway in Christchurch on 31 July...

Today we recap the last two weeks, including the 50th anniversary of the Silver Collar greyhound race which saw a dog break his leg, and delays to the Government's announcement of the phase out date for livestock exports by sea.