News

World Animal Protection has downgraded New Zealand’s animal protection ranking in a recently released report. The Animal Protection Index ranks 50 countries around the world according to their animal welfare policies and legislation. The index awarded New Zealand’s animal protection efforts an ‘A’ in 2014, however World Animal Protection has...

A wholefood, plant-based diet is healthy for individuals at all stages of life, according to nutrition experts worldwide. Plant-based and vegan diets have been criticised in recent weeks by New Zealand nutritionists who have stated they wouldn’t recommend the diet to young people. Read more

Two animal rights organisations are demanding the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) cancel a Dunedin rodeo following the deaths of two animals. SAFE and Direct Animal Action are calling for MPI to conduct an audit of the ‘Mad Bull’ rodeo club following the deaths of two bulls, one at each...

A recent incident at the Urenui Rodeo in North Taranaki has drawn attention to concerns about animal welfare at such events. A protestor at the Urenui Rodeo in north Taranaki captured a rider wrestling a steer for too long. New Zealand’s national rodeo body has acknowledged processes need to change...

Footage captured by activists at the Urenui rodeo on Saturday shows a breach of the rodeo code of welfare. The footage which was passed onto SAFE yesterday shows a steer wrestling event that exceeds the rodeo code of welfare’s 30 second time limit. Steer wrestling is an event where a...

Over the past thirty years, there haven’t been two people as iconic as Hans and Nichola Kriek in the Aotearoa animal rights movement. Their work has had a massive impact on the country and raised many of the issues that animals face to public awareness. There are countless activists who...

New poll figures reveal that more than half of New Zealanders who had attended a rodeo event supported a ban on rodeo. A recent Horizon Research poll commissioned by animal rights organisation SAFE shows that 60% of those polled who had attended a rodeo in the previous 12 months supported...

[email protected] Two bulls have been killed in sporting events this summer, after suffering injuries bad enough that they had to be euthanised. 80 bulls have taken part in two Mad Bull Rodeo Club competitions during the summer, two had to be put down because of injuries. Read more

RNZ Checkpoint last week reported that the rodeo industry has killed two animals during the current rodeo season. Information recently obtained by animal rights organisation SAFE reveals two bulls were killed at ‘Mad Bull’ rodeo events in November and December. Read more

The Yangtze Fortune live export stock ship arrived at Port Taranaki on Thursday. Protestors are set to gather near Port Taranaki on Friday to demonstrate against the livestock ship Yangtze Fortune exporting about 4000 live cows to farms in China. The ship arrived at 12.45pm on Thursday and animal welfare...

Warning: This video contains graphic images that may disturb some people. Protestors are planning to descend on Port Taranaki on Friday to protest the live export of animals. The live export ship Yangtze Fortune arrived on Thursday to collect 3800 cows for export to China. Read more

About 40 people gathered near Port Taranaki to protest live export and plans to ship about 4000 cows to China. About 40 protesters gathered near Port Taranaki to show their opposition to live export on Friday. Organised by animal welfare advocacy group SAFE, the protesters opposed the Yangzte Fortune, which...

The Port Taranaki pilot boat was monitoring the situation along with police. A group of animal activists have taken their protest to the sea off New Plymouth. On Saturday morning four protesters against live exporting could be seen in a small boat inside the Breakwater, opposing the Yangzte Fortune, which...

Full photo album from SAFE’s live export protest at Port Taranaki today can be found here. The protest was organised to demonstrate opposition to the arrival of livestock carrier Yangtze Fortune while the live export trade is under review. The ship is expected to leave Port Taranaki at midnight tonight....