Close
News

News

Equestrian: Horse-beating penalty for Olympic legend Sir Mark Todd branded ‘slap on wrist’

April 15th, 2022
Leading animal welfare group SAFE has slammed the suspension imposed on one of New Zealand’s greatest Olympians. Sir Mark Todd has received a four-month ban from training horses, after a video showed him hitting a horse with a tree branch. After already serving a two-month interim suspension and with the...

Greyhound industry criticised after dog euthanised

March 21st, 2022
Animal welfare organisation SAFE spokesman Will Appelbe says greyhound racing is inherently dangerous. An animal welfare group is accusing the greyhound racing industry of not being transparent after removing a section of video that showed a dog being seriously injured. Read more

A Chat With… Debra Ashton, chief executive of animal organisation SAFE

February 26th, 2022
Anti-farming, anti-NZ, traitor: those are just some of the names Debra Ashton has been called. But the chief executive of SAFE admits the passion she has for animals, and for making their lives better, far outweighs any personal cost. Ashton (Te Āti Haunui-a-Pāpārangi) lives in Wellington with her husband Joe...

SAFE launches hotline to expose animal cruelty

September 5th, 2022
Animal rights charity SAFE has today launched 0800 EXPOSE, a supportive programme to provide witnesses of animal abuse a confidential means to report information. Witnesses can use a hotline or web form to share their concerns when they see animals abused on farms or in their community. Read more

‘Animals continue to suffer amid calls from agri-business to delay winter grazing’

August 31st, 2022
Federated Farmers, DairyNZ and Beef + Lamb NZ want intensive winter grazing regulations delayed yet again. Intensive winter grazing regulations were meant to come into effect in May 2021, but were initially delayed until May 2022, only to be further delayed to November 2022. SAFE CEO Debra Ashton said the...

Plan to replace the Manukau greyhound racetrack with an athletics facility a “once-in-a-generation opportunity”

August 25th, 2022
Plan to replace the Manukau greyhound racetrack with an athletics facility a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” Source: SAFE For Animals — SAFE is lending its support to the Manukau Sports Bowl draft plan, which proposes an athletics track and field facility replacing the greyhound racetrack. Read more

‘No way to treat a mother’ – lifting the lid on the dairy industry’s dirty little secret

August 18th, 2022
Will Appelbe and Courtney White are joined by SAFE Campaigns Officer, Emma Brodie, to discuss a little-known practice taking place behind slaughterhouse doors across the country. They also discuss concerns about the response from MPI into sheep welfare on

SAFE ‘takes aim at agriculture’s callous secret – foetal bovine serum’

August 10th, 2022
SAFE intends to end the production of foetal bovine serum (FBS), which is the aim of the charity’s open letter which calls for a ban on the slaughter of pregnant cows in Aotearoa. Largely unfamiliar to the public, FBS is produced from blood harvested from unborn calves. Read more

MPI’s response to dead sheep dumped among gorse bushes ‘inadequate’ – SAFE

August 5th, 2022
SAFE has obtained evidence of about seven dead sheep in various stages of decomposition dumped among gorse bushes in a paddock near Templeton, Christchurch. Another sheep was found dead near the edge of the paddock. The paddock shares a fence with Globe Bay Reserve and is surrounded by residential property....

Rodeo cowboys miss the point of a recent High Court decision

August 5th, 2022
Will Appelbe is joined by new co-host Courtney White, to discuss live export, the recent High Court decision on rodeo, and the SPCA's call to ban the long term chaining of dogs.

Failed cattle shipment exposes live exports’ inherent flaws

August 4th, 2022
Failed cattle shipment exposes live exports’ inherent flaws Source: SAFE For Animals — A planned export of 12,300 cattle organised by Genetic Development Exports Limited Partnership failed after the livestock carrier Al Kuwait broke down en route to Aotearoa. Read more

High Court sends the question of rodeo back to the NAWAC – SAFE For Animals

July 29th, 2022
In a High Court decision released today, Justice Churchman found errors and procedural defects in the Government’s process when reissuing the rodeo code of welfare in 2018. While the Court declined to make a ruling on the legality of rodeo, the Court has dismissed the judicial review sought by the...

‘NAWAC must recommend a ban on colony cages in the next code of welfare’

July 20th, 2022
The National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee (NAWAC) has confirmed that the poultry codes of welfare will be the next to be reviewed. This includes the codes of welfare for layer hens, chickens bred for their meat, and breeder birds. SAFE has been calling for an urgent review of the layer...

Cowboys in Court

July 19th, 2022
Last week, the New Zealand Animal Law Association and SAFE challenged the legality of rodeo at the High Court. This is the second time the two organisations have taken the Government to court, and the results of that first court case has caused headaches
Try plant-based!

Eat with kindness

Get ready to be inspired by how enjoyable, easy and delicious it can be to live in a way that is kinder to our planet and all who live on it.

Donate today

Help us continue helping animals in need

As a charity, SAFE is reliant on the support of caring people like you to carry out our valuable work. Every gift goes towards providing education, undertaking research and campaigning for the benefit of all animals. SAFE is a registered charity in New Zealand (CC 40428). Contributions of $5 or more are tax-deductible.