Animals in Aotearoa
New Zealand is a nation of animal lovers, however, the scale of suffering faced by animals, particularly farmed animals, is immense.
Together, we can drive positive change for animals on a massive scale.
Pigs are highly intelligent, social animals who suffer mentally and physically on farms. Most of the pigs who are killed for pork, bacon and ham are confined in factory farms.
Hens are curious and socially complex birds who can understand cause and effect, and can anticipate and plan. They are unable to express their natural behaviour and therefore suffer when crammed inside wire cages to produce eggs.
Despite loving new experiences, being clever and able to recognise 100 other individuals, chickens bred for meat are denied the things that would make their lives worth living. They are also selectively bred for extremely fast growth, leading to millions of them suffering severe health problems including heart failure and painful lameness.
While fish may seem so different to us and other mammals, they are sentient animals who deserve our respect as much as any other. It is time to let them off the hook.
On live export ships cows and other animals experience harrowing journeys to a country with few, if any, animal protection laws.
Horses are gentle, social, trusting animals. Behind racing’s glamorous image horses suffer -— both on the track and in training. They are then killed when no longer profitable.
Ducks and other birds are popular visitors to our parks and other open areas. This peace is disturbed during bird shooting season by the sounds of gunfire, which results in the death and injury of huge numbers of both native and introduced birds.
Greyhounds are just like other dogs, affectionate and playful. Racing puts them at risk of death and injury on the track, as well as neglect and confinement in kennels and rehoming centres. Greyhound racing endangers the lives of these gentle dogs, driven solely by the pursuit of gambling profits and the fleeting entertainment of a select few.
Just like zoos, aquariums and marine parks do not allow aquatic animals to display normal patterns of behaviour, such as swimming vast distances, searching for food and forming natural social structures. Fishes and aquatic animals belong in the wild.
Animals in zoos and wildlife parks are prevented from doing what is natural to them — basic behaviour such as roaming their territories, choosing a mate and deciding what and when to eat. Lacking stimulation and appropriate social interaction, many animals show signs of severe stress and boredom.
Right now, throughout Aotearoa, thousands of newborn calves are being taken from their mothers, trucked off in the cold, and killed. Branded as disposable by-products of the dairy industry, they are fragile, voiceless, and deserve so much more.
Your compassion today can create a future where every animal is valued.