The Government has passed its
cruel pig-caging law

Speak out for mother pigs!

The Government has passed its cruel pig-caging Bill — but together, we can rebuild protections for animals.

Update: Parliament passed the Animal Welfare (Regulations for Management of Pigs) Amendment Bill, allowing the use of farrowing crates and mating stalls to continue indefinitely.

Nearly 90% of public submissions opposed the Bill, yet the Government chose to proceed anyway.

This is a devastating and deeply troubling moment for animals in Aotearoa, but it is not the end of the story.

The next chapter will be shaped by us. With enough public pressure, MPs can be pushed to reverse this damaging decision and restore protections for mother pigs.

Let’s make sure this cruelty is not written into our laws forever.

These cages were never meant to stay

In 2020, the High Court ruled farrowing crates and mating stalls unlawful because they prevent mother pigs from turning, nesting, and caring for their young – behaviours protected under the Animal Welfare Act.

Parliament accepted this ruling and committed to phasing out the systems.

As a result, they were due to end by December 18, 2025.

But this new law erases the ban entirely and reinstates these cages, disregarding expert advice and the clear public call to end the caging of mother pigs.

Image: Grassroots Campaigns

New footage shows exactly what this law now protects

Footage filmed in November 2025 at a Taranaki pig farm shows the reality of life inside a farrowing crate – mother pigs unable to move freely, painful pressure sores, stress induced behaviours like bar-biting, and dead piglets discarded as waste.

This footage is confronting, but it is not unusual.

It reflects the everyday experience of mother pigs in crates across Aotearoa.

Learn more

Urge your MP to restore protections for mother pigs

Politics is not something that happens far away – it is shaped by the people who take the time to speak up.

When MPs hear directly from their communities, it strengthens their mandate to act. Your message today can help ensure they commit to:

Reinstating the ban on farrowing crates, and

Reaffirming Parliament’s 2015 commitment to phasing out practices that breach the Animal Welfare Act.

This is how we build the political will to undo this damage: with thousands of voices calling for compassion and integrity.

Step 1/3

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MPs Email

Step 3/3

Construct your message:

Email Subject:

Tips for writing to your MP:

Be polite and respectful
Keep your message concise and personal
Let them know why animals matter to you and why this Bill concerns you
Ask for a reply outlining their position

Complete the form below to send your message. You can use our template as-is, edit it, or write from scratch. Every message helps show MPs that New Zealanders will not stand by while cruelty is made lawful.

Your message to your MP:

I am writing as your constituent to express my profound disappointment that you voted in favour of the Animal Welfare (Regulations for Management of Pigs) Amendment Bill.

This decision represents one of the most significant setbacks to Aotearoa’s animal welfare law in recent history. Farrowing crates and mating stalls were ruled unlawful by the High Court because they prevent mother pigs from turning, nesting, or caring for their young. NAWAC and welfare scientists have repeatedly affirmed that these systems breach the Animal Welfare Act – yet this law makes them permissible again.

What is equally troubling is the process: evidence withheld until the last moment, expert advice sidelined, and nearly 90% of public submissions opposing the Bill ignored. Decisions made this way erode public trust and diminish confidence in the integrity of our entire animal welfare system.

Mother pigs cannot advocate for themselves in the political process, but their suffering is real and urgent. Extensive evidence shows that confinement causes physical injury, stress, and frustration to intelligent, social animals.

I urge you to reflect on this outcome and to commit to restoring the protections that were due to come into force this year, as well as reaffirming Parliament’s 2015 commitment to phasing out practices that breach the Animal Welfare Act. Reinstating the ban on farrowing crates is not only the right thing for animals, it is what New Zealanders expect of their representatives.

Passing this bill was a choice of convenience over compassion, and politics over principle. I urge you to stand on the right side of history and help free mother pigs from cages.

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Thank you for speaking up

This has been a difficult moment for animals in Aotearoa, but your voice keeps hope alive.

Together, we can rebuild the protections mother pigs deserve and move toward a kinder future for all animals.

If you’ve already emailed your MP, you can join our Animal Action Network to learn the next steps we can take to protect pigs in New Zealand.

The Government has passed its cruel pig-caging law

Speak out for mother pigs!

The Government has passed its cruel pig-caging Bill — but together, we can rebuild protections for animals.

These cages were never meant to stay

New footage shows exactly what this law now protects

Urge your MP to restore protections for mother pigs

Thank you for speaking up

Sign up to the Animal Action Network.

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The Government has passed its
cruel pig-caging law