SAFE Challenges Cruel Pig Caging Bill

Parliament is being asked to decide whether cruelty should be codified into law. SAFE has taken its fight against pig confinement cages directly to the Primary Production Select Committee, warning that the proposed amendments would overturn both public will and a High Court ruling.

SAFE Takes Fight Over Pig Cages to Select Committee

SAFE has presented its oral submission today to the Primary Production Select Committee, calling for the Animal Welfare (Regulations for Management of Pigs) Amendment Bill to be rejected in full.

What the Pig Caging Bill Would Actually Do

The Bill would entrench the use of farrowing crates and mating stalls – confinement systems so restrictive that mother pigs cannot turn around, move freely, or care for their piglets. These systems were due to be phased out this December, following a High Court ruling that found them unlawful under the Animal Welfare Act.

Concerns About Process and Transparency

SAFE Chief Executive Debra Ashton and Campaign Manager Emma Brodie told the Primary Production Select Committee that the process and substance of the Bill are deeply alarming.

“There is no credible justification for keeping mother pigs in cages,” says Ashton.

“This Bill disregards expert advice, public sentiment, and the law. It chooses industry convenience over compassion.”

SAFE says the process has lacked transparency and integrity, noting that the usual period for Select Committee consideration has been slashed from over three months to just weeks, and key documents were released only on the eve of the submission deadline.

“New Zealanders were denied a fair chance to be heard,” says Ashton.

“This is one of the most significant animal-welfare decisions in recent history, and it is being rushed through without proper scrutiny.”

Public Opinion Is Overwhelming

Polling commissioned by SAFE last month found that three in four New Zealanders oppose the use of farrowing crates and 73% support a ban. The same polling found that 46% of voters would be more likely to support a political party that commits to banning farrowing crates.

SAFE says this demonstrates that animal welfare is not a fringe concern, but a mainstream political priority that influences voting behaviour.

What Happens Next?

SAFE is urging the Committee to reject the Bill and reinstate a lawful transition to systems which allow pigs to move, nest, and care for their young.

“If we make cruelty lawful, we make compassion optional. That is not the Aotearoa most New Zealanders believe in.”

Animal welfare is no longer a fringe issue debated in rural committees. It is a national moral question — and increasingly, a political one. Whether Parliament sides with industry convenience or public compassion will echo far beyond the pig sheds. Voters are watching.

SAFE is Aotearoa’s leading animal rights organisation.

We’re creating a future that ensures the rights of animals are respected. Our core work empowers society to make kinder choices for ourselves, animals and our planet.

Notes:

• Farrowing crates and mating stalls are narrow, metal enclosures that prevent mother pigs from turning around, nesting, or caring for their piglets, depriving them of the ability to display normal behaviours as required under the Animal Welfare Act.
• In 2020, the High Court ruled in favour of NZALA and SAFE, declaring that the minimum standards and regulations permitting farrowing crates and mating stalls were invalid and unlawful. The Labour-led government at the time initiated a five-year phase out, due to end in December 2025.
• The Bill would amend the Animal Welfare Act 1999 to permit the ongoing use of farrowing crates and mating stalls for the decade, with minimal changes implemented from 2035.
• A nationally representative poll conducted by Verian in September 2025 is attached. It found that 74% of New Zealanders oppose the use of farrowing crates, 73% support a complete ban, and 90% believe the Government has a duty to ensure welfare rules comply with the Animal Welfare Act.