A $2,000 fine for unspeakable cruelty: Why New Zealand's animal protection laws are failing

The Animal Justice Party Aotearoa New Zealand (AJP) is condemning the horrific cruelty inflicted on a mother cow at an Ashburton farm, where she was skinned alive in an act livestreamed on social media.

The farmers involved have pleaded guilty under the Animal Welfare Act and were fined just NZD $2,000 each. While the court accepted that it could not be proven that she consciously suffered, it ruled that the farmers failed to minimise unnecessary or unreasonable pain or distress.

Danette Wereta, General Secretary of AJP stated: "It is unthinkable to consider that she did not feel extreme pain and terror. Referring to her as 'it' also highlights the systemic problem, she was a living, sentient mum capable of fear and suffering. If a human had been treated in this way, the criminal liability would be indisputable. Yet under current law, the burden of proof falls on an animal that cannot speak for herself. This is morally and legally unacceptable."

The livestreamed act, and the fact that viewers witnessed and supported it, adds to the horror. The denial by the perpetrators that she was alive, despite clear evidence of her breathing, further prolonged her suffering. The minimal fines imposed fail to reflect the gravity of the crime, and the fact that the farm can continue profiting from its operations raises serious concerns about ongoing risks to animals in its care.

"New Zealand is marketed globally as a 'clean, green' country, but beneath the façade lies our dirty dairy and environmentally harmful farming practices. Recent changes allowing mumma pigs to be kept in cages and the proposed roll back of live animal exports reveal what farming in New Zealand is really like – cruel, shocking, and unethical," Wereta said.

"This is not an isolated incident," Wereta continued. "Footage from farms around the country reveals systemic cruelty, fear, and neglect endured by farmed animals. The legal loopholes that allow such acts to go insufficiently punished must be closed and minimum standards raised in codes of welfare".

The Animal Justice Party is calling for the establishment of an Independent Commissioner for Animals and for a Just Transition away from farming animals, advocating for legislation that recognises the inherent rights of animals. Just as laws evolved to protect women, children, and enslaved people, the law must now evolve to protect animals.

Support the Animal Justice Party's mission to protect animals by joining, donating, or helping advocate for systemic change.