NZ Government turns their back on mother pigs just weeks before a farrowing crate ban
News
Together, we sent an Open Letter to the Government opposing their sudden proposed changes to the Animal Welfare Act 1999 that would allow farrowing crates to be used indefinitely.
Image credit: SAFE / Farmwatch NZ
The Government has just announced a new Bill which seeks to amend the Animal Welfare Act to allow the continued use of farrowing crates.
This sudden decision comes without public consultation or input from animal welfare organisations, and just weeks before a farrowing crate ban which was due to take effect on 18 December 2025.
In response, we joined our allies at the SPCA, Animals Aotearoa, SAFE, HUHA, VAWA, Compassion in World Farming, the Australian Alliance for Animals, and Eurogroup for Animals in sending an Open Letter to the Government, urging them to honour their commitment to phase out this cruel practice.
The Open Letter stated in part:
Minister Hoggard is proposing an amendment to the Animal Welfare Act itself, to be made at least partially under urgency. This is a highly unusual process, seemingly designed to avoid judicial oversight.
Despite claims of public consultation, what was consulted on in 2022 was entirely different to what Minister Hoggard proposed on 1st October 2025. It is unacceptable to see decisions of this scale being made without transparency and public input.
Several countries have already banned farrowing crates, including Sweden, Switzerland and Norway, and industry-led pledges not to build any new crates exist in the UK, Denmark and Finland. While other countries are moving away from these cruel systems, New Zealand is sliding backwards.
What are farrowing crates used for?
Farrowing crates are metal cages in which mother pigs are placed to give birth. They confine mother pigs so tightly that they cannot turn around, build a nest, or properly bond with their piglets. These crates are associated with sores, frustration, and distress, and often cause physical and mental suffering to the animals.
Why are farrowing crates bad for mother pigs?
Mother pigs are highly motivated to build nests for farrowing and piglet care, which they are prevented from doing in a farrowing crate.
All crates, including temporary crating, restrict almost all sows’ normal behaviours, including mother-young bonding and the ability to turn around.
Crates contribute to health issues, such as pressure sores and lameness, and negatively affect piglet welfare, with higher rates of stillbirths and poorer maternal care.
A ban on farrowing crates would have positioned Aotearoa New Zealand as a world leader in animal welfare. Allowing the indefinite use of farrowing crates is a significant step backward compared to what has previously been put to the public.
Together, we are strongly calling on the Government to uphold their commitment and make farrowing crates a thing of the past.
Factory farming cruelty
Pigs live in horrifying conditions on factory farms. Together, we will call on the industry to make a change and give pigs a life worth living.
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Around the world, 80% of mother pigs will spend most of their lives in cages. You can give pigs lives worth living.