SPCA supports farming systems that make continuous improvements to ensure the welfare of farmed animals by meeting their physical, health, and behavioural needs. All farming systems should meet the animals’ needs, providing for the behavioural freedom of the species, without compromising their health.

Our organisation supports providing farming systems that allow for natural weaning where possible and the formation and maintenance of preferred partner bonds.

SPCA is opposed to farming systems that do not allow farmed animals to display normal patterns of behaviour.

SPCA opposes intensive farming systems that rely on close confinement, including the use of colony cages for hens and farrowing crates for sows.

Millions of animals are farmed in cages in New Zealand each year. The use of cages and close confinement prevents animals from displaying species-specific behaviour, which is a breach of our Animal Welfare Act. These systems should be phased out as soon as possible.

If necessary, the government should provide support to ensure that farmers can meet or exceed phase-out dates, including funding for on-farm training of new practices and for research into technology and innovation.

SPCA opposes farming systems that have significant detrimental impacts to the welfare of local wildlife or ecosystems.

SPCA is concerned about the negative impacts on local wildlife or ecosystems from pollution, leaching, and waste from farmed animal production systems. More needs to be done by Government and farming industries to eliminate, minimise, and mitigate the harmful impacts of farmed animal production systems on the environment. Our organisation supports initiatives and programmes aimed to achieving this, provided they do not result in animal welfare compromise.