Just a quick update to let you now that our Give A Little page has an extended close off date so you can still Give A Little, right here!
Eight sleeps to Christmas! Yes - really!!
If you're looking for an ethical stocking filler, or a gift for a friend - buy them a VAWA membership! Let's work together and help Aotearoa's animals. We created created influence and made a difference in 2022 in lots of places - check our our Products to catch up on those. https://www.vawa.co.nz/blog
Here's what got most of your attention:
Number 1 | Education | Cat Chats
VAWA continued to bring focus to the need for better national cat management. We spoke at multiple engagements, seized education opportunities, and engaged with government. VAWA's passion and expertise on improving cat welfare, and protecting our native species is helping drive progress.
#cats #welovecats #safeandhappyathome #welfare #biodiversity
Number 2 | Advocacy | Cow Collars
We commented on our concerns regarding wearables in several government submissions. We spent time engaging with creators and users of wearable technology, and spoke to researchers and Temple Grandin (!) about virtual fencing. We published VAWA's Dossier on Virtual Fencing that got a lot of attention.
#cattle #collars #welfare #virtualfencing #education
Number 3 | Submissions | Codes
During 2023, VAWA submitted on multiple government policies, including the pigs, deer and dairy Codes of Welfare. This created multiple other education opportunities for VAWA, through radio interviews, print media and engaging with stakeholders on specific matters such as farrowing crates.
#cattle #pigs #deer #welfare #submissions #advocacy
Join us in 2023 to continue to make progress for the animals
https://www.vawa.co.nz/membership
Have a safe and restful festive season. Meri kirihimete.
It has happened! Livestock export is banned. 🥳
This is a significant win for animals in Aotearoa New Zealand. It is extraordinarily wonderful because it is a decision that was wholeheartedly driven by doing what is right for the animals. Economics and vested interests did not control this decision.
THANK YOU, Minister Damien O’Connor, for being brave and making the right decision.
There has been an enormous team effort over many years, that has included the public, our team of New Zealand animal welfare advocates, veterinarians (including one particularly brave veterinarian), animal welfare organisations, and we had a little help from our friends from over the ditch.
Finally, to the farmers who supported this ban, who chose not to partake in this industry, and who spoke up to say as much - thank you. Your voices count and make a difference.
THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!
You can find out more about how New Zealand came to making this marvellous decision at https://www.vawa.co.nz/post/livestock-exports-it-must-stop
While you are here, please encourage your friends to join VAWA - you don't need to be a veterinarian - you just need to think the work we do is important! Spread the word!
Sign up here: https://www.vawa.co.nz/new-member-form
And we love receiving your support through donations - VAWA's voice provides critical veterinary expertise and advocacy that New Zealand's animals need. Please donate to help us helps the animals.
VAWA has been busy championing the cause of keeping cats safe and happy at home. Aotearoa needs to do better for our cats.
To support us and our work, you can #givealittle - cats and our native animals need your help, and that means having the right voice at the table, to help create a safe environment for cats.
On our website, you can find all the work that VAWA has been doing to help our cats, including our presentation to the Environment Select Committee (from 10:35): https://fb.watch/fgSnLjxXQF/
https://www.vawa.co.nz/post/every-cat-in-a-lap
Can you help our cats, bats, birds and dolphins?
Will you help VAWA get to Wellington to have our voice heard and help the pigs?
Ongoing use of farrowing crates is proposed in the draft Code of Welfare for Pigs (currently out for consultation). VAWA’s view is that farrowing crates are unacceptable, given the negative welfare impact on sows. VAWA also acknowledges that change to systems can be hard, and support may be needed for those affected.
We need your help to get to Wellington to a meeting about the proposed Pig Code. By being at the meeting, our independent, veterinary-led, advocacy voice can contribute to driving the change that is needed to provide better lives for affected pigs.
Our independence means that no one person, no industry, nor other party, controls our voice. Our advocacy is science-based. The MPI meeting will be an important opportunity for VAWA’s advocacy to contribute to positive change for animals.
In addition to the meeting, VAWA will be submitting written feedback on the Code via the public consultation process. Once our draft feedback is completed, VAWA’s members will be able to contribute to this document via the members’ Facebook page (members: join up if you haven’t already!).
Every penny can help! Thanks so much for putting the pigs first and making sure we can all be there for them when it counts.
In addition to your support through Give A Little, you can also strengthen VAWA’s voice by joining our organisation, and/or sponsoring us. Check out on our website (www.vawa.co.nz) and #jumponthebandwagon - everyone who likes our work, can join us!
Or perhaps, "What's up, VAWA?" To which the answer is, "Quite a lot!" So thanks ever so much to those who have supported VAWA in the first quarter!
We've been really busy, including in the media as a factual voice for animals, with articles in the AgriBusiness magazine (March/April 2022), providing a number of pieces of feedback to various media outlets, including RNZ, and engaging in a number of podcasts such as the Rural Round Up and Paws, Claws & Wet Noses.
This week, Parliament's Primary Production Select Committee delivered a “hung verdict” on the ban on livestock exports, with National and Act pushing the economic agenda as a key reason for opposing the ban. This is a prime example of why we need VAWA - so thank you for helping make us happen!
This situation highlights how capitulation to economics, at the expense of animal welfare, is unacceptable. We simply must find alternate ways to have successful farming systems, that support genuinely acceptable animal welfare outcomes.
VAWA is all about tackling audacious issues that impact animals, particularly those that require a strategic approach to the solution. VAWA isn’t about tinkering around the edges of the animal welfare system and making incremental tweaks, whilst animals continue to lose out. Helping to create meaningful change is the basis of our advocacy.
We will also comment on specific issues such as greyhound racing, rodeo, cow-calf contact, bobby calves, brachycephalic animals, amongst other things. We are focused on all species, including natives and conservation, so that all animals benefit from our voice.
A good life for all is VAWA’s vision and something, we know you will all agree is worth fighting for. We can have profitable systems with alternate outcomes – that is VAWA’s vision!
We still need more support, so spread the word, jump on the bandwagon and get your friends on board too!
