On Bobby Calf Awareness Day, animal rights activists from across Aotearoa will gather in a peaceful protest outside the AFFCO Imlay slaughterhouse in Whanganui. The event, Hungry For Change, aims to expose the often-overlooked suffering of bobby calves - newborn dairy calves separated from their mothers and killed within days of birth as a by-product of the New Zealand dairy industry.

Under current regulations, bobby calves can legally be denied food and water for up to 24 hours before slaughter. In an act of solidarity, activists from Animal Save Aotearoa NZ will undertake a 24-hour fast overnight, beginning midday on 31 August and ending midday 1 September, to reflect the hunger these vulnerable animals endure during their final hours.

“The reality is, many New Zealanders remain unaware of the plight of bobby calves,” said Elin Arbez, organiser for Animal Save Aotearoa NZ. “Cows carry their calves for nine months - just like humans - and in nature, those calves would nurse from their mothers for up to nine months. But in the dairy industry, they are taken from their mothers within hours, with over a third sent to slaughter from just four days old. It’s a hidden cruelty that enables humans to consume milk never intended for us.”

Of the nearly 4.9 million calves born in New Zealand each year, an estimated two million are slaughtered as bobby calves. Only around 20% are retained as replacements for the dairy herd.

This protest not only seeks to raise awareness about the treatment of bobby calves but also questions the sustainability and ethics of intensive dairy farming more broadly.

“New Zealand’s dairy industry is out of control,” said Nick Hancock, Animal Save Oceania Regional Liaison. “From animal exploitation to polluted rivers and dangerously high nitrate levels in groundwater, the impact on animals, people, and the environment is immense. It’s time to transition toward ethical, plant-based alternatives that respect both life and the land.”

Whanganui-based animal advocate and writer Sandra Kyle, whose new book ‘Pawprints On My Heart’ will be published in September, and who is standing for Council in the October elections, states:

“We’re calling on the government and the public to support the development of sustainable, plant-based food and fibre economies that do not rely on animal exploitation. With global demand for ethical and environmentally friendly products on the rise, Aotearoa New Zealand is well-positioned to lead the way.”

“We’re urging New Zealanders to look beyond the dairy commercials and confront the reality of what’s happening to bobby calves,” added Nick Hancock, “These are sentient, newborn animals - treated as waste simply because they’re not profitable. It’s time to demand better for them, and for our country’s future.”

A livestream of the 24-hour fast and vigil will be available via the Animal Save Aotearoa Facebook page, allowing supporters across the country to bear witness and take action in solidarity with the calves.

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