The New Zealand Animal Law Association (NZALA) and SAFE say rodeo activities violate the Animal Welfare Act 1999.

NZALA and SAFE’s case against the Agriculture Minister and the National Animal Welfare Advisory Committee will be heard on 11 and 12 July 2022 at the Wellington High Court.

There has been growing criticism of rodeo in public opinion. Two bulls were killed during rodeo events in the 2019/2020 season. A bull was euthanised at the Mid Northern rodeo after an injury during the 2020/2021 season.

This is the second time the two organisations have filed Court proceedings to challenge Codes of Welfare. NZALA and SAFE filed Judicial Review Proceedings in 2019, challenging the continued use of farrowing crates for mother pigs. In a Judgement released in November 2020, the High Court ruled that the Minister of Agriculture and NAWAC acted illegally when they failed to phase out farrowing crates.

SAFE commissioned a Horizon Research opinion poll in June 2020, which found that 51 per cent of respondents would support a ban on the use of animals in rodeo in New Zealand. Twenty-five per cent were opposed to a ban. When respondents were asked if they agreed with the statement that "Rodeo, causes pain and suffering to animals, and it is not worth causing this pain and suffering for the sake of entertainment," 66 per cent agreed.

© Scoop Media