Factory farming of animals is an issue in New Zealand which involves  hundreds of  millions of  animals being confined in factory farms each year. Animals that are used in factory farms include pigs, cows, chickens, fish, turkey and ducks. The only way that these animals are able to survive in such cramped conditions without the spread of disease causing death is by being fed antibiotics, which in the long term create genetically different species such as chickens that would not be able to survive a year outside of the factory farm. None of the animals used in factory farms will reach the end of their natural lives but instead have them cut short by being sent to slaughterhouses. In their short time alive they will be unable to have the freedom to move, reproduce and socialise with other animals. Around 99% of the animal products available to us such as meat, milk and eggs comes from animals that have been cruelly raised and treated in factory farms. But, many people around the world are already  willing to pay the extra for free range products which is a start to putting factory farms out of business but it is not enough, as although free range breeding of animals is less cruel than factory farms, animals can still be treated poorly. Creating a ban on factory farms and changing to all free range farmed animals would mean that the animals wouldn’t have to spend their whole lives suffering just to be killed.

Currently in New Zealand there is no set policy around factory farms although there is the animal welfare act that includes the five freedoms:

Freedom from Hunger and Thirst- access to fresh water and a diet to maintain full health.
Freedom from Discomfort- by providing an appropriate environment including shelter and a comfortable resting area
Freedom from Pain, Injury or Disease- by prevention or rapid diagnosis and treatment.
Freedom to Express Normal Behaviour- by providing sufficient space, proper facilities and company of the animal's own kind.
Freedom from Fear and Distress- Provide conditions and treatment that avoid mental suffering.
It is obvious that animals living in factory farms do not experience the five freedoms as they should. Instead of having the freedom from hunger most are force fed until they become uncomfortably overweight. Freedom from discomfort most animals in factory farms will live in tiny areas that are overcrowded with usually no access to the outside world. Freedom from pain, injury or disease, the animals are instead handled and kept in a way that causes them distress and pain which does not get treated. They do not have the freedom to express their normal behaviours as they are kept in conditions that prevent them from doing so for example they are kept inside overcrowded sheds instead of living a life outside where they can roam freely. And instead of having the freedom from fear and distress the animals will spend their whole lives with those feelings. This is their reality because of loopholes in the system which you can read about on the safe website here : http://www.safe.org.nz/loopholes

Signing this petition could mean an end to factory farming in New Zealand.