Direct Animal Action

Direct Animal Action (DAA) is a community of grassroots animal rights activists.

We aim to empower people by providing a supportive group structure to facilitate and drive effective campaigns for animals’ rights.

Founded in 2015 by a group of women, we are motivated by compassion and justice and aim to achieve abolition through reform. 

We believe that animal rights and social justice are part of the same philosophy of reducing harm. No individual should be exposed to exploitative and discriminatory behaviour. 

We undertake strategic pressure campaigns designed to achieve real change now; protests and demonstrations; direct action and civil disobedience and political lobbying. 

Direct Animal Action is an ally to every living creature, and a voice for the voiceless.

Campaigns

  • SPCA: Take action on TikTok possum puncher
    The TikTok showed the New Zealand man punching a possum in the face, outraging animal advocates and people across New Zealand. The video shows a young possum perched on a fence with a voice saying “Hey dick, what are you doing there?” A second voice asks “Shall I smack him?” The first voice answers “Smack him.” A closed fist is then seen punching the possum hard in the face causing it to fly off the fence backwards. An audible smack can be heard. Laughter from the two individuals which aren’t shown on camera follows. Direct Animal Action believes the video is deplorable and is an act of animal cruelty. While possums are considered 'pests' in New Zealand, what is shown in the TikTok is blatant animal cruelty and is not acceptable behaviour. The fact that it is being glorified on social media makes it even more disturbing. Unfortunately possums have been demonised in New Zealand due to their legal status as pests. This has encouraged a culture in our country where cruelty towards animals classified as pests, like possums, is seen as acceptable to many New Zealanders. SPCA New Zealand say they have seen an upswing in cruelty towards animals classified as pests in recent years and that, under the law, animals may be killed humanely, but causing cruelty to an animal is against the law and in breach of the Animal Welfare Act. Direct Animal Action have reported the TikTok to SPCA New Zealand and an investigation is now underway. We are calling on the SPCA not to take this lightly because the animal involved is classified as a pest, but to take serious action under the Animal Welfare Act. We would also like the man to undertake community service at his local SPCA animal shelter, so that he can learn the importance of compassion and respect towards all animal species. People need to know that animal abuse should not be used as a tool to get more views, likes and shares on social media and that all animals are sentient, capable of pain and suffering, regardless of their legal classification.
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  • Stop the Waerenga industrial meat chicken farm
    Chickens farmed for meat have been selectively bred to grow rapidly over a five-six week period before they are slaughtered. At five-six weeks old, they will reach adult weight but they are still baby chicks. This puts incredible stress on their young bodies which struggle under the rapid growth. Many chicks die before even reaching five-six weeks old. Others will suffer lameness due to severe stress on their hip and leg joints, affecting their ability to walk. Buchanan Ellis Ltd want to build a free-range industrial meat chicken farm at Waerenga - however free-range isn't all it's cracked up to be. There are no industry standards or regulations for free-range in New Zealand, only that there must be a potential to access the outdoors. Since most free-range meat chickens are slaughtered at five-six weeks old, the amount of time they have to go outside is only around two-three weeks. In their first few weeks of 'growing' they are shut inside industrial buildings with around 40,000 other meat chickens. In practice, many chickens will never get outside because they have to get past thousands of other chickens to reach ‘pop holes’ to the outdoors. In addition, chickens are hierarchical by nature, meaning dominant chickens will often guard pop holes, denying less dominant chickens outdoor access. The Buchanan Ellis Ltd proposal would see six industrial farm buildings built at the Waerenga site, each containing 43,000 meat chickens. This would see 258,000 meat chickens suffering on site every six week cycle. Over the course of a year around two million meat chickens would be grown at the proposed Buchanan Ellis Ltd factory farm. As well as animal welfare concerns, there is significant community opposition to the Buchanan Ellis Ltd proposal. Locals are concerned that odour and dust levels from the proposed industrial meat chicken farm will negatively impact their homes, health and livelihoods. Increased heavy traffic movements impacting on road safety, appropriate water drainage and effluent disposal and damage to nearby wetlands are also among the community concerns. The application is limited notification, meaning that many of the affected locals and the general public cannot make a submission about the proposed factory farm. Given the significance of the Buchanan Ellis Ltd proposal on the local community and the animal welfare implications, Direct Animal Action believes the application should be publicly notified and, ultimately, that Waikato Regional Council should decline the application.
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  • Stop the Warkworth Rodeo
    The Rodney Local Board is now the only local board in Auckland which continues to host rodeo on land under their management. The Warkworth Rodeo occurs every New Years Day at Warkworth Showgrounds. This is a decision made by the local board. Each year the controversy and public debate heightens around rodeo and its inherent animal welfare issues. Modern perspectives on the treatment of animals is causing rodeo's social license to wear thin. A 2018 report by the New Zealand Animal Law Association found rodeo to be illegal in New Zealand. Former Green Party MP Gareth Hughes tabled a private members bill that will amend the Animal Welfare Act to outlaw the rodeo activities that cause the most pain and distress to animals - specifically calf roping, steer wrestling and the use of flank straps. Every year since 2016, large protests have been held outside the Warkworth Showgrounds during the Warkworth Rodeo event. Over the 2018/19 rodeo season, three horses and one bull lost their lives in New Zealand rodeo arenas. Rodeo stands out in our country amongst events using animals, as being the only practice where animals are intentionally goaded and harassed to show behaviours they would normally only display under extreme stress. It has already been banned in parts of Europe, Australia, Brazil, Canada and the U.S, and there is a partial ban in the U.K. Animal abuse in the guise of entertainment is no longer acceptable in modern society. There is no place for rodeo in New Zealand. References: NZALA Press Release; “Rodeo is Illegal” http://nzala.org/nzala-press-release-21-march-2018/ Green Party of New Zealand Aotearoa: Let's outlaw the worst rodeo practices https://www.greens.org.nz/rodeo_animals_protection_bill Political Roundup: Should rodeos be banned in New Zealand? by Bryce Edwards https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=12192026 *Your information will be shared with Direct Animal Action and ActionStation who will get in contact from time to time about this campaign and others. You are free to opt out at anytime.*
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