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

  • 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. Green Party MP Gareth Hughes has 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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