Caged protesters call for animal rights in Napier

Animal rights protesters inside cages on Napier's Emerson St. Photo / Paul Taylor

Shoppers were met with protesters locked inside cages on Napier's busiest shopping streets on Sunday afternoon.

A handful of animal rights activists gathered on Emerson St to raise awareness of the exploitation of caged hens and pigs within the food industry.

The protest organiser, who wished to remain anonymous, said 65 to 69 per cent of pigs are kept in battery cages and farrowing/gestation crates where they live a "pitiful existence in cramped, stressful and filthy conditions".

"Myself and the other activists hope to raise awareness of the immense cruelty and suffering these animals endure on a daily basis for the entirety of their lives in order to provide food for people," she said.

Three protesters sat inside cages in a hope to represent to onlookers similar living conditions to pigs and hens throughout New Zealand.

Leaflets including information on climate change, veganism, water usage and antibiotic resistance were also distributed amongst passers-by.

According to protestors, the two-hour peaceful protest aimed to offer the public the chance to approach those involved to find out more about the topic.

The organiser said engaging constructively and openly with the local community is vital to make change.

"Whilst the Government is phasing out the use of gestation and farrowing crates in pig farming by 2025 and battery caged hens by 2022, this will no stop the import of either products from overseas," she said.

"Both animals have proven to be highly intelligent creatures - pigs have similar intelligence as a 3-year-old child and personalities that have been likened to those of our beloved companion animals – dogs.

"While studies have shown that chickens are able to demonstrate thinking skills that are on par with both mammals and primates."

In March 2019, St John's Hastings year 11 students James Barr and Ishan Parmar sat in a cage in Hastings CBD in protest against poor living conditions for those in New Zealand prisons.