This content was prepared by the SPCA and is being published by the New Zealand Herald as advertorial.
It won’t come as a surprise to anyone that New Zealanders care deeply about animal welfare. We place trust in and expect professional care from people looking after our pets, and pay close attention to how farmed animals are treated. But how do we know that animals are treated well when in the care of farmers and pet services? That’s where SPCA Certified provides assurance.
The SPCA Certified animal welfare programme was created to drive continuous animal welfare improvement on farms and in pet care businesses. The programme sets welfare standards that are higher than what is legally required, and provides an easy way for you to find and choose animal products and pet care services that aim to improve animals’ lives.
Setting the standard
SPCA Certified standards have been developed by SPCA animal behaviour and welfare experts. They cover all areas that impact animal welfare, including nutrition, environment, health, behaviour, and mental wellbeing.
Farmers and pet care providers must show that animals can express natural behaviours and have the opportunity to enjoy positive experiences. For example, layer hens can choose to forage and dust-bathe; meat chickens can choose to perch; sheep and cattle are provided with appropriate shade and shelter; and dogs at daycare are supervised by trained staff with enrichment and structured time for both play and rest. These practical, everyday elements make a meaningful difference to animals’ lives, and SPCA Certified standards set clear expectations for them.
A key part of the programme is transparency. All SPCA Certified members are regularly audited by qualified third-party auditors who assess that they meet the standards. Only after meeting these standards are they able to carry the SPCA Certified blue badge.
This rigorous process helps farmers and dog daycare providers demonstrate their commitment to animal welfare while building trust with consumers and pet owners. The goal is accountability and step-by-step improvement each year.
How you can improve animal welfare
Your decisions at the supermarket and when choosing pet care services have a profound impact on animal welfare. By voting with your wallet and choosing the SPCA Certified blue badge, you reward and recognise businesses who care as much about animal welfare as you do. This encourages more brands to think about how their business practices affect the animals they care for.
“Buying products with the blue badge gives customers the assurance that they are getting what they are paying for – truly cage-free and animals farmed to standards higher than legal requirements,” says Dave Higgins, Higgins Family Farm.
“I recommend that consumers think about what’s important to them and what their values are, and then use their buying power to influence the standards they expect livestock production systems to uphold”, says Lisa from Nurture Farms.
So next time you see the SPCA Certified blue badge on a product or service, you can have confidence in the choices you make and their impact. The label stands for something meaningful: a commitment by farmers and business owners to improve animals’ lives, not just their products.
Find SPCA Certified products and businesses
Meet some of our members
SPCA Certified farms range from large-scale farms through to family-run businesses, all united by a shared belief that animal welfare matters.
Better Eggs have been part of the SPCA Certified programme since 1999. With all staff receiving training in animal welfare – it has become part of the brand’s farming culture that hens always come first. “Our staff are always suggesting new toys and enrichments to keep the hens occupied. It’s great to see how the hens interact with the toys and nutritional supplements.”
Family business Fernglen Farm produce high-quality sheep milk products and see animal welfare as a core pillar of their business model. “From planting more shade and shelter, to refining preventative actions we take to ensure our ewes can live their best life.”
Waitoa (Ingham’s) have been a member of the SPCA Certified programme since 2012. They work with a community of Waikato farmers to raise free-range chickens with a focus on animal welfare. “It’s great seeing our chickens out there ranging. You can really see their characters come out, and it’s great watching them express their natural instinct.”
Located in Parnell, Auckland, Pets In The City | Central Bark has gone the extra mile to achieve SPCA Certification for their doggy daycare services. “In a largely unregulated industry, we think it’s important to show the extra safety steps we have taken, particularly around staff to dog ratios, training and emergency procedures.”