The animal rights group SAFE is welcoming the Ministry of Primary Industries' advertising campaign encouraging people to report mistreatment of livestock.

'We welcome calls for the public to report cruelty. Too much currently goes unreported and some people are reluctant to dob in their neighbours, but it is simply something that needs to be done,”says Mandy Carter Head of campaigns for Save Animals From Exploitation speaking to SunLive.

The mistreatment of bobby calves was exposed last year. File photo.

Last year SAFE released videos filmed by animal rights group Farmwatch of bobby calves being badly treated, and launched a campaign both here and overseas, aimed it says, to inform people about what can happen to calves born to ensure cows produce milk for the New Zealand dairy farming industry.

MPI's Deputy Director General of Regulation and Assurance, Scott Gallacher, says the vast majority of livestock owners care for their animals, but there is a very small minority who don't, and they let the rest down.

'We saw from the response to last year's allegations of bobby calf abuse just how much farmers care. There was a pretty clear voice from the farming community that animal abuse is not on. We agree, and we want to work with farmers and other livestock owners to do something about it to ensure that any abuse is identified and acted on.

'The advertisements encourage people to let us know if they see things that don't look right, and how to do that.

'MPI places a high priority on animal welfare. We know it's important to people, it's clearly important to the animals and it's important to New Zealand's reputation. When we get information about mistreatment of animals, we investigate. When there is offending, people are held to account.”

People who become aware of potential livestock abuse can call MPI confidentially on 0800 00 83 33.

MPI has broad responsibility for managing animal welfare compliance in relation to livestock and other animals used for commercial purposes. The SPCA manages compliance in relation to companion (pet) animals.