Former NBC star Matt Lauer‘s South Island paradise has become the center of controversy after animal rights activists uncovered footage of its sheep farming operation. PETA‘s undercover investigation into the Asia-Pacific wool industry has targeted Hunter Valley Station, Lauer’s sprawling 16,000-acre (25-square-mile) property he purchased for $9.2 million in 2017, just months before his dismissal from Today following sexual harassment and rape allegations, which he denied and was never charged for.
The farm, operated by tenants, is among 11 facilities investigated by the organization over the past year, according to The New York Post. “Matt Lauer’s New Zealand getaway is hell for scared sheep who are flung about, pinned down and cut up,” PETA president Ingrid Newkirk told The Post. “PETA wants Lauer to wash his hands of the bloody wool business.”
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The investigation claims to document troubling incidents at Hunter Valley Farming, including sheep allegedly being “hit, beaten in the face, and stitched up with needle and thread with no pain medication.” PETA’s report also describes animals “being lifted off the ground and dropped onto the hard floor, and then shoved through a shoot that leads to their pen.” The findings are detailed in a 48-page notarized affidavit provided to The Post.
The property, known as Hunter Valley Station and located about two hours north of Queenstown, includes a “five-bedroom, lakefront homestead” with views of the Southern Alps mountain range. The estate features hiking trails, rustic rental lodges, and an Angus cattle farm and provides the only access to Hawea Conservation Park along Lake Hawea, which is stocked with salmon and trout.
Lauer’s spokesperson responded to The New York Post that the former host had “absolutely no knowledge of any alleged problems at his property” until contacted for comment. “He was deeply disturbed and saddened to hear of what allegedly has happened, and immediately launched his own investigation of his tenant’s operations, which is currently underway,” adding that PETA had never contacted him with any complaints.
PETA’s Jacqu Sadashige, manager of corporate responsibility, told The Post: “The horrific abuse that was documented at Hunter Valley is typical across wool operations.” The property’s operators, Digby and Hannah Cochrane, who have managed Hunter Valley Farming for decades, defended their practices. “At shearing time we employ independent shearing contractors, to shear the sheep, who work in accordance with New Zealand industry accepted guidelines and practices,” they stated, adding that Lauer had reached out to discuss PETA’s allegations.
The farm is part of New Zealand’s significant wool industry, with the country ranking as the world’s third-largest wool producer. The operation produces ZQ-certified wool, marketed as “the world’s leading ethical wool brand,” and used by major companies, including Allbirds, Smartwool, and Loro Piana.
