In the wild, pigs spend hours cooling themselves in mud baths and rooting for food. They do not eat garbage or wallow in their own filth the way that they are forced to on farms today. On factory farms, pigs are crammed into pens with dozens of other pigs. Such close confinement leads to aggressive acts such as fighting and tail biting.

The farmers’ response to such acts is less than humane. Instead of giving the pigs more space or allowing them to breath fresh air, they perform cruel surgeries on the animals. Many people feel sympathy for cats that undergo painful declawing surgery, denouncing the practice as cruel and inhumane. Pigs, which are reportedly more intelligent and trainable animals than dogs and cats (and have even been taught by scientists to play video games!), have their tails cut off, their teeth clipped and their testicles removed – all without the use of painkillers.

Female sows are treated as breeding machines, suffering constant cycles of pregnancy and nursing. Pregnant sows are kept in gestation crates so small that they cannot lie down comfortably or even turn around.

Life for these animals is painful, but death can be excruciating. Although pigs are supposed to be stunned before being killed, the process is often rushed. As a result, many are still conscious when they are being slaughtered.

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