Investigation Reveals Suffering of Caged UK pigs

Compassion in World Farming
It’s hard to comprehend. A British farm. A mother forced to nurse her young through bars, unable to turn around. Confined in a cage for weeks on end, until her piglets are taken away.
This sow is one of many featured in Compassion’s shocking new investigation into UK pig farms. The film, narrated by Dragons’ Denentrepreneur Deborah Meaden, is tough to watch. But it’s a crucial reminder of why we’re all fighting to End the Cage Age and stop this suffering.
WATCH NOW
The conditions you see in this film are legal, and they represent the miserable reality for over 250,000 of Britain’s pigs every year.
Whilst imprisoned in farrowing crates, these sensitive, intelligent animals are unable to express many natural behaviours. They can’t walk, let alone build nests for their piglets or forage for food.
Instead, they bite the bars, chew with empty mouths, and scrape at the floor, frustrated. They can even endure painful wounds and sores on their legs, feet and shoulders, caused by slipping or lying on the slatted floors.
Hour after hour, day after day, the suffering continues. This is wrong. So why is it still legal in Britain today? 
SEE THE EVIDENCE
Our politicians have a duty to end this cruelty. With the amazing support of people like you, we’ve already achieved over 100,000 signatures on a UK parliamentary petition calling for a ban on caged farming. This has now been scheduled for a debate in Parliament in September.
Plus, you are one of over 240,000 people who have already signed our sister petition, demanding action from all the UK’s agriculture ministers. Thanks to your support, we are making progress. And there is one more thing you can do for farm animals today…
Farrowing crates aren’t just legal in the UK, but in most EU countries. This is one big reason why Compassion is coordinating a European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) against cages for farm animals.
As you may know, we need 1 million verified signatures to force the European Commission to respond. And, with the Brexit deadline still uncertain, it’s now possible that the signatures of UK citizens may count towards this target.
If you’ve not already done so, please sign the ECI today – you could help End the Cage Age across a whole continent.
SIGN THE ECI
Thank you for taking action to give all farm animals a life worth living.
Natasha Smith
Natasha Smith
Campaigns Manager
 

Pig in the middle

“Again and again, I hear stories about the remarkable emotional sensitivity of pigs…Those who live with pigs often speak of them as we normally speak of dogs – intelligent, loyal, and above all, affectionate. Each one is a complete individual, like no other pig.” (Jeffrey Moussaief Masson, The Pig Who Sang To The Moon.)

I am so much more
than your
bacon rasher,
your chipolata,
chorizo, sausage…

I am so much more
than a “banger”
for your “mash;”
your sizzling
“chop.”

I am so much more
than your
(not- so-tenderly)
“pulled”
pork.

I have
tender loins.
My belly
doesn’t like
being
cut.

My ribs
weren’t made
for smoking.
My back
wasn’t designed
for your teeth.

Nor my skin
for “crackling;”
my shoulders
for your “Spam”.

My suckling
wasn’t born
for you
to suck on!

My hams
were made
for walking.
My trotters
for getting around.

I AM
a miraculous pig,
(bright, sensitive, caring) –
not your
“hot dog”!

Why don’t you
“cure” me
in the right way?

I am so much more
than your
“experimental” subject,
your biomedical
“model.”
Tortured
behind dark,
laboratory glass.

Burned, stabbed,
slashed, shot at.
Torn limb from limb.
Suffocated
(intentionally
traumatized)
for your
man-made trauma
“training.”

You rip my heart out!
You cut me up!
You take my breath away!
When I squeal,
its for real.
I am so much more…

It is not me
who is the
“porker.”
It is not me
who greedily
devours.
It is not me
“in shit”
(the “swine”
who cheats.)
It is not me,
a wild boar,
who has a problem
with violence;
who makes such a
“pig’s ear”
mess of things.

It is not me.
I am sweet;
it is you
who are sour.

I am so much more
than you
apparently
know.

 

.

Heidi Stephenson


By Heidi Stephenson

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