Pigs are among the smartest animals in the world. They’re playful, social, show affection, and mothers form close bonds with their babies. They each have unique personalities, can recognize each other and use a variety of sounds to communicate. Their behavior is often compared to that of dogs, but in fact, they are actually more intelligent than dogs.
Unlike dogs, who are loved and cherished in the U.S., millions of pigs in this country suffer each year from the horrors forced upon them by the animal agriculture industry.
We sent an undercover investigator into a Holden Farms facility in Utica, Minnesota, which has supplied some of the largest pork companies in the U.S. Our investigator documented many instances of unimaginable physical abuse and routine cruelty in this facility.
What our investigator captured on video will shock and upset you. It’s distressing to even think about what these animals endure every single day of their lives. But we need you to know what these animals experience and we need you to join us to expose the animal agriculture industry for what it is - a cruel industry that only views animals as money-making products.
In his time working at this facility, our investigator witnessed many botched attempts to gas to death sick and injured piglets. These desperate piglets could be seen squirming and gasping for breath inside the gassing chamber box, dying slowly and painfully. Management instructed workers to leave injured piglets in the chamber box overnight before gassing them to death. Their last hours were spent alone and terrified.
Image 1: A piglet struggles to breathe after a botched gassing attempt
Image 2: A piglet suffers from a large sore
The piglets who are not killed due to illness and injury don't fare any better, having their tails cut off without pain relief, which is a standard industry practice. Our investigator also documented male piglets having their testicles ripped out by hand, also without pain relief. Workers were seen teasing each other by throwing the testicles at each other. This happened so often there is a wall covered with testicles stuck to it.
Adult pigs were treated just as badly as young piglets. Our investigator witnessed multiple incidents where pigs were hit, kicked, slapped, punched, beaten with a paddle and roughly handled. Pigs were injured and killed by cage systems, including one animal who became trapped between bars and died there. Workers sawed her in half in front of other pigs while making jokes about her. Management denies veterinary care to the pigs, leaving them with festering open sores and prolapses where their internal organs were hanging from their bodies.
A worker saws through the body of a sow who had become trapped between bars and died
Workers undertook a practice known as “feedback”, where the intestines of dead piglets were mixed with pig feces and made into a slurry to be fed to pregnant pigs. This practice is so disgusting a worker was captured on film retching and almost vomiting as she made the slurry mix.
This investigation was covered this morning by Nicholas Kristof at TheNew York Times, and by Kenny Torrella at Vox. Both pieces are masterfully written.
And on a personal note, I always felt like there’s something uniquely harrowing about the plight of pigs that makes their tragedy a particularly compelling way for people to be inspired to begin their vegan journeys.
The pain and suffering these animals endure simply to fuel the pork industry is inexcusable and together we must continue to uncover these horrors. Your support will help expose cruelty and hold animal abusers accountable by keeping undercover investigators in the field and fueling legal advocacy on behalf of farmed animals.
As a non-profit organization, Animal Outlook relies on donations from caring, generous people like you. Every dollar matters. Your support makes a world of difference to farmed animals.
