Dear John,

A new Mercy For Animals investigation exposes horrifying cruelty at a farm certified under the Pork Quality Assurance Plus program, revealing the pork industry’s misleading claims about higher animal welfare standards.

The footage captures a mother pig subjected to unimaginable fear and pain—shot in the head three times with a defective bolt gun before she was killed. It also uncovers pigs with organs bulging outside their bodies, enduring agonizing pain and violence, including slapping, kneeing, and being hit with paddles.

These shocking findings reveal the dire conditions and inhumane treatment pigs endure, underscoring the urgent need for regulatory reform and better enforcement of animal welfare standards.

PQA Plus, developed by the National Pork Board, was intended to provide reliable standards for pork production. It aims to reassure consumers of the industry’s commitment to animal welfare.

A recently released Mercy For Animals white paper analyzes a decade of undercover footage from Mercy For Animals and Animal Outlook. Unsurprisingly, the findings expose significant problems with the PQA Plus program, revealing a disturbing pattern of rampant animal cruelty.

Pigs deserve better. Please join us by urging your representative to support the Pigs and Public Health Act, which would create real, enforceable standards to protect pigs.