Pigs – A Happier Note
Mercy for Animals is always depressing me with their undercover investigations, and their recent one at a pig farm is no exception (warning: video automatically starts playing, it’s not pretty). They leave me feeling like I’m one of a few sane people in a really messed up world. I mean, by this point, why isn’t the whole world mostly vegan – these videos aren’t exceptions, they’re rules, standard industry practices.
I want to celebrate pigs and all the cool stuff about them. Like how they generally really like people and yeah, you can snuggle with them in ways you can’t with a dog – even a big one. This is Sally and she is totally into the whole “lay on top of me” interaction. Pigs are very tactile animals and are especially fond of belly rubs. There is no species who loves belly rubs like a pig. This is irrefutable fact that you can see in action at any farmed animal sanctuary in the world!
Here are a few happy pigs from the sanctuary doing happy, pig stuff. These simple acts of being are not possible on the modern pig farm. The simple act of staying alive is not possible, even on the least cruel of pig farms. Enjoy.
I has a pumpkin!
Big pumpkin is super big!
Pigs only share with animals fifty times bigger than them!
Pigs will do anything for treats!
Pigs smile after water baths because they are cool!
Sleeping makes pigs happy
Sleeping pigs smile a lot!
Yeah, more snoozing.
Sleeping is always better with a buddy
Pigs like to touch noses when they meet
Pigs like to share their love
Stephanie Ernst
Marji
Kelly G.
Deb
Mary Martin
PIGS ARE PRECIOUS!
I am sponsoring a pig named Carmen at a farmed animal sanctuary. She was rescued as a piglet from freezing to death; her mom was lying on top of her, protecting her from the cold.
It makes me happy to know that my hard-earned money is helping a happy pig just to BE — instead of paying for the snuffed-out life of a pig called pork.
Pigs are pretty darn awesome.
Carmen is such an adorbs name for a pig. I’m so glad she ended up at a sanctuary and that her mom did everything possible to save her life.
My neighbor recently told me of his enthusiasm to kill a wild boar and about the giant smoker he has in his backyard. He wanted to know if he should tell me when he’s “gonna smoke the thing.” Why? I asked. Will it make any difference to the boar?
Out of respect for me and my beliefs, he replied.
What about respect for the boar’s life?
Perhaps I can persuade him to read your post.
Thanks.
Yes, Mary, I notice this all the time.
Those who convince themselves that it’s fine to eat animals think and talk *ONLY* in terms of human interactions — that is, how the vegan or vegetarian and the flesh-eater affect one another. It’s as if the animal isn’t part of the equation, but is an “absent referent.”*
Whereas those who have come to the realization that it is unjust and immoral to eat animals have added another layer to their consciousness. They constantly think and speak in terms of how the animal feels — of how the animal is affected, for good or ill, by the actions of us humans.
……..
*I don’t have Carol J. Adams’ book The Sexual Politics of Meat, so I searched for the term “absent referent” and found it here: http://en.wikipedia.com/wiki/Absent_referent.
Under the subtitle “Animal rights” Wiki writes: The idea of the absent referent was used by vegan feminist Carol J. Adams to explain a psycho-social detachment that occurs between the consumer and the “Other” when people eat meat. She writes:
Behind every meal of meat is an absence: the death of the animal whose place the meat takes. The “absent referent” is that which separates the meat eater from the animal and the animal from the end product. The function of the absent referent is to keep our “meat” separated from any idea that she or he was once an animal, to keep the “moo” or “cluck” or “baa” away from the meat, to keep something from being seen as having been someone.[3]
3. Adams, Carol J. The Sexual Politics of Meat. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2000 (first pub. 1990), p. 14.
I’ve had similar conversations. It is interesting that people can have empathy and compassion towards me and understand my beliefs but cannot extend or apply that to the nonhumans or themselves.
“smoke the thing” UGH. :( The cynic in me says that these people don’t actually have compassion or respect for you or your beliefs. They are merely paying lip service to avoid having to hear about them. Since the “thing” can’t talk (especially after s/he’s been killed) no such tokens are required.
The rest of me rejoices in these pictures. Thank you for posting them!
What great photos! I see a smile on everyone! How wonderful that these guys are safe and happy. Thank you for the good news for a change. ;)
Happy pigs are the best. They get grumpy over food, though. :)
Thanks for posting a positive story about pigs; we all needed it after the video came out. For more happy pig-action, check out Pigs Peace Sanctuary! http://pigspeace.org/main/index.html If you’re in Seattle, shop at Sidecar, the 100% vegan general store, where all profits go Pigs Peace!
What a great name: Pigs Peace Sanctuary! I’m sending the link and mention of Sidecar to a maybe-someday-vegan friend who works in Seattle and lives north of the city.
Each of your resident’s names is so, well, YUMMY! Not in a bacon-y way, just in a hugging-to-life way! I see you have a Carmelita, who sounds like she could be Carmen’s sister and who also reminds me of caramel apples. (I made a vegan batch of caramel sauce once, and it was delish on homemade vegan vanilla non-dairy ice cream.)
Thanks for sharing the joy. There’s plenty to go around when it comes to the little piggys who, blessedly, do NOT go to market.
Beautiful! And just what the doctor ordered. Thanks, Have! ♥
PS, I should have said, “Thanks, Marji.” “Havegonevegan” posted this on Twitter so I got confused. ;)
Such cute pigs! Pictures like these just have the power of making me (and hopefully anyone) super happy.
Beautiful pictures that so well reflect the nature of these affectionate beings. Ruby and Lucy grace our lives … and boy do they love belly rubs!!! Thanks Marji.
Yes, MFA’s footage is grim. But maybe it takes only a few relentlessly sane people :) to restore justice in an unjust world. Fellow activists, check out the new video presentation by James LaVeck from Tribe of Heart.
http://www.humanemyth.org/letsnotgiveup.htm