Today I’m spot lighting the most maligned and arguably the most tortured and frequently eaten animal of all … this article is all about pigs. Demonised by some religions, scorned by others, called dirty, filthy, fat and greedy, the tender-hearted porker truly has a hard luck story to tell.

Pigs aren’t dirty by nature

You see, everything we thought we knew about this staunch, chubby fellow is a myth. For a start, pigs are not dirty by choice. In fact they are fastidious, squeaky clean beings which are easily house trained and wouldn’t dream of piddling on the Persian or poohing on the patio. Their reputation for poor hygiene is due to uncaring keepers who imprison them in small confined pens or paddocks which quickly become mud baths because of poor drainage and non-existent toilet facilities.

Omnivores by nature, pigs will eat almost anything although they appear to have a sweet tooth and, if given a choice, avoid sharp tasting foods like pineapple and onion. The inappropriate swirl which is usually chucked at them is nothing short of an insult on their sensitivities, but they will even eat waste, in an effort to satisfy their appetites. If allowed to fend for themselves, as nature intended, they are fitter, slimmer and healthier.

They’re family oriented creatures

Pigs are family oriented souls and when placed in a natural environment, live in small, close groups known as spinders. By nature they are extremely affectionate and demonstrative to those they know and trust, often nuzzling up to their beloveds in shows of tenderness.

Their occupation of choice is foraging over distances in order to make a living and provide for their kids. The exercise they get during these expeditions keep their large frames in optimum condition which is denied them in captivity. Nowadays, greedy farmers grow their ‘commodities’ as rapidly as possible, confining them to sties and depriving them of fit bodies and natural good health.

Pigs are deprived of their natural mothering instincts

Sows make excellent mothers and seldom lose a baby. However in the ‘fast’ food industry, space is money and Moms are squeezed into inadequate pens where often the little ones get unavoidably squashed, hence the horrific farrowing crates which are a violation of any new mother’s parental rights.

The pig’s official language is Piglish, which is consists of a wide and wonderful range of grunts which indicate pleasure; shrieks which signify fear and clucking noises demonstrating annoyance …. and of course there are all those secret little nuances in between. Piglets probably have the best set of lungs in the world as their danger squeals can often be heard in surrounding countries.

Their average life span is about the same as the domestic dog, and they have been proved to be just as smart as our four legged mutts. Pigs learn tricks and games very quickly, and due to their superior intelligence and excellent sense of smell, are used to detect land mines in war torn countries.

The pig’s most endearing quality by far is its passion for life

“There is so much we can learn from them. When they eat, they eat with lip-smacking relish; when they sleep, they sleep the deep still sleep of the guiltless; when they play, they play with the gleeful abandon of children unexpectedly let out of school; when they scream, they scream the soundtrack of a hundred horror movies; when they love, they love with all the passion of their innocent little hearts and they mourn their dead with unbelievable grief.”

- Dr. Lesley Lunn, Gauteng SPCA

Yet we have an entire industry devoted to turning pigs into food - treating them in a manner which denies their sentience, let alone their sensitivity.”

Spare a thought

So next time you’re eating breakfast or braaing chops on the fire, please spare a thought for the Babes in this world, together with all other voiceless creatures both great and small who at the very least, deserve to be treated with kindness, respect and the dignity.