We Documented Horrific Mistreatment of Pigs on a “High Welfare” Farm and This is What Happened

On April 30th, Animal Equality released an undercover investigation into a “quality assured” pig farm in Scotland. The investigator’s footage showed abuse and neglect, including piglets being hit with hammers and mother pigs with prolapsed organs hanging outside of their bodies while receiving no veterinary care. When they reach market weight, pigs raised on the farm are killed at a nearby slaughterhouse contracted by Pilgrim’s Pride, a meat company that supplies major grocery retailers and restaurants.  

HERE’S WHAT HAPPENED IN THE WEEKS SINCE WE EXPOSED WHAT WAS HAPPENING ON THE FARM:

1. Farm workers and operators are currently under investigation for criminal wrongdoing.

2. Philip Sleigh, the owner of the farm and prominent figure in the pig industry, has stepped down as Chairman of the Pig Standard Setting Committee of Quality Meat Scotland, and is no longer a board member of Quality Meat Scotland (the organization responsible for certifying farms and slaughterhouses for quality and humane standards).

3. The farm lost its Quality Meat Scotland accreditation.

4. The investigation findings were published in The Times newspaper, The Independent, and many other news outlets. It also made the front page of one of Scotland’s most popular newspapers, The Press and Journal.

5. Major UK supermarkets Tesco and Lidl stopped purchasing meat that comes from the farm. 

6. Thousands of people watched, read, and shared the investigation on social media, inducing Scottish actor Karen Gillan (Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle, and Avengers: Endgame), who shared the UK petition with her 7.3 million Instagram followers.

7. Thousands of UK residents added their names to the petition calling on the government to increase legal protections for pigs. The petition has now reached more than 25,000 signatures. 

8. We’ve received an influx of comments and messages from people around the world who said they’ve stopped eating pig and other meat products after viewing the footage of the farm. 

“I’ve known for a long time, like we all do, the cruelty of eating meat. But when I read an article like this I feel sick that I’ve supported this industry by being a meat eater. That’s it for me. No more excuses.”

9. Local activists held a protest and are calling for the farm to be shut down.

WHAT YOU CAN DO: Help us keep the momentum going. If you were appalled by what you saw in our investigation video please share it to help others learn the truth, too. Too many people are misled by the meat industry’s “high welfare” claims and other misleading marketing tactics, but now that you know the truth, you can help make a difference. The best way we can all help animals is by simply leaving them off our plates altogether, and urging others to do the same.