The Truth About the Gentle Pig

Most of the quips and cruel remarks we hear about pigs are completely false. They are not ‘dirty’, ’smelly’, ’sweaty’ nor do they ’stuff themselves’. These are all misnomers. In fact, the true reality is that pigs are very gentle, warm and loving animals that move around in social groups. They are a lot more intelligent than dogs and can respond to verbal conversation as well as play computer games, using their snouts to move the joysticks. Research has shown that they had a hit rate of 80%! They have a natural sense of direction which enables them to find their way back home. Living alongside humans, they memorised their names within just two to three weeks from birth, as piglets.

Pigs learn where to obtain food by watching one another and prefer to follow the leader of their group. Contrary to popular belief, pigs never sweat nor are they dirty at the slightest. In fact, the reality is that they cool off by lying in mud baths, much like we humans do at spas and come out very clean and smelling lovely. They are so hygiene conscious that they never excrete their waste around their living area. This is a stark contrast to pigs on factory farms who are intensively confined in filthy pens and crates.

These dignified mammals spend most of their time foraging and rooting. They have highly sensitive snouts which they use to explore foods like fruits, grasses and mushrooms. Water makes up one-half to two-thirds of its body weight. The larger the group, the more stable they feel. They have a very good memory and can recognise up to 30 different pigs. They prefer to sleep together as well, huddled in a nest which they can make within ten hours.

Pigs don’t only make “oink oink” sounds, they have a language and use their jaws to make chomping sounds. Some of which include, grunting, snarling, snorting, roaring and clacking.  Sows produce a distinct grunt to summon their piglets and tell them that it is time for suckling. Piglets even have a special distress sound which they make when separated unnaturally from their mothers.  Just as humans shake hands and hug one another, likewise, pigs rub noses and bodies together.

The bonding between piglets and their mothers is very powerful. Prior to birth, the pregnant sow makes a large nest for farrowing to protect them . Indeed, a mother can walk up to six miles to locate a suitable area to build it. The piglets start integrating into the herd over a period of 12 weeks and are gradually weaned prior to eating solid food.

Bearing these facts in mind, I conclude that we can learn a lot from these highly intelligent noble and honorable animals to improve ourselves as a humanitarian race and should allow them to roam freely in their natural environment where they truly belong instead of being confined inside abattoirs, factory farms and slaughterhouses.