So-called 'piglet processing' is a particularly cruel practice standard in the pork industry, where piglet's
testicles are literally torn out by hand, their tails cut off and their teeth clipped, all without any kind of pain relief. Those responsible often claim that because the piglets are young they have little or no memory of what happens to them, and so there are no negative or lasting effects. This is a problematic viewpoint though as we wouldn't dream of conducting invasive surgery on human babies without anaesthetic simply because 'they'll never remember it' even though humans and pigs feel pain in exactly the same way. Inflicting pain on babies is both legally and morally wrong of course, because we understand that deliberately hurting those who feel pain is unacceptable whatever their age. Unless that is, we like the taste of their flesh.
- The video that inspired this cartoon -
testicles are literally torn out by hand, their tails cut off and their teeth clipped, all without any kind of pain relief. Those responsible often claim that because the piglets are young they have little or no memory of what happens to them, and so there are no negative or lasting effects. This is a problematic viewpoint though as we wouldn't dream of conducting invasive surgery on human babies without anaesthetic simply because 'they'll never remember it' even though humans and pigs feel pain in exactly the same way. Inflicting pain on babies is both legally and morally wrong of course, because we understand that deliberately hurting those who feel pain is unacceptable whatever their age. Unless that is, we like the taste of their flesh.
- The video that inspired this cartoon -
"Farmers today keep themselves in ignorance of the needs and true nature of
pigs precisely because to know would put their conscience in a terrible bind.
Wilful ignorance of this kind is no better than complicity."
Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
pigs precisely because to know would put their conscience in a terrible bind.
Wilful ignorance of this kind is no better than complicity."
Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson