The Charleston Gazette-Mail reports that over 150 pigs destined for slaughter were left unattended in a sitting trailer for hours in West Virginia last week.
According to reports, numerous bystanders called 9-1-1, complaining about an abandoned truck and “panting pigs. The Charleston Fire Department sprayed water on the trailer to cool down the pigs, and a towing company unlocked the cab. Authorities quickly found the driver’s cellphone inside.
The driver, Keith Stikeleather, said he went for a walk and lost track of time, returning three hours later.
While no pigs died during the ordeal, they were sadly sent on their way to the slaughterhouse where they faced the inevitable. The driver’s reckless and negligent behavior only added to their unnecessary suffering.
Pigs are as intelligent and friendly as the dogs and cats we all know and love. In fact, they’re considered the fifth-most intelligent animal. Despite this, millions of pigs are kept in cruel factory farms where they are subjected to extreme confinement, mutilations without painkillers, and ruthless slaughter.
What’s more, these gentle animals face extreme misery during transport, exposed to sweltering heat and freezing temperatures.
A 2014 Mercy For Animals investigation into Western Hog Exchange in Alberta revealed frightened animals who had been transported hundreds of miles in excruciating heat suffering from heat stress and dehydration.
Watch.
All farmed animals deserve compassion. The best thing consumers can do to protect them is simply to stop eating them.
For tips on switching to a vegan diet, click here.
