Pigs

In the fantastic worlds of Studio Ghibli’s master storyteller Hayao Miyazaki, pigs are parents, gods, and—yep—fighter pilots.

Every day, 3.8 million pigs are killed around the world. Pickles is one of the lucky few spared from this fate.

We all know the stereotype of pigs rolling around in mud. But how clean actually are these animals? Read on to find out about the wild world of pig hygiene—and 14 other cool facts!

Pig farming may seem like a way to care for, connect with, and spend time with intelligent animals. The stark reality is that many pig farmers end up trapped in a vicious spiral of debt, struggling to care for suffering pigs.

In a culture that primarily sees pigs as a source of food, it's easy to miss the fact that these creatures are highly intelligent, social, and empathetic. And they experience pain and suffering—just like us.

Thanks to the compassionate caregivers at Farm Animal Refuge, Firecracker the rescue pig overcame the cruelty of animal agriculture. His remarkable story shows us that every pig is a unique individual, worthy of our compassion and respect.

The meat industry repeatedly impregnates female pigs so it can raise and kill their newborn piglets. These female pigs will spend their entire pregnancies trapped in a “gestation crate”—a metal cage that is so tight, a pig can’t even turn around.

Pigs are subjected to horrific conditions on factory farms, but their suffering is unseen. Learn the truth about what happens behind closed doors.