What鈥檚 not to love about pigs? Did you know that pigs are more intelligent than dogs? These wonderful creatures are very social. They form close bonds with each other, and even humans and other animals around them. They enjoy playing with toys and interacting with their surroundings.
Thanks to the amazing Pixar movie 鈥淚nside Out鈥�, many of us will know how important dreams are in creating our memories. Well, pigs have excellent memories, and they show REM (rapid eye movement, which we relate to dreaming) in sleep just like we do.
Pigs can have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years, and having a great memory would have helped the pig鈥檚 ancestors to find food through the changing seasons, to know their friends and relatives, and avoid danger.
Right from the time they are piglets, they communicate with a wide variety of grunts and other noises. Even their little corkscrew tails play a role in communicating and will wag when the pig is happy.
Pigs are actually very clean, and will keep their waste in a specific area if given the space. Pigs will sometimes get dirty by choice 鈥� in order to stay cool, they will wallow in mud. They don鈥檛 have sweat glands like we do.
They have incredible noses, which they usually use to snuffle out food. Pigs have been trained to sniff out valuable truffles 鈥� underground fruit of fungi. And they have even been trained to sniff out bombs and land mines to help keep everyone safe.
When we think about pigs, we often think of them in their farmed environment. We might think of a classic rural red barn farm, but in reality, most pigs are kept in very tight factory farms where they are forced to live cheek to jowl, on top of hard floors covered in their waste. Disease is a very big risk, so lots of antibiotics are used on a regular basis and contribute to the development of superbugs that end up infecting humans as well.
The pigs that are raised for the flesh you see in the butcher aisle have been selected to be very fast growing, not to be healthy for their normal lifespan. Although pigs can live 15 to 20 years, most farmed pigs are killed between 8 months and 14 months old when they are basically toddlers. And they are not allowed to move much to ensure they pack on lots of weight, so they suffer from similar diseases as we do if we eat too much and don鈥檛 exercise 鈥� like arthritis and heart disease.
Pig moms have to endure extra stress and pain in many factory farms. Even in Canada, the 鈥済estation crates鈥� that keep a mom tightly confined when she has her piglets are supposed to be banned in all facilities. But in 2021 the planned phase out was changed from 2024 to 2029.
A thought experiment: I have told you about some of the amazing things about pigs, many of which will have you thinking about your beloved (and sorry folks, less intelligent!) dogs at home. Re-read the prior three paragraphs and instead of pigs and piglets 鈥� substitute Labradoodle and puppies? How does this make you feel?
And finally, for a great true story in praise of pigs, check out the tale of Christopher Hogwood in Sy Montgomery鈥檚 excellent book 鈥淗ow to Be a Good Creature鈥�.
