According to multiple studies, pigs are the most intelligent domesticated animal. They love to play, can distinguish between familiar and stranger pigs, and are very clean, contrary to stereotypes. According to Lori Marino, a neuroscientist and founder of the Kimmela Center for Animal Advocacy, and Christina M. Colvin, a professor at Emory University, pigs have been found to be mentally and socially similar to dogs and chimpanzees. So what makes it okay for people to be eating bacon as opposed to chimpanzee meat? In terms of intelligence, these animals are at the same level. Not only this, but there are many other reasons as to why pork should not be consumed by humans.
Why You Should Eat Less Pork
- Bad for your Health
Cured pork—such as ham, sausage, or bacon—are packed with cholesterol and saturated fats. This leads to weight gain and clogged arteries, and can cause more serious health issues such as heart disease, diabetes, arthritis, osteoporosis, Alzheimer’s, asthma, and impotence. Four strips of bacon contain around 880 mg of sodium, which is, according to Time, 40% of the government-recommended daily value. Processed meats and high levels of sodium are also linked to multiple chronic health conditions. Additionally, pig farms are usually filthy, meaning that the pigs catch diseases and are forced to live off of antibiotics. The overuse of antibiotics leads to “super bacteria”, which humans then consume. By consuming these anti-resistant bacterial strains, people will then be immune to the antibiotics that doctors prescribe to them for their own illnesses.
- Pigs are Intelligent
As stated before, pigs are incredibly intelligent animals, even smarter than the average pet dog. Lori Marino and Christina Colvin found that pigs have excellent long-term memories, live in complex social communities where they keep track of individuals and learn from one another, can use a mirror to find hidden food, and can even manipulate a joystick as if they are playing a video game! Some have even compared a pig’s intelligence to that of a 3-year-old child. Additionally, a common misconception about pigs is that they are dirty and disgusting animals, when it is actually the complete opposite! Pigs tend to separate their feeding and waste areas, and only roll around in mud to cool off due to their lack of sweat glands.
- Farms are Unethical
Mother pigs spend most of their time in gestation crates, which are extremely small. PETA shares that these pigs are repeatedly impregnated until the point of their slaughter. Then, the piglets are taken away from their mothers at an early stage to have their tails chopped off and their teeth are pulled out with pliers without painkillers. This is due to the fact that the farms are extremely crowded, causing the pigs to gnaw on each other’s tails as the only way to stimulate their brains. Additionally, transport trucks to the slaughterhouse are just as bad as the farms. Pigs are crammed together with no food or water, and many lay in pain for hours. In some cases, trucks flip over, throwing over injured pigs and leaving them to die on the road. Considering the intelligence of these animals, these are very traumatizing situations to endure.
- Bad for the Environment
There are 75 million pigs on factory farms, and 121 million total are killed for food each year. High-density pig production can release excessive amounts of nitrogen and phosphorus into the environment, and the high doses of copper and zinc fed to pigs to promote growth eventually accumulate in the soil. These greenhouse gases are extremely bad for the environment and contribute to climate change. Additionally, pig feces pollutes water and there was even a report that the pollution killed around 14 million fish in 1995. This type of situation is not uncommon amongst overproduction in other farm animals as well, and if it is not reduced or stopped, our environment will suffer the consequences.
What to Eat Instead of Pork?
To rescue the millions of pigs that are suffering on these farms, you can stop supporting them by eliminating pork from your diet. There are faux pork products that you can find at your local grocery store, and there are also alternatives that are made from fruit and other vegetables! For example, jackfruit, watermelon, and tempeh can serve as replacements for pork. If completely getting rid of pork is something that does not seem possible, another option is buying from a local farm. Local farms give you the opportunity to talk to the farmer and discuss how the pigs are raised. If the pigs are given ample space to graze and are not stuck in filthy cages, then buying from them would be much better compared to buying from large industries.