Scottish government urged to ‘keep its commitment’ over a major animal welfare concern

Animal welfare charity OneKind is urging the Scottish government to uphold its commitment to consult on a phase out to cruel farrowing crates for pigs in Scotland.

OneKind: standing up for pigs

The Scottish government has committed to consult this year on phasing out cages for laying hens and gamebirds. However, the consultation will not include farrowing crates for mother pigs. This is despite the government’s previous Programme for Government commitment to consult on phasing out the use of farrowing crates.

The charity spent two days petitioning the Scottish parliament at Holyrood over the issue. It included a model life-size farrowing crate to encourage MSPs to ‘Stand Up for Pigs’ by calling on the Scottish government to consult as soon as possible on this, and by supporting policy measures that would incentivise and support farmers to transition to higher welfare systems.

OneKind set up tent in Holyrood on 30 January:

🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 We are at the Scottish Parliament for our Stand Up For Pigs exhibition, complete with a life-size farrowing crate🐖

👍 This week, we are looking forward to speaking with MSPs about our campaign to end the use of these cages for pigs🐷

❗️Take action: https://t.co/1qMwks50sT pic.twitter.com/FpUu46IYkP

— OneKind (@onekindtweet) January 30, 2024

Specifically, the life-size crate demonstrated the unspeakable conditions mothering pigs have to endure:

🐖 Our exhibition at the Scottish Parliament features a life-size farrowing crate.

🐖 This is a cage that a mother pig will be kept in for 5 weeks or more….she will be unable to even turn around…

❗️Stand up for pigs in just 5 mins with our e-action:https://t.co/1qMwks50sT pic.twitter.com/ePZC2s3CYj

— OneKind (@onekindtweet) January 30, 2024

Plenty of MSPs were happy to lend their support to OneKind’s campaign:

👍 We were pleased to speak with @CGrahameMSP today about our campaign to end the use of farrowing crates in Scotland🐖

👉Thank you Christine for stopping by our stall at the Scottish Parliament, which features a life-size farrowing crate.

👉 Learn more: https://t.co/SPyLcVHxEQ pic.twitter.com/UnvSRBZM7O

— OneKind (@onekindtweet) January 31, 2024

👍 We were pleased to speak with @MonicaLennon7 today at our Stand Up for Pigs exhibition at the Scottish Parliament🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

🐖 We are campaigning for @scotgov to also consult on a phase out to farrowing crates. And we need your help…

👉 Stand up for pigs:https://t.co/1qMwks50sT pic.twitter.com/NBP2n4qBHg

— OneKind (@onekindtweet) January 31, 2024

Scottish government: a ‘terrible cruelty’ that should “not be tolerated”

OneKind’s director Bob Elliot said:

Farrowing crates are terribly cruel and strip the mother pig of her ability to carry out natural behaviours or bond with her piglets.

In the UK, most sows are kept indoors and endure multiple pregnancies during their miserable lives. A pregnant sow is placed in a crate shortly before giving birth and remains in this restrictive cage for up to 5 weeks or more. She can struggle to stand up and is completely unable to turn around. The crate is barely bigger than her own body.

She cannot interact with, let alone care for, her piglets, beyond allowing them to suckle through the bars.

Such deprivation should not be tolerated in the 21st century.

On the support for a ban, Bob continued:

The majority of Scots support an end to the use of farrowing crates and 63% support the government assisting farmers to move from using farrowing crates to cage-free methods.* Pig farmer producers in Scotland have also expressed willingness to phase out the use of farrowing crates if that transition is well planned, and they are supported to do so.

The Scottish government must not let Scots down. They must uphold their commitment to consult on the phase out of cruel farrowing crates for pigs.

Farmed animals deserve the same consideration we give our beloved cats and dogs. The very least we can do is stop confining them to cages.

You can get involved with OneKind’s campaign by writing a letter to the Scottish government here.

Feature image via OneKind