He Reported Animal Abuse at the State Fair—Then Got Banned for Life
After hearing a pig crying out in distress at the Iowa State Fair, a man reportedly took out his cell phone and started recording. The distressing video that he captured shows a boy repeatedly whipping a pig in the face with a “show stick” while attempting to load the animal onto a trailer. When the pig doesn’t comply, the beatings appear to intensify. By the end of the short cell phone video, red marks are clearly visible on the pig’s face. This distressing view of what “animal husbandry” means to farmers and young people in programs like 4-H and FFA is yet more proof that there’s no humane way to raise animals for food. Watch the shocking video:
When the man who filmed this incident reported it to fair officials, apparently, no immediate action was taken against those who were seen harming the pig. Instead, the fair took the extraordinary measure of punishing the man who filmed the alleged cruelty by banning him for life. The Iowa State Fair’s own rules plainly prohibit “[t]he use of showing and/or handling practices or devices such as striking animals to cause swelling”—yet that’s exactly what was captured in the video.
It’s shameful that the Iowa State Fair sanctioned the good Samaritan who spoke out against the abuse of a crying pig and apparently didn’t take allegations of animal cruelty seriously. Everyone who’s rightly horrified by this video should go vegan and tell friends and family members to stay away from 4-H and FFA programs, which harden kids’ hearts and stamp out their natural compassion for animals. We shouldn’t teach children the dangerous message that it’s acceptable to hit their animal friends—with whom they’ve likely bonded for months—or send the animals to the slaughterhouse, where they’ll be subjected to a violent, terrifying death.
You Can Help Animals in Situations Like This
If you see an animal in imminent danger—or if abuse is already taking place—and you know specifically where to find this animal, call your local police department right away. If the police are unresponsive, please contact PETA immediately.
You can make a difference for all animals used for food by going vegan today. We’ve got all the tips and tools you’ll need to make the transition easy:
