‘Babe’ Star James Cromwell Urges Shenandoah County Fair to End Cruel Pig Scramble Event

For Immediate Release:
July 21, 2026

Contact:
Moira Colley 202-483-7382

With the Shenandoah County Fair just weeks away, Oscar-nominated actor and PETA honorary board member James Cromwell sent a letter today to fair manager Dawn Burch, urging her to cancel the annual “pig scramble” event—in which young children are encouraged to grab piglets, tackle them, throw themselves on top of them, and drag them by their legs.

In the letter, Cromwell shares how his own life was changed by Babe’sstar, through whom he learned that pigs are intelligent, affectionate individuals who experience fear and a desire to live free from harm. The actor urges fair officials to imagine the terror piglets endure in the scramble—torn from everything familiar, surrounded by chaos, then chased and roughly handled in ways that veterinary experts confirm can result in serious injuries, suffering, and lasting trauma.

“Traditions should bring out the best in us. They should reflect our values and teach our children compassion, not indifference to another’s pain,” Cromwell writes. “I urge you to let this be the moment when the fair turns a page. Please end the pig scramble and replace it with something that aligns with the kindness and respect that so many in your community hold dear.”

Earlier this month, PETA wrote Burch and offered to sponsor a “spud run,” “tater trot” or other cruelty-free event to replace the scramble.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way”—points out that when it comes to the ability to feel pain, hunger, and thirst, a pig is a dog is a boy. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.

Cromwell’s letter to Burch follows.

Dear Ms. Burch:

I’m writing with a heavy heart about the Shenandoah County Fair’s “pig scramble.” It’s difficult to fathom that tiny pigs—some just six weeks old—are trucked for up to three hours, only to be released into a chaotic pen where they are chased, grabbed, and overwhelmed by a crowd of children. What should be a place of community pride has instead become a scene of fear for the most vulnerable.

My own life was changed decades ago by a pig named Babe. Through him, I came to understand what science has long confirmed: pigs are sensitive, intelligent individuals. They form bonds, feel joy, and experience fear just as deeply as the dogs and cats we cherish. When we look into their eyes, we are looking into a being who wants to live, to feel safe, to be free from harm.

That is not what awaits the piglets at this event. Imagine their terror—taken from everything familiar, surrounded by noise and confusion, then pursued and handled roughly by dozens of hands. Veterinary experts have made it clear that this kind of treatment causes real suffering: injuries, both visible and unseen, and lasting trauma.

Traditions should bring out the best in us. They should reflect our values and teach our children compassion, not indifference to another’s pain. Surely, Shenandoah County can create something just as joyful and far more humane—an event that families can celebrate without causing fear and injury to animals.

I urge you to let this be the moment when the fair turns a page. Please end the pig scramble and replace it with something that aligns with the kindness and respect that so many in your community hold dear.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

James Cromwell