8 Facts You Probably Didn’t Know About Ham

1. No Federal Laws Protect Pigs on Factory Farms


Unfortunately, not a single federal law protects animals during their lives on factory farms. The Humane Methods of Slaughter Act pertains to cows and pigs only at the slaughterhouse, providing zero protection to them for the majority of their lives.

2. Sick Piglets Are Killed in Horrific Ways


Piglets who are too sick or who aren’t growing fast enough are gruesomely killed. Many are slammed headfirst onto concrete floors, and others are tossed into overcrowded gassing carts where they slowly suffocate from CO2.

3. Pig Farming Is Destroying Our Waterways


With thousands of animals crammed into a single farming facility, millions of tons of feces, urine, and blood require disposal. The result is massive toxic waste lagoons that can become so taxed they overflow and seep into water tables, rivers, and streams, creating a toxic mess.

4. Pregnant Pigs Are Kept in Extreme Confinement


The pork industry’s use of gestation crates, which keep pigs immobilized, is one of the worst forms of institutionalized animal abuse in existence. In fact, these crates are so cruel they’ve been banned in nine states and the entire European Union.

5. Pig Farms Are Breeding Grounds for Dangerous Bacteria


On factory farms, antibiotics are used to make animals grow faster and keep them alive in conditions that would otherwise kill them. Bacteria can develop resistance to these antibiotics, making it virtually impossible to treat humans who become infected by these “superbugs.”

6. Piglets Are Mutilated Without Painkillers


Piglets are taken from their mothers when they’re as young as 10 days old. After having their tails cut off, their teeth clipped, and their testicles ripped out without any painkillers, they’re packed into filthy, overcrowded pens.

7. Pigs Receive Little to No Veterinary Care


As countless Mercy For Animals investigations have documented, many pigs are left to suffer from open wounds, serious injuries, and infections without proper veterinary care. As long as factory farmers prioritize profit over animal welfare, animals will pay the price.

8. Pigs Are Incredibly Smart


Pigs are considered the fifth-most intelligent animal in the world—even more intelligent than dogs—and are capable of playing video games with more focus and success than chimps! Despite this, factory farmers treat them as meat-producing machines.

We can take a stand for animals, and the environment, by ditching pork and other animal products.

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