A National Pig Day Reminder: The ‘Humane Meat’ Myth

Whether the new month is coming in like a lion or a lamb, March 1 is National Pig Day, which, according to its cofounder, has been set aside “to accord the pig its rightful, though generally unrecognized, place” as a smart and social animal. George Clooney and his dear departed companion pig would agree.

And while there are plenty of great ways to celebrate our curly-tailed pals, none of them involves eating pork. Pigs raised and killed for meat spend their entire lives in cramped, filthy warehouses under the constant stress of intense confinement and are denied everything that is natural and important to them before being violently slaughtered.

Now, some folks would like you to believe that you can have your (nonfakin‘) bacon and a clear conscience, too—but that’s a bigger load of, um, manure than even a factory farm generates. Long story short: There is no such thing as “humane meat.”

But here’s PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk to explain that (and read a cute poem):

The good news is that March is also the month for the annual observance of Meatout, so there’s no better time than right now to kick the cruelty habit in favor of healthy and humane vegan foods—and PETA can help you get started!