For the First Time in 39 Years, Pigs Won’t Be Chased at Pa. Fair
UPDATE: Activism works! Thanks to Pennsylvania animal rights supporter Kelly Lehman, pigs and roosters will not be tormented this year at Pennsylvania’s Ephrata Fair. Kelly and her friends spent a year campaigning against the fair’s pig and rooster chases —in which adults and children wildly chase, grab, and tackle young, frightened pigs and roosters in front of a screaming crowd—targeting the Ephrata National Bank, one of the fair’s sponsors, with protests and phone calls. Their efforts paid off: The cruel spectacles, which had been held for 39 years, were canceled this year (we hope permanently).
If you want to stand up for animals, too, we have a guide to help you get started.
Originally posted October 21, 2015
When Kelly Lehman intervened at a cruel pig chase at The Ephrata Fair in Pennsylvania, she was arrested, and she now faces charges of disorderly conduct.
You can see her attempt to help the pigs just before she’s pursued by uniformed officers in this video:
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Energies got high tonight at the Ephrata Fair. We could not simply stand there and record the abuses. They continued to use the same few pigs over and over again. The little pigs gave up on running, but they still screamed. Their screams could be heard over the entire crowd of hundreds of people. It was absolutely horrible. The crowd was terrible, as you will see in the video. Some of these people were absolutely out of their minds. A very large grown man assaulted me in full view of authorities, but the cops were so worried about getting Kahdashia off the field they didn’t even reprimand the man who literally left bruises on my back because he was trying to push me over so I could not record. Any one who attended these pigs chases tonight as mere spectators should be absolutely mortified with themselves. Teaching your children to bully animals is not okay. What kind of behaviors are we enforcing when a crowd claps for a child who is hurting an animal? What messages does this send? YES – – we got emotional. BUT a good demonstration is going to be emotional. We are fighting for the freedom of life. We are fighting for respect, love, and kindness for all beings, not just human beings. A man actually accused me of doing drugs with his kids and I feel so sorry for his children. I was completely shocked that the police did not see the insanity in these people. My mind is blown, once again, at the arrogance and ignorance of not only citizens but of the enforces we trust to protect us, to protect the peace. Do not trust a system that works to oppress any living creature. “The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.” We are those people. We are pioneers on the journey to liberation and freedom for all life.
Posted by Crystal Lynn Wanner on Tuesday, September 22, 2015
Pigs are friendly, loyal, and intelligent, and studies have shown that they’re smarter than 3-year-old children. When in their natural surroundings—not on factory farms—pigs are social, playful, protective animals who bond with each other, make nests, relax in the sun, and cool off in the mud. Pigs are known to dream, recognize their own names, learn “tricks” like sitting for a treat, and lead social lives of a complexity previously observed only in primates.
What You Can Do
Stand up for pigs and start saving them today by leaving them off your plate and pledging to go vegan! You can also order PETA’s free vegan starter kit for great tips and free recipes to help you make the transition to an animal-friendly diet.
