For 6 months the Investigation Team of Essere Animali documented a pig farm supplying Parma Ham.
This video will leave you speechless. It shows how terrible suffering for animals can hide even behind brands considered as the excellence of Made in Italy: pigs left agonizing and die, cannibalism and violent handling from workers. This footage forces us to understand the importance of our choices to help animals.
WHAT WE FILMED
AGONIZING ANIMALS
Sick pigs whou wouldn’t make it to slaughter are left to day in the corridors of the farm. Deprived of food and water for days, they wait death in slow and painful agony. The dead ones are then pulled out with ropes.
CANNIBALISM
A completely barren environment stresses animals and they vent frustrations on each other. In farms piglets tails are cut off, without any anesthesia, in order to limit this problem. But even this cruel practice cannot stop pigs from mutilating and infecting others, biting ears and the remains of their tails.
VIOLENT HANDLING
We filmed workers move the animals out of their pens using sticks, lifting them by their legs and throwing them on the floor. In the corridors they get kicked in order to let them move.
SISTEMATIC VIOLATIONS
According to European law pigs should be able to feed all at the same time, in order to avoid “food fights” and allow even weaker ones to get to their food. In this farm supplying Parma Ham the mangers are illegal: they are too small and many animals cannot have regular access to food.
PARMA HAM:
NUMBERS AND INFOS
Parma Ham production is regulated by standards set by a Consortium, under which farms, slaugherhouses and processing companies work.
Despite certifications of quality like Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) untill the production of ham will be so huge, animals will be confined in factory farms.
Here pigs are deprived of all their needs and, as this investigation shows, even behind a famous and world renowned brand there can be illegal and brutal practices making animals’ lives even harsher.
PIG: an unknown animal
Whoever interacted with a pig saved from slaughter can say these are extremely social, intelligent, loving and playful animals.
Science confirms it: pigs are able to feel joy, fear and other emotions. They are also able to solve intelligence tests and recognise their names, just like our pets do. They are extremely curious: when given the possibility they spend 70% of time looking for new places to root.
YOUR CHOICE CAN SAVE ANIMALS
Eating ham and other animal products is not necessary for our health. We like the taste of this food, but the production system behind it is a source of extreme suffering for millions of animals in farms.
You can leave suffering off your plate. A healthier, animal friendly and environmentally sound diet can be the best choice you will ever make!
Our mission is to uncover reality.
Help us!
Thanx to the field work of ur Investigation Team millions can see the harsh reality of animal abuse in farms and slaughterhouses. This work directly saves animals, but cannot go on without your precious support.