When Is Slamming a Terrified Piglet to the Ground Kid-friendly Entertainment?
Maine’s 25 fairs are enjoyed by hundreds of thousands of visitors each year to celebrate Maine’s agricultural heritage and traditions. Unfortunately, there is one activity that is an outdated form of entertainment that fairs should consider discontinuing - pig scrambles.
Modern science shows pigs share human characteristics like creativity, self awareness, the ability to perceive the passage of time, fierce devotion to family, the ability to trick social companions, feelings of joy and disappointment, and pain. Scientists compare the intelligence of pigs to that of dogs or young children. Now envision what a pig scramble is for that animal.
Piglets (generally 8–12 weeks old) are terrified on many levels between being taken from their mothers, then forced into a show ring with dozens of screaming children chasing them, brutally tackled, and pulled at, and ultimately stuffed into bags . They are prey animals, so it is their nature to be frightened by someone larger, who represents a predatory threat. You have 8-12 year old children tackling, teaming up and pulling at the limbs of 16-22 pound terrified infant animals.
Piglets may sustain serious injuries during the chase, such as dislocated shoulders/hips/knees/elbows, serious internal injuries, crushed organs, broken bones, and other serious pain and harm. Yet animal cruelty is never charged.
These scrambles are violent events disguised as a fun fair game for children. The kids are not to blame, but when we normalize violence and cruelty towards animals for our children, we teach them that it’s acceptable to hurt those who are vulnerable. When we condone events like pig scrambles, we instill lessons that permeate children’s morality and show them that this behavior is acceptable.
How can you help? Join MFOA’s initiative to contact Maine’s 25 fairs and request they consider ending these events. Note to them that this request has nothing to do with fairs in general, farmers, 4H, agriculture etc. Emphasize this is just about one outlier activity at the fair. Moreover, it can be replaced, as it has in other fairs, with elementary school children carrying watermelons slicked with vegetable oil around an obstacle course of hay bales, under a limbo stick, and around a barrel in a timed race. One of the largest Maine fairs, Common Grounds County Fair in Unity, has banned pig scrambles as they view them as inhumane. Our goal is to get as many fairs in Maine to do the same.
Here is how you can help!
Go to https://www.mainefairs.net/ and you will find a list of the 25 fairs in Maine on the right side of the homepage. Each has a ‘contact us’ link or it is at the bottom of the homepage. Find the fair closest to you. The information may vary, but most have fair officials’ email and/or phone number. Be sure to mention where you live and that you appreciate the fair, but politely explain your request. This is just about needless animal abuse and teaching our children a more humane way to interact with animals. Request a response and please keep MFOA informed of your appeal.
