(WSPA-international.)
Pigs of God is a cruel contest where pigs are force-fed to become as heavy as possible before being publicly slaughtered and paraded through the streets for a festival procession.
It takes as long as two years to force-feed the animals which is both psychologically and physically cruel. While the pigs are being fattened they are likely to suffer from organ damage, pressure sores from lying down for long periods and some owners will feed the animals metals and sand to make the pigs especially heavy.
It is against the law in Taiwan to force-feed or slaughter animals inhumanely in public. However the government is unwilling to intervene for fear of a backlash from religious groups who claim the contests are part of their tradition, even though the practice has only taken place for 30 years.
The Environment and Animal Protection Society of Taiwan (EAST) is campaigning to end this cruel and unnecessary contest. Instead, it is promoting an alternative, animal-friendly festival, where real animals are replaced by pigs made out of flowers, or other materials.
This would allow communities to continue celebrating their traditional festivals while putting an end to the pigs’ suffering and benefiting the Taiwanese tourism industry.
We the undersigned believe that this needs to end immediately. We understand this is a festival, and that the religious groups who put on this festival call this a tradition, even though it has only been going on for thirty years. Well, thirty years is thirty too many. To put these innocent creatures of Earth into pain and misery for two years, just to have them slaughtered in front of everyone and paraded around town is a disgrace. In your law, it is illegal to do this. Yet, you sit back and watch as these pigs cry for help. With all do respect, we should not have to worry about this. You, as the government in Taiwan, should. And here we are, signing this petition to help these pigs, while the LEADERS of Taiwan, a country, are too afraid to recognize that this is cruel and inhumane in many different ways. We, the signers of this petition, believe that this needs to end, and end now.
A friendly substitue has been introduced- why can't that be put into play? Their festival will still be celebrated, but the pigs once in danger of being stuffed, disgraced and slaughtered will be once again a free animal, roaming this planet as they once did.
Replacing these real and breathing animals who feel pain and anguish and sadness for fake pigs made out of flowers and other crafts is an ideal situation for everybody. PLEASE consider this. You will be saving so many lives.
Thank you for your time.
