Pigs who are unlucky enough to be born into the world of animal agriculture know nothing but terror from the moment they are born. Ripped away from their mothers mere hours or days after birth, pigs on factory farms are forced to live in conditions that would make any animal lover’s stomach churn. They are marked with a number and stuffed into a cramped shed with thousands of others. They’re forced to stand in their own urine and feces, locked in cages that have hardly any room to turn around.

Factory farms have gotten away with treating animals like this for years because they have been able to sell people on the idea that pigs are not lovable companion animals like dogs and cats. Pigs instead are seen as dumb, filthy animals that basically eat and slop in mud all day. They don’t want people finding out that pigs are actually incredibly intelligent and emotional beings. Studies have shown that pigs possess the ability to empathize with one another, they can perform tricks just like a dog can, and they even come running when they hear their name.

Pigs are also remarkably affectionate with others, a trait that is usually buried under the horror of factory farming but truly blossoms if a pig is lucky enough to end up in a sanctuary.

Just look at this curious pig gazing tenderly at this sleeping piglet. Looks like a new friendship in the making to us! 

After witnessing a tender moment like this, it’s impossible to say that pigs aren’t as sweet and loving as our dogs and cats. When treated with compassion and kindness, all pigs are capable of receiving and doling out an enormous amount of love. The pigs in the photo above are no different than the pigs that are slaughtered day after day at factory farms. The only difference is that these pigs are in a sanctuary where they are celebrated, not tortured. To learn more about Santuario Igualdad Interespecie, click here.

Image source: Santuario Igualdad Interespecie/Facebook