Victory for Pigs! Canada Bans Gestation Crates

Confining mother pigs in gestation crates is an incredibly cruel practice that restricts the movement of these animals so much so that they cannot stand up or turn around. These intelligent and sentient animals must spend their entire lives in this terrible condition.

Thankfully, the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) and other animal protection advocates have worked to enact laws to ban gestation crates in the U.S. Currently, nine U.S. states — Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, and Rhode Island — have passed such laws. What’s more, some of the world’s largest food companies have announced that they will also eliminate gestation crates from their supply chains.

But, can we take it even further? Our neighbors to the north have showed us how it’s done by enacting a full ban on gestation crates in all of Canada!

According to the HSUS, “The ban is included in the National Farm Animal Care Council’s new Codes of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pigs. As mandated by the Codes, ‘For all holdings newly built or rebuilt or brought into use for the first time after July 1, 2014, mated gilts and sows must be housed in groups.’ The Codes also make clear the future of sow housing in Canada must allow animals greater freedom of movement.”

We are loving all this positive news for animals! This is an absolutely huge first step to creating a better environment for farm animals, and we hope that the U.S. follows suit.