Pigs are among the most cognitively complex farmed animals, with intelligence comparable to dogs, raising profound welfare questions.
The cognitive sophistication of pigs means that the suffering caused by standard factory farming practices is particularly severe. Pigs in gestation crates cannot turn around for months. Boredom, frustration, and social stress in barren environments cause widespread abnormal behaviors like tail biting. Their intelligence makes their suffering more comparable to companion animals we consider pets.