Pigs demonstrate cognitive abilities comparable to dogs in some tasks. Understanding pig intelligence has profound implications for how we assess and manage their welfare in commercial farming systems.
The cognitive complexity of pigs creates a moral imperative to take their welfare seriously that is difficult to reconcile with current intensive farming practices. Intelligent animals denied cognitive stimulation, social complexity, and opportunities for exploration experience a form of suffering that is qualitatively different from simple physical discomfort. Recognising pig intelligence is not anthropomorphism but an acknowledgment of the scientific evidence that should inform our ethical obligations to this species. Enrichment provision, stable social groups, and space for exploration are welfare requirements, not optional extras, for a cognitively complex species.