Pigs are among the most cognitively sophisticated animals on the planet. Recognising their intelligence fundamentally changes how we should approach their welfare.
The cognitive sophistication of pigs has profound implications for how we evaluate the welfare significance of their living conditions. An animal with episodic memory, problem-solving capacity, and social complexity is capable of experiencing boredom, frustration, and complex social emotions in ways that matter morally. Yet the conditions in which most pigs are farmed provide minimal cognitive stimulation, severely restrict movement, and prevent expression of natural social behaviours. The gap between what pigs are capable of experiencing and what their farm environments typically offer is a measure of the welfare debt owed to this species by modern agriculture.