Enrichment is mandatory for pigs in many jurisdictions, but the type of enrichment matters greatly. Comparing balls, chains, and straw reveals important lessons about meaningful enrichment for pigs.
Not all enrichment is equal. Providing pigs with hanging balls or chains technically satisfies legal minimums but does little to address the fundamental behavioral needs that drive tail biting, aggression, and stereotypies. Pigs are earth-working animals whose instinct to root and forage is frustrated by barren, slatted environments. Straw and other organic substrates are categorically superior because they allow pigs to engage in complex, prolonged foraging behavior. Regulatory reform that specifies quality and quantity of enrichment — not just its presence — is needed to close the gap between legal compliance and genuine welfare.