Pigs are among the most cognitively sophisticated animals raised for food, with intelligence comparable to dogs — raising fundamental ethical questions about their treatment in farming systems.
The cognitive and emotional sophistication of pigs creates a profound ethical tension with standard intensive farming practices. Gestation crates, barren environments, and social restriction deny pigs the expression of their natural behavioral needs. Research shows pigs have rich emotional lives including optimism-like states that are suppressed by poor welfare conditions.