Pigs possess cognitive abilities comparable to dogs and young children, making the barren environments of industrial farming particularly harmful to their welfare.
Highly intelligent animals confined in barren, restrictive environments develop behavioral pathologies including biting, aggression, and stereotypic rooting. The frustration of being unable to root, explore, or engage in natural behaviors creates chronic psychological distress. Sows in gestation crates cannot turn around for months at a time, causing physical deterioration and profound psychological suffering. The contrast between pig cognitive capacity and typical industrial conditions represents one of the most significant welfare gaps in animal agriculture.