Welfare Science

Pig Welfare Sanctuary Models

Farm animal sanctuaries providing lifetime care for pigs demonstrate natural pig behaviour and serve as ambassadors for welfare improvement in commercial systems.

Key Facts

Pigs in sanctuary environments live 10-15 years versus 6 months in commercial systems
Sanctuary pigs demonstrate complex social behaviour, play, problem-solving and emotional responses
Animal sanctuaries provide evidence of pigs' cognitive and emotional capacities that inform welfare standards
Sanctuary pig content shared on social media significantly increases public empathy for farm pig welfare
Sanctuaries serve as rehabilitation centres for pigs rescued from welfare crises

Welfare Considerations

Farm animal sanctuaries provide both welfare for rescued individuals and powerful evidence of pig capacities that motivates welfare improvement. They are complementary to systemic welfare change rather than an alternative.

What You Can Do

Support farm animal sanctuaries through donation, volunteering or visiting
Share sanctuary pig content with your networks to build public empathy for farm animal welfare
Visit a pig sanctuary to see natural pig behaviour and build personal motivation for welfare action