Amazing facts about pigs

100% of pigs can't fly. 98% of pigs can't live.

Pigs can’t fly. But they can play. They can talk. They can empathize. And they can love.

Yet, 97% of pigs in the United States will never get the chance to. Instead, they’ll be raised in crowded factory farms and warehouses, with no access to the green pastures they so desperately long for—a far cry from Old McDonald’s farm.

When given a healthy environment, pigs are magnificent, intelligent, lovable creatures. In fact, Emory University professors describe pigs as “highly social,” having a “robust memory,” able to retrieve a frisbee, play with a ball, sit, fetch, and jump when asked, and are highly motivated by food. In other words, they are just like dogs.

So why don’t we treat them as friends, not food? Good question.

If you're still not convinced, consider the following: 

• Pigs are smart.
  • Move over Lassie, there’s a new Babe in town. According to animal researchers, pigs are one of the most intelligent domestic animals on the planet, and consistently surpass both dogs and three-year old children on tests designed to measure intelligence and problem-solving skills.

• Pigs talk.
  • Pigs communicate constantly with each other, and have more than 20 different sounds for different situations—everything from “I’m hungry" to a mother pig singing to her babies while nursing.

• Pigs play.
  • And not just in the mud. Pigs understand commands such as “sit” and “jump,” they can also comprehend the concept of playing fetch or running and receiving a ball.

• Pigs love.
  • Who needs puppy love when you could have piggy love? Pigs are identical to dogs in their love of giving and receiving affection. Pigs can form deep and lifelong friendships, not only with other pigs, but with humans and other species, too. Don’t believe me? Take it up with the real life Timon and Pumbaa.

• Pigs are romantics.
  • Pigs snuggle close to one another and like sleeping nose to nose. Much like humans, they like to dream, listen to music, play outside, sunbathe, and explore. (I'm sure they'd even take a candle lit dinner if you offered them one.)

• Pigs are, well, kind of like us.
  • In the words of Sir Winston Churchill, “I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.” The least we could do is treat them the same.

Wear your heart on your chest,
and check out The Vegan Age pig collection.