Letter to the Editor: Pig Wrestling Is Not Entertainment

On Sunday, August 19th, at the Valmy Thresheree the mud pig wrestling competition was held. Four-person teams chase a frightened pig in their attempt to catch it and put it on top of a barrel in under a minute.

According to the publicity for the event, “Judges keep their eyes on the pigs to keep their heads above water and keep them as safe as possible.”

Really? Is it humane to chase from all directions, jump on, confuse, scare, tackle, wrestle and drag a frantic, terrified animal, who has no idea of why he is being treated so cruelly? Furthermore, despite the common expression, “sweating like a pig,” they do not have sweat glands and are prone to heat stress, adding to the abuse to which they are already subjected.

In fact, if our beloved dogs and cats were treated like these poor pigs, there would be a public outcry and, very likely, the perpetrators would be put in jail.

Pig wrestling is not a victimless event. It is not entertainment. It should not be fun for the family. It is a barbaric activity, and pigs are exceptionally intelligent animals who deserve to be treated humanely as long as they are here on earth – before they end up on your dinner table.

JoAnne Rosenfeld

Egg Harbor, Wis.