On Saturday, we took to the streets of Edinburgh to call for a ban on farrowing crates in Scotland.

Alongside our volunteers, we gathered on one of the city centre’s busy streets, Princes Street, with a life-sized replica of a farrowing crate, a large-scale information board, pig masks, and placards to highlight the many welfare issues caused by farrowing crates.

A pregnant pig will be placed in these extremely restrictive crates a week before her due date and she will remain there with her piglets until they are weaned at around 4 weeks.

The group chatted to passersby about the cruelty of farrowing crates, gathered public support and even secured coverage of the demonstration by The Herald and Third Force News.

OneKind Campaigner, Eve Massie Bishop, said of the day: 

“Five years ago, we demonstrated for a ban on cages for egg-laying hens and farrowing crates for mother pigs in this very exact spot. 

“Since then, the Scottish Government has consulted on phasing out cages for egg-laying hens, which is very welcome news. However, despite its commitment in its 2021-2022 Programme for Government to do so, the Government has failed to consult on a phase out of farrowing crates for mother pigs. 

“People often assume that these cages aren’t in use in Scotland, and sadly that is just not the case. Indeed, many of the passers-by we spoke to today were appalled that these cages are still legal in Scotland”.

Take Action 

OneKind volunteer, Victoria, told us she joined the demonstration because "no mother should be kept in a cage", while volunteer, Jamie, called the cages ‘cruel’ and called on the Scottish Government to put an end to them. 

What’s the problem with farrowing crates? 

A pregnant sow will suffer tremendously in these confining crates.  

She is unable to turn around or move beyond lying down and standing up, sometimes with difficulty, as the crate is barely bigger than her own body.  

She cannot build a nest for her piglets, which she is strongly motivated to do, nor interact with or care for her piglets (beyond allowing them to suckle through bars). 

Almost 6,000 Stand Up for Pigs

Almost 6,000 of OneKind’s supporters have written to the agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie, urging him to help phase out the use of farrowing crates. 

Christine Grahame MSP has also lodged a motion, which was supported by 27 MSPs across political parties, calling for the phasing out of farrowing crates. This demonstrates the strong cross-party support in Parliament for ending this practice.  

It is clear there is significant support for a ban on farrowing crates in Scotland. It is time for the Scottish Government to Stand Up for Pigs and introduce a ban on farrowing crates.