Humane Society officials are opposing a pig-wrestling contest and may take legal action to prevent an event scheduled next month at Ogden's Golden Spike Arena.
An activity like this constitutes cruelty to animals under the Utah criminal code, said Craig S. Cook, society president and legal counsel."In the first place, there is a high likelihood that injuries to the animals will occur. Pigs' legs are much more fragile than most people realize, and these and other bones may easily be broken as the pigs are pursued and crammed into 55-gallon drums," said John Fox, the society's chief investigator.
He said the animals will be stressed and terrified as they are chased by teams of people around the arena in front of noisy crowds.
Cook said the society particularly objects to the fact that the contest is scheduled in a public facility supported by taxpayers' funds.
"We believe that if citizens were aware of the cruelty involved in this activity, the majority of them would not want to support it, especially with their tax dollars," Cook said.