Pig scramble game 'outrageous,' says animal rights advocate

Some New Brunswick animal rights advocates have started a petition,callingfor the end of an annual pig scramble in Petitcodiac.

The event is part of the Westmorland County Agricultural Fair each August. Organizers say thegame is a decades-old farm tradition and light-hearted fun for local children, but Kelly Sherrard contends it's outdated and cruel.

"People around the world are getting tired of abuse," said Sherrard, who lives in Moncton andis among those pushing to have the event banned. Shehas contacted the provincial Department of Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheriesfor a meeting, she said.

We're not doing anything wrong.- Phillip Macleod, fair president

During the pig scramble,children enter a pen where they chase, try to pin down and capture a piglet. The children who catch one get to takethe animalhometo raise.

"It's hard for animals to be out exerting themselves in the heat.It's bad enough. But to have them do itfor human enjoyment is outrageous," said Sherrard.

But fair organizers have refused to give in to the ongoing controversy and cancelthe event.

"We're not doing anything wrong," said presidentPhillip Macleod.

"The pigs aren't getting hurt, the kids have fun usually it's the kids who get hurt. Most of them are farm kids, they take the pigs home, that's their meat for the winter."

Macleod says the game always attracts big crowds. He says it's so popular with the children that every year several dozens sign up, but he only has 25 piglets this year, so that's how many children will get picked to play.

"If Ihad any inclination the pigs were being abused, Iwouldn'tsupport it," said Macleod. "When you don't know anything about it, don't criticize what other people are doing.They're sticking their nose where they don't belong," he said.

Sherrard maintains the practice is "pass."

"There's no need of having a pig scramble that was done years ago as a way for people to be able to have a pig for their meals, if they couldn't afford meat," saidSherrard.

"There's no reason for that in this day and age."

Sherrard says she will invite Macleod if she schedules a meeting with the agriculture minister.