The truth about Danish bacon
17 May 2024
Many have long hailed Denmark for its bacon and pork, with more than one million tons exported to more than 126 different countries, including Germany, the UK, and China each year. However, behind these numbers lies a darker picture.
In 90 out of 240 inspection reports from the authorities in 2022, accessed by the newspaper Information, at least one animal per farm could not walk, was limping, or could not stand up at all. Other cases include bed sores from lying on the concrete floor, arthritis, and hernias. Authorities denied the newspaper access to 44 of the most glaring cases reported to the police.
 | Erica Bernsten Strange According to experts, these injuries and illnesses result from the way the pigs are being kept, which is often in large, conventional complexes with minimal space to move around. This is despite Denmark being the first country in the world to recognise all animals as sentient beings in 2020. Earlier this year, the parliament agreed upon a new national animal welfare plan. However, experts are not impressed by the initiative and call for more drastic solutions to improve the well-being of Denmark’s 30 million pigs. |
〉https://www.information.dk/indland/2024/05/raadne-fostre-udskudt-endetarm-240-kontrolrapporter-viser-bagsiden-vores-svineproduktion?check_logged_in=1">What do the reports reveal?
〉https://www.altinget.dk/artikel/alle-partier-stemte-for-ny-dyrevelfaerdslov">Law about animals as sentient beings
〉https://www.altinget.dk/foedevarer/artikel/forskere-regeringens-tiltag-for-dyrevelfaerd-er-gammel-vin-paa-nye-flasker-uden-effekt">Experts criticise new animal welfare initiative
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