There are two young pigs who live at Rock Ledge Ranch in Colorado Springs. They will be slaughtered before their first birthday; their bodies hung upside down and butchered as an "educational demonstration." Visitors can pay to watch this process, as well as sausage and soap making, as a throwback to homesteading days.

Pigs are incredibly intelligent animals, with cognitive abilities rivaling those of 3 year old children. I have been visiting the two pigs residing at the ranch since their arrival in spring, and I have discovered that they're bursting with personality. They wag their tails and come running over to the fence when I walk up. They stick their noses through the fence to smell me and I reach through to scratch behind their ears, even though they always seem to prefer a belly rub. It's apparent they have a strong attachment to each other, but they also enjoy the attention and affection of people walking by. They are so sweet and playful and full of life.

For these reasons and many others, I find "Everything but the Oink" to be a detestable event. I greatly appreciate the historical aspects of Rock Ledge Ranch, especially that it is a working farm, but I strongly believe the historical integrity of the site can be maintained without slaughtering the pigs. After all, guests learn about churning butter from cow's milk, for example, without actually milking the cow. 

Rock Ledge Ranch can be a place for children to get up close to farm animals, gaining knowledge and appreciation, without having to wonder where the pigs have gone come November. Killing these pigs in the name of education is a frivolous act that sends the wrong message. The slaughter of pigs was essential for survival in the past. We can't change that, but we can teach kindness and compassion in hopes of a better future.