Hello,
As you can see, we have new upcoming peaceful protests beginning August 24, 2025. I want to thank ALL of you who have taken action by signing this petition against the Shenandoah County Fair Pig Scramble! By signing, you have assisted me with giving a voice to prey animals (baby pigs) who are chased, caught (some suspended in the air by their hind legs), and dragged across the ground to a pen by children as young as three. This egregious act is barbaric and shouldn't be rewarded with the participating children having the option to bring the piglet (only 3/4 months old) home as a prize. Animals aren't prizes. Can you imagine if a human being was treated like the 110 piglets were last year at this county fair?
Children are impressionable and may create mental scripts based on the the learned responses from this pig scramble. The positive acknowledgement received (such as being rewarded with a live animal) by terrifying a piglet in a confined space could influence decisions down the road. Do we want kids to be applauded for behavior that would be reprimanded if done within a school setting? Should animals have to endure traumatic events under the guise of education or entertainment? The answers to these questions is simply "no".
The Shenandoah County Fair Board has ignored my pleas for a conversation on replacing this outdated cruel pig scramble with a myriad of nonanimal alternatives. They are determined to force another large number of sentient animals (Aug. 2024, 110 piglets, according to Northern Virginia Daily) to participate in this contest on August 27, 2025. Animals who are as smart as 3 year-old children, smarter than dogs, ones who can recall other animals and humans they met years before. Animals who can suffer joint dislocations, ligament tears, and trauma due to their excellent short and long-term memories. Children will assume it's ok to catch and not leg go a piglet that is signaling distress and attempting to flee and get free from their grasp.
Contact information for me is in the petition and my email is in the protest information as well. stoppigscrambleva@gmail.com My instagram handle is @stoppigscrambleva Please come whenever you can to any of the above peaceful protests and share this petition please, to inform others that this chaotic disturbing contest actually happens in 2025. I appreciate your support so much!
Tina