A Win for Pigs and Calves! - National Humane Education Society

Paws Up! New Jersey passes a bill to prohibit gestation and veal crates for pregnant pigs and calves.

August 22, 2023

July 26, 2023, was a victorious day for pigs and calves in New Jersey. Governor Phil Murphy signed A.1970/S.1298 into law banning gestation and veal crates in the state. Currently, eleven states have banned gestation crates, and ten have banned veal crates in the United States. The states that have banned gestation crates are Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, Oregon, and Rhode Island. The states that have banned veal crates are Arizona, California, Colorado, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, Ohio, and Rhode Island.

Both gestation crates and veal crates are inhumane and lack consideration for the animal’s well-being. Gestation crates are around 2 feet wide by 7 feet long and aim to restrict pregnant pigs’ movement. These crates do not enable them to turn around, move freely, or socialize. They often suffer muscle and bone damage in addition to psychologically suffering from the lack of movement and mental stimulation.

Calves are separated from their mothers within hours or days of birth and are placed into narrow veal crates. They are put on an entirely unnatural liquid diet. It is low in iron in order to induce anemia and make their flesh paler. This diet disrupts their ability to absorb nutrients. They also suffer from lack of social, physical, and mental stimulation.

Using either gestation crates or veal crates is solely based on the profit of factory farming and not on the animals’ basic needs. These pregnant pigs and calves have an extremely low quality of life before being slaughtered. New Jersey passing A.1970/S.1298 saves countless animals from suffering and only knowing cruelty.

Thank Governor Phil Murphy here!

To learn more about Factory Farmed pigs, click here.