Letter from a hog wrestling protester

To the Editor:

As an earth/animal advocate I appreciate Putnam County's decision a few years ago to cease the hog wrestling event. This year less than 10 counties are sponsoring this event. I'm encouraging everyone I know to boycott these events. Please consider these comments from "A Hoosier Hog wrestler Protester."

It's no longer radical to urge Hoosier county fair attendees, including 4-H'ers and their families, to boycott county fairs sponsoring hog wrestling or other events that abuse, torment, or exploit animals for sport or entertainment.

Indiana 4-H headquarters states: "Pig wrestling is not consistent with what we teach in 4-H. The purpose of Indiana's 4-H Youth Development is to provide education to our 4-H members, their families and the general public. In all of our animal-oriented programming, we strive to teach youth to raise and treat animals in ways that are consistent with responsible care." (The SalemLeader.com."Pig wrestling goes against 4H values and also the law" -- 6/17/2015).

The agricultural establishment, including confined feeding operators and pork producers intent on expanding livestock production in Indiana despite dire global/local consequences also claim to "raise and treat animals in ways that are consistent with responsible care." Hog wrestling adds insult to injury to the animals that sustain us.

Ignoring mounting public concern about the morality, and safety, of current industrialized animal care practices is a "bad investment risk." (BloombergBusiness.com "An Investor Presses His Case Against Industrial-Scale Farming" 12/10/2015).

Surely condoning hog wrestling damages Big Ag's reputation not to mention endangering participants to injury and exposure to antibiotic resistant organisms.

("Superbug found in second pig sample in U.S." -- www.washingtonpost.com 7/14/2016).

Please boycott, refusing to sponsor or contribute in any way, Hoosier fairs that profit by teaching our children that it's fun, and ethical, to treat animals this way. It's bad for agrotourism!

Marian Patience Harvey

Hoosiers 4-Healing Animal Agriculture