Stop the pig trifecta at Vabres-l'Abbaye: animal distress is not entertainment
Every summer in Vabres-l’Abbaye (Aveyron), young pigs are chased, lifted and manhandled for the amusement of the public in an aberrant “race” known as the “pig trifecta”. This practice, which has been going on for over forty years, is attracting increasing criticism. In 2022, One Voice had already sounded the alarm with an open letter to the local authorities. The festival, which takes place over four days from July 4 – and offers a variety of convivial activities, including pétanque competitions, refreshment stands, catering, concerts, face painting and inflatable games – can do without this disgraceful race. It’s time to put an end to it. It’s possible to have fun without terrorizing animals.
Forced to run and jump over obstacles, pursued by humans who frighten them by clapping their hands and pushing them over metal kegs or haysacks, frightened piglets, pushed to the limit, are treated as objects of entertainment, their cries and distress ignored in the name of an outdated and cruel “activity”.
Animal suffering denied in the name of entertainment
This practice, even if it may seem harmless at first glance, is in fact a form of animal abuse. It inflicts intense stress and unnecessary torment on these sentient beings, who deserve respect and protection, not to be used as toys to entertain the crowd. It teaches our children that it’s okay to laugh at the suffering of others. Tradition can never justify this kind of degrading treatment.
It’s time to break the silence surrounding this outrageous “game”. More and more voices are denouncing this brutality and calling for an immediate end to this cruel trifecta. What happens to these little pigs after the race? Are they crammed into a truck bound for the slaughterhouse? Are they sent back to an intensive breeding farm to be fattened first?
For a festival that respects and promotes values
The village of Vabres-l’Abbaye, with its rich cultural heritage that should be highlighted, must put behind them this disgraceful practice that tarnishes its image. We call on the festival committee, local councillors and the general public to put an end to this suffering and adopt respectful alternatives, festive activities without violence or animal exploitation.
We must pass on to future generations the values of empathy, respect and compassion. Cruelty has no place in our traditions, festivals or society. The pig trifecta must end, and it’s only together that we can achieve this, in the same way that our collective mobilization has made it possible to put an end to the “goose neck” game in Lesmont in 2025 and Saint-Bonnet-près-Riom in 2024.