The practice of shenzhu (divine pig) “fattened pig” contests today play only a small role in Taiwan’s folk religion, but they are still held within a minority of temples. On Aug. 27, Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Rosalia Wu held a news conference advocating for the shenzhu sacred pigs, objecting to the longstanding allowances given to breeders, and calling for strict enforcement of fines against the practice.
Environment & Animal Society of Taiwan (EAST) researcher Tsun Fang-chu said private breeders keep the animals in cages and force-feed them to fatten them up, and over the long term this increase in weight means that the pigs cannot even move unaided, before finally being inhumanely slaughtered.
According to Council of Agriculture statistics from last year, there were only seven breeders of divine pigs still operating in Taiwan, with the number of pigs being raised having fallen to just 34. However, research has found that, last year, at the Hsinchu County Yimin Festival alone, 31 divine pigs were entered into the competition, 20 of which weighed in at over 600kg. Also, 35 temples throughout Taiwan held these fattened pig contests, accounting for at least 270 animals.
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
Wu said that worshiping the gods and inhumane treatment of animals are two completely different things, and that there is no good reason for inhumane breeding practices being used in the preparation of animals for divine pig contests. She emphasized that worshipers should have nothing to do with divine pig breeders using illegal animal abuse methods to gain economic benefit.
(Translated by Paul Cooper, Taipei Times)
台灣民俗信仰少數有「賽神豬」大賽，目前仍有少數廟宇舉辦。上月二十七日，民進黨立委吳思瑤舉行記者會替神豬請命，抗議多年來包庇少數飼養戶，要求嚴格執法開罰。
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
台灣動物社會研究會研究員寸舫筑表示，民眾飼養神豬會使用下窟、灌食增肥等手段，由於神豬長期增肥導致行動癱瘓，最後更會面臨非人道屠宰。
農委會去年曾統計，全國飼養神豬戶剩下七戶，飼養頭數降為三十四頭，但研究會調查，光是去年新竹縣義民祭就有三十一頭神豬參賽，有二十頭為六百公斤以上的超重神豬，而全國舉辦賽神豬比賽的廟宇有三十五家， 且至少還有兩百七十多頭神豬。
吳思瑤表示，虔誠祀奉神明與不人道虐待動物完全是兩件事，而賽神豬也不必然必須使用不人道方式飼養，強調信徒與違法虐待方式謀取經濟利益的神豬飼養戶絕對不可相提並論。
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
（中央社）
Photo: Reuters 照片：路透
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