California fair organizers, citing animal welfare concerns, do away with 'pig scramble' in favor of watermelon event, report says
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They will be scrambling for pigs no more.
Organizers of California's Sonoma County Fair say one of the event's decades-old traditions -- a contest in which children try to catch 40 to 60-pound piglets for prizes -- will be scrapped this year because of growing public concerns about the humane treatment of animals, the Press Democrat newspaper reports. Instead, children on Aug. 4 will try to carry watermelons slathered in vegetable oil around an obstacle course in a race against the clock.
“It’s just the right thing to do,” Annette O’Kelley, a fair board member and chairwoman of its agriculture committee, told the newspaper. “We don’t want to see any of the animals get stressed out or hurt.”
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The decision has been hailed by animal rights activists -- but not everyone is thrilled about swapping the pigs for fruit.
Maddie Vanoni, a 15-year-old who has participated in the event in the past, told the Press Democrat that she was "absolutely shocked" by the change.
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“You’re showing these city kids what it’s like to be on a farm,” she said, adding that she never saw a pig hurt during the contest.
A PETA caseworker though told the newspaper that the new watermelon event "shows there’s always a creative option to animal cruelty."
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Rob Muelrath, the president of the fair's board, says the elimination of the pig scramble event reflects a "heightened awareness" toward calls for the proper treatment of farm animals.
“If we can do our part to protect animals as well as educate kids about agriculture it’s a win for everyone," he told the Press Democrat.
Fox News’ Kira Grant contributed to this report.