Spanish town fined for hosting 'slippery pig' contest

A pig stands in a doorway. (Reuters)

It was a slippery sight.

A town in Spain has been fined more than $1,700 for hosting a “slippery pig” competition in which small swine are covered in grease and chased by children, The Local reported Wednesday.

A regional court found that last September's bizarre event in El Sahúgo, which awarded the greasy pigs to the first child to catch them, was “degrading to animals.” The court reviewed the case after complaints from animal rights groups including the Spanish animal rights party Pacma and the National Association for the Protection and Wellbeing of Animals.

The complaint claimed that using pigs and other animals in such events is illegal, citing previous cases in the nearby provinces of Segovia, Salamanca and others.

While the court’s ruling represents a win for activists, a member of Pacma told The Local the ruling does not solve the problem.

"These kinds of festivities perpetuate the abuse by teaching kids that is right to treat an animal like that. The fine is quite insufficient,” Claudia Mañas said.

Mañas added that the fine will not be enough to deter people from hosting the event again.

"Councils will just pay the fine, even collect the money among the neighbors, and just keep on celebrating year after year. This proves that the law fails at deterring animal abuse.”