©¿©

On Wed, 30 Aug 2006 07:53:02 +0100, ©¿© <icecool@isis232.com> wrote:

> The Two Tamworth Pigs Who Escaped Death at a UK Abattoir
>
>
> A True Story of Porcine Escapism, Intelligence & Ingenuity!
>
>
> The Great Escape!
> In January 1998, two 5-month old Tamworth rare breed boars escaped
>while being unloaded at a Wiltshire U.K. slaughterhouse. The agile
>pair went "on the run", chased by an army of abattoir workers, police
>and news reporters. Their dramatic escape from the abattoir - just
>before being slaughtered - and their wily tricks to evade capture
>attracted media attention and captured the hearts of the animal-loving
>British nation. The two resourceful hogs were given the names "Butch
>Cassidy" and "The Sundance Pig".
>
> The intrepid porcines squeezed under a supposedly secure fence and
>swam a large icy river in their bid for freedom - swine are naturally
>strong swimmers.
>
> Even after they were finally discovery, six days after escaping, one
>of the young boars continued to evade capture for a further 36 hours
>in a confrontation with an army of animal handlers, RSPCA humane
>society officers, abattoir staff, police, dogs and a tempting female
>Tamworth sow. He even survived the first two of three immobilising
>darts before finally succumbing to capture.
>
> The pigs were eventually recaptured on January 15th in the garden of
>local residents - only quarter of a mile away from the abattoir. They
>had been feeding regularly on kitchen vegetable waste. It seems that
>local residents refused to report their presence until a national
>newspaper had guaranteed to purchase them and send them to an animal
>sanctuary.
>
> The newspaper which finally bought the good pigs did so for a high
>price in order to have exclusive photo rights. The last pig to be
>caught was taken to a local veterinary practice to recover from the
>immobilising drug injection. There was a struggle for possession of
>the pig at this point because the purchasing newspaper wanted to take
>him away to join his companion for a "Reunited in freedom thanks to
>us" photo shoot. However, the vet refused to release him saying that
>he should be kept under observation for 24 hours. Other reporters
>allegedly tried to break into the vets to photo the drugged boar and
>the police were called to intervene and prevent a "breach of the
>peace". The newspaper claimed ownership rights, but could not
>immediately produce a receipt in proof of this.
>
> Fugitive Porkers Reprieved from becoming Pork Chops!
> Butch and Sundance evaded capture for over a week. When eventually
>re-captured they were saved from death by a huge public outcry. A
>local butcher voiced the widespread opinion that it would be
>"unsporting" to kill the two swine after such a daring bid to avoid
>the fate which befell their "less-fleet-of-foot" companion, who had
>been unloaded at the same time.
>
> A national newspaper arranged for them to be re-homed in an animal
>sanctuary - prompting headlines about how the intrepid swine had
>managed to "Save their Bacon"! The English are of course famous for
>their eccentricity and for their love of animals - pigs being a
>species considered particularly endearing. The pigs now have a
>guaranteed long life at an animal sanctuary. During the week they were
>on the run, their value soared from 40 GB pounds each, to a staggering
>15,000 GBP - the sum finally paid to buy them - against intense
>competition from other TV and newspaper companies by a national media
>organisation.
>
> Immortalised on Film!
> The BBC have made a movie based on this true-life story. Six out of
>the eight pigs used to make the movie were female because it was
>thought that the sight of male pigs' genitals was not suitable
>material for family viewing! The two male pigs used were only ever
>shot from the front view! In real life Butch was female (a "gilt" i.e.
>virgin sow) and Sundance was male.
>
> In true Hollywood style, the brave heroic pigs journey through the
>English countryside to the village of Tamworth, from which the breed
>gets its name, hoping to be reunited with their mother while an evil
>slaughterhouse manager fiendishly plots their recapture. Will they be
>able to avoid the traps he has set and reach Tamworth? The film
>reveals all!
>
> Abattoir Criticized
> The abbattoir from which the pigs escaped, located in Malmesbury,
>Wiltshire, was later "named & shamed" for low standards. UK Food
>Safety Minister, Jeff Rooker, reported that the abattoir had scored 61
>points out of 100 in a nation-wide check on slaughterhouses - official
>action was taken against all slaughter plants scoring less than 65. He
>commented that and added, "They obviously didn't want to die in a
>low-scoring Action is being taken against all the plants scoring less
>than 65.
>
> It has been suggested that this pair of pigs became a focus for a
>growing consumer guilt issue. More and more EU consumers were
>expressing reservations about the price paid by hogs to meet the
>demand for cheap meat. A philosopher referred to the "ocean of porcine
>misery" that this dramatic escape symbolised. Their escape came at a
>time when new pig welfare legislation was under consideration by both
>the UK parliament and the European Union.
>
> More Livestock Escapes from UK Abattoirs!
> In June 2000 an Aberdeen Angus heifer escaped from a U.K. meat plant
>in Warwickshire and gained the nickname "Houdini". The cow was later
>given sanctuary at an animal shelter - Hillside Animal Sanctuary in
>Norfolk. According to Animal welfare campaigner, Dr Tim O'Brien, the
>shelter was also home to five cattle who ran wild in a wood near
>Tamworth, Staffordshire, and eluded capture by trained animal trappers
>and Army marksmen for several weeks.
>
>
>
>
>
>
> BBC Film about the "Tamworth Two" Pigs
> Available now on DVD or VHS video:
>
> UK & Europe USA
>
> VIEW CLIPS FROM THE FILM!
>
> Pigs are strong swimmers - Check out the film!
>
>
>
>
> Farm Animals - Management, Meat, Welfare: Books, Documentary Films,
>DVD
>
>
> KID'S QUIZ: Farm Animals in Popular Films: Children's Farm Animal
>Stories
>
>
>
>
>
>
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