We all know what bacon is. It’s advertised on TV, in fast-food ads, and even in our grocery stores. But have you ever stopped to think about who bacon is?

Bacon is made from pigs who suffered a lot before being killed. But that doesn’t have to be the case! Here are 13 reasons why you should leave bacon off your plate:

1. Pigs are extremely smart animals.

Pigs have excellent long-term memories, and they are just as intelligent as chimpanzees, elephants, and dolphins—and they can even outsmart dogs.

2. Pigs are fast learners.

Pigs have been taught to catch balls and Frisbees and fetch slippers. They can quickly figure out how to unlock gates and turn on faucets.

3. They are playful.

And we don’t just mean with each other. Pigs can play and win video games! Yep, you heard us right.

4. Pigs love each other.

They form strong bonds with one another. Mother pigs are very protective of their babies and “sing” to them while they are nursing.

5. Pigs are super-clean animals.

This may come as a surprise, but it’s true! Since pigs don’t sweat like humans do, they keep cool by lying in water or mud.

6. Sows (mother pigs) spend most of their lives in tiny crates.

On factory farms, sows are forced to live in crates that are too small for them to turn around in. Can you imagine spending your life trapped in such a small cage?

7. Piglets are torn away from their mothers.

This often happens when the baby pigs are only 10 days old.

8. Pigs are trucked from place to place in miserable conditions.

To move them across the country, factory farm workers use painful electric prods to get terrified pigs onto transport trucks. They don’t have any space to move around, and the trucks make lots of noise and vibrations, which is extremely scary.

9. Millions of pigs are killed.

A slaughterhouse kills about 1,000 pigs every single hour. No food is worth making any animal suffer, never mind millions of them.

10. It’s horrible for our health!

Eating meat has been linked to lots of health problems. Plus, pigs on factory farms are fed antibiotics and sprayed with pesticides (or chemicals) to keep them from spreading diseases. This means that people who eat bacon are also eating these poisons.

11. Bacon (and all meat!) is unnecessary.

People do not need to eat bacon to survive. Kiddos like you can get everything you need from animal-free foods like fruits and veggies!

12. Raising pigs for bacon uses a ton of water.

Each pig used for bacon may need up to five gallons of water every single day. That’s a whole lot of water!

13. If you buy bacon, you’re helping to ruin the planet.

The meat industry is one of the biggest causes of today’s most serious environmental problems. So if you want to help save the planet, stop eating bacon.

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The good news? You can help put an end to this cruelty by keeping pigs (and all animals!) off your plate. Try vegan bacon!