POOR PIG

Man Who Confronted Iowa State Fair Officials About Pig Abuse Banned for Life

Wheaten Mather said he took a video of a young boy whipping and prodding a pig until it had lash marks on its face.

It’s not all fun and games at the Iowa State Fair. According to a report by the Des Moines Register, fairgoer Wheaten Mather was banned for life after he complained about the harsh treatment of a pig. Mather, who says he is no animal-rights activist, took a video of a young boy whipping and prodding a pig until it had lash marks on its face. Mather left the fair and returned days later, at which point he confronted fair officials, including CEO and manager Gary Slater, about the pig’s treatment. Slater was reportedly initially open to the complaints but called for fair security when Mather continued to press him on the issue. Mather was ultimately searched, kicked off the property, and banned from the fair for life, according to the report. A spokesperson for the fair claimed his behavior was “a little threatening.” The 2019 livestock competition rules say: “The use of showing and/or handling practices or devices such as striking animals to cause swelling, using electrical contrivance or other similar practices are not acceptable and are prohibited.”