M6NTHS invites you to see the world through a pig’s eyes. The short film follows a piglet held in confinement on a factory farm who longs to see the outdoors, and it shows viewers the intelligent, curious, social, and sensitive animal’s personality.

University of the West of England graduate Eline Helena Schellekens made the film during her studies. In October 2018, the 12-minute documentary won the NHNZ Short Award at the Panda Awards – the highest accolades in the “wildlife film” industry.

Watch the Full Film

About Pigs

Pigs naturally live in small family groups and love playing, exploring their surroundings, foraging for food, and building nests for their offspring.

But those imprisoned on factory farms don’t have the chance to engage in this natural behaviour. Crammed into barren concrete pens, they may never see the sun or breathe fresh air. The frustration and stress of extreme confinement can drive them to aggressive behaviour such as tail-biting, so farmers routinely cut off their tails and grind down their sensitive teeth, usually without painkillers. Female pigs endure chronic pain after rings are forced through their noses, while male piglets may be castrated without anaesthetics – a barbaric procedure that is legal in the EU.

As shown in M6NTHS, mother pigs are confined to farrowing crates so small that they can’t even turn around, let alone fulfil their strong urge to build a nest as they would naturally. They’re forcibly impregnated over and over again, and each litter of their beloved piglets is torn away from them after only a few weeks and sent to fattening pens.

At around 6 months of age, pigs are sent to the abattoir. For many, the trip is the first and only time they will experience fresh air and sunshine. At the abattoir, the cruelty continues – the animals are hoisted upside down by their back legs and their throats are cut, often while they’re still conscious.

You Can Help Them

The best way to help pigs like those featured in the film is to go vegan. Rejecting the daily cruelty that occurs in abattoirs and on factory farms in Europe is as easy as making some simple and delicious changes when you sit down for dinner. Order PETA’s free vegan starter kit for tips, recipes, and advice.

EU citizens have another opportunity to help: the #EndTheCageAge European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) could bring about a seismic shift in Europe’s farming system. Through the ECI, EU citizens are coming together and demanding that the European Commission ban the use of cages and crates in animal agriculture. Animals on farms in Europe need us to reach 1 million signatures on the ECI.

About the ECI

A unique tool for change, an ECI is a powerful initiative to influence lawmakers in Europe. That means it requires more personal data than a regular petition. Each EU member state has set its own rules for collecting signatures – some require details such as a passport or ID number. The website has been certified according to EU regulations to ensure that personal data is stored securely, is used only for validating your ECI signature, and will be deleted after signatures have been counted.

Because of the upcoming Brexit deadline, signatures from UK citizens will not be valid at the September 2019 #EndTheCageAge ECI end date. UK-based supporters can find other ways to help animals on farms at PETA.org.uk/Action.