Farming

This little piggy went to court: Piglets become plaintiffs in landmark German trial

In a legal first, animal rights activists have asked Germany's top court to ban the practice of castrating young male pigs without anaesthetic -- with the piglets themselves listed as the plaintiffs.

offbeat

Wild boar droves refuse to let Cologne dead rest in peace

A drove of wild boar have horrified cemetery workers in Cologne by overturning the earth in a grisly search for essential protein.

Food and Drink

Live pigsty film provokes fury at 'animal hell'

A German pig farmer who posted a web feed on Facebook with live updates from his pigsty was surprised to receive more than 1,000 outraged comments in just a few days from users shocked at the "animal hell" it showed.

Farming

Scientists search for stinky schnitzel solution

New animal welfare laws ruling out piglet castration without anaesthetic could soon leave pork meat with a musky smell, prompting a scientific scramble to prevent stinky schnitzel and sausages.

traffic

Monster pig terrifies Hessian motorists

A “monster pig” broke out of its pen in the middle of the night and blocked traffic near Alsfeld because drivers were too frightened to get out of their cars and move the sow, police in the state of Hesse said on Wednesday.

traffic

Hogs escape truck and create highway havoc

Three live pigs fell off a truck on its way to a slaughterhouse on Wednesday, police in German state of North Rhine-Westphalia reported. One pig was run over, one pig hid in the woods, and one “ghost pig” ran into oncoming traffic.

traffic

Wild boars cause surge in traffic accidents

Growing hordes of wild boars are causing a dramatic surge in traffic accidents, according to German Hunting Association (DJV).