Pig farmers are being urged to ensure their sites are secure from trespassers amid rising concerns that animal rights campaigners are targeting farms for illegal “mercy missions” during which they steal pigs.

The pigs are being “liberated” by activists who consider the animals’ living conditions unacceptable. The NPA said it was aware of two occasions when pigs had been stolen from farms, and there was a threat of activity being escalated.

It has called on members to come forward with any information on actual or suspected cases of pig poaching, and said the police had started taking an interest.

“People trespassing on pig units on personal ‘mercy missions’ could have severe implications for disease and biosecurity,” NPA manager Lizzie Press said in a message to members. “Furthermore, we have serious concerns about the level of knowledge and pig husbandry skills of those who have stolen the pigs.”

The NPA said it was too early to say if there was a new “trend” of activists targeting pig farms with illegal rescue missions but added it was vital all evidence was made available to the police as quickly as possible. “As always, pig-keepers are advised to make their units as trespasser-proof as possible,” it added.

One animal rights campaign website, www.directaction.info, has posted an anonymous message attributed to the Animal Liberation Front, which claims to have liberated six piglets from a UK farm, one of which subsequently died. The group said the death resulted from the piglet’s poor living conditions.

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