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Chris Packham joined a woman inside a locked crate, where the vegan activist is spending three weeks living like a pig in protest against factory farming.
Michelle Farnham, 28, has locked herself inside a pig crate in Trafalgar Square, with the cage so small she is unable to even stand up.
The vegan activist is spending three weeks in the 43-inch-tall farrowing crate to raise awareness of the conditions mother pigs are kept in, while calling on the government to commit to ending factory farming by 2040.
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pigs → see → 2040
Since she climbed inside on September 1, she has been sleeping, brushing her teeth, using the bathroom, and even washing herself from within the bars.
A team of volunteers take care of her 24 hours a day, working in shifts to make sure she is safe and has everything she needs, including food, water, and buckets.
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she → climb → food
Mr Packham joined Ms Farnham in the crate on Wednesday, on her ninth consecutive day living inside the crate, describing the living conditions as 'horrific'.
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Packham → join → conditions
He added that farrowing crates are 'not some fringe practice' but that they are 'routinely used' across the British pig industry.
'This crate shows us what happens when animals are reduced to units of production, rather than recognised as individuals with needs of their own,' he said.
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he → add → own
Michelle Farnham, 28, is spending three weeks in the 43-inch-tall farrowing crate, located in in Trafalgar Square
Mr Packham joined Ms Farnham in the crate on Wednesday, on her ninth consecutive day living inside the crate, describing the living conditions as 'horrific'
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Packham → spend → conditions
The naturalist and TV presenter said that the problem with factory farming 'extends far beyond what happens inside these crates'.
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what → say → crates
He continued: 'We've built a system that confines huge numbers of sentient animals in intensive conditions, while placing enormous pressures on our land, climate and wildlife.
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that → continue → land
We need to look honestly at the true cost of farming in this way – both to animals and to the natural world.
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We → need → world
'Factory farming has become deeply embedded in the way we produce food, causing immense suffering to the animals on these farms and taking a devastating toll on our environment.
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we → become → environment
We urgently need to move away from these animal factories and towards a more sustainable future.
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We → need → future
We can't keep accepting this as normal.
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We → keep → this
It's a broken system, and it needs to end.'
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it → need → ?
Ms Farnham, from Herefordshire, became involved with the campaign group Animal Rising straight out of university through their sister organisation Plant Based University.
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Farnham → become → organisation
Ever since, she has worked as their footage reviewer and has seen thousands of clips from farms and slaughterhouses.
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she → work → farms
The idea started with a real-life pig, who the group filmed for a month to see the conditions she was kept in.
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she → start → conditions
Horrified by how she was treated, they decided to do a bold demonstration.
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they → horrify → demonstration
The crate came from a real factory farm and is 83 inches long, 32 inches wide, and 43 inches tall.
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crate → come → farm
Three weeks was picked as this is the shortest amount of time a mother pig is kept inside one.
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pig → pick → one
She said: 'The hardest part is definitely the lack of freedom.
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part → say → freedom
I am a very independent person, and I now have to ask people for help with everything.
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I → have → everything
'All freedom has been completely stripped away from me.
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freedom → strip → me
It made me have sympathy for the pigs even more.
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me → make → pigs
'I have people looking after me, a doctor coming to check that I am alright.
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I → have → me
The pigs don't have that.
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pigs → have → that
It is really difficult being in here, but I just keep thinking that the pigs have it much worse.'
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it → keep → ?
The vegan activist is carrying out the challenge to raise awareness of the conditions mother pigs are kept in, while calling on the government to commit to the end of factory farming by 2040
The group have a tent to cover the crate for privacy when Michelle needs the loo or to sleep, but she says she still feels very watched.
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she → carry → loo
The things that feel most uncomfortable under the public eye are brushing her teeth and washing her hair.
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that → feel → hair
Michelle can ask for quiet time where she will put her headphones on, and volunteers keep the public from engaging with her.
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volunteers → ask → her
They also have a gazebo for when it rains or is too hot.
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it → have → gazebo
Ms Farnham added: 'It is quieter than I was expecting.
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I → add → ?
I only managed to get a couple of hours of sleep, and I thought if this carries on then I can't do this.
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I → manage → this
But I am getting an alright amount of sleep now.
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I → get → sleep
'I am not enjoying being in here, but I have gotten used to it.'
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I → enjoy → it
The stunt has received a lot of reaction from passersby, and Ms Farnham says mostly people are supportive.
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people → receive → passersby
Her family were initially very worried about her safety, but she says since seeing the setup they have relaxed.
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they → say → setup
So far, they have received more than 17,000 signatures on the petition to free Luna the pig.
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they → receive → Luna
Ms Farnham said: 'We have had people make the occasional comment or give me the middle finger.
'
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people → say → finger
As soon as we explain what this is people are horrified that it is happening in the UK.
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it → explain → UK
I am looking forward to it ending but I hope that the impact continues.'
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impact → look → ?
Rose Patterson, 37, director of Animal Rising, is one of the helpers assisting Ms Farnham through her mission.
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Patterson → assist → mission
…and 5 more, not listed.
The Aporia
