A litter of piglets was served as sausages to the firefighters who saved their lives from a barn fire, sparking controversy in Wiltshire, England.
Members of Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service saved the lives of 18 piglets and two sows after a fire that broke out at a farm in Wiltshire earlier this year, by, Independent noted.
Six months later, as a controversial token of thanks, farm manager Rachel Rivers had the animals slaughtered and turned into sausages, which were then presented to the firefighters as a gift this week.
The firefighting service held a barbeque, with members of the team saying that the sausages "were fantastic" and "highly recommended," BBC News reported.
The fire service posted photos of the barbeque on Facebook page, however, following backlash, the images have since been removed and an apology posted.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) jumped on the issue, with Director of International Programmes Mimi Bekhechi stating that the "poor piglets were no better off for escaping the fire only to be put back into it six months later after being subjected to the horrifying experience of the abattoir," according to a post on the organization's website.
Bekhechi wondered if the situation would be the same if the firefighters had saved a human child or dog.
"Pigs feel fear and pain in just the same way as they do," Bekhechi said.
Rivers has defended her gift, saying the animals had been reared for meat.
"I gave those animals the best quality of life I could ever give until the time they go to slaughter and they go into the food chain," she said, according to BBC News.
"You do feel sad at the end of it... but to bring them down for [the firefighters] was a good way of saying 'thank you'."
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