Woody Harrelson has sent a letter to Governor Greg Abbott requesting that he ban a wild hog catch event scheduled to take place in Bandera, Texas. In his letter, Harrelson claims that the Bandera Bacon Bash violates state animal cruelty laws. The actor and native Texan wrote the letter after People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) recently shared video of the wrangling of wild hogs at the annual event. His request stated that the event, which has been held for 17-years, gave him cause for concern with respect to “the cruelty that the pigs are subjected to.” The event involves the chasing and catching of pigs, which are then slaughtered and barbecued. Event sponsors, the Bandera Wranglers, have defended the event, noting its long-standing reputation as a supporter of various area non-profits.
Harrelson noted the great amount of pride he has for his home state, noting the “compassionate, independent spirit” of his fellow Texans. His expression of “shock” over the video footage, however, prefaced his request to the governor to put an end to the Bandera Bacon Bash. “This violent spectacle encourages children and adults alike to scare, injure, and torment animals for entertainment. The world doesn’t need more bullies. Texas law prohibits inflicting unnecessary and unjustified pain and suffering on animals, so I implore you to make sure that the law is upheld here—and to issue an executive order banning this event,” he wrote.
