Last night saw a new low in the ensemble romantic humiliation saga that is The Bachelor: a gaggle of grown women dressed up in full Ren-Faire wench regalia, chasing a small herd of piglets around in order to snag a chance at sitting next to bland hottie Matty J at dinner.
“If you want some sausages you’ll go out and catch a pig.” – Leah #TheBachelorAU pic.twitter.com/28SP5rapyF
— The Bachelor Australia 🌹 (@TheBachelorAU) August 2, 2017
It wasn’t just the contestants who were (presumably) dismayed at having to scramble after small farm animals in the name of love; many viewers were upset by the use of live critters in the reality TV show, and none more so than the RSPCA.
They’ve released a statement saying that the use of the little piggies on last night’s episode was not approved by the animal welfare organisation.
RSPCA NSW did not approve the use of piglets in the filming of the Bachelor as claimed by Warner Bros. A filming notification form is a legal requirement to film with animals, but it is not an ‘approval’.
The notification form supplied by Warner Bros in relation to this incident does not align with the events that took place on set, which claimed ‘Piglets will be in a fenced pen and they will herd them and place them in another fenced pen’.
Clearly that’s not what actually happened, and the RSPCA has confirmed that it will be investigating.
RSPCA NSW takes any potential breaches of animal welfare very seriously and will be formally investigating this incident further.
For their part, ‘Bachie‘ producers are saying that everyone was briefed on how not to be mean to the piggles while they were chasing them about, but punters are not convinced.
#BachelorAU Where is the @RSPCA? How cruel 2scare and chase those cute piglets! I thought #MattyJ was a nice guy, pfft! Hands off animals!
— Carmen Vella (@annaandy40) August 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/courtyyears/status/892689119746248704
Why on earth would you stress and intimidate piglets @TheBachelorAU? How cruel and for what purpose? #BachelorAU
— Samantha L Valentine (@samlval) August 2, 2017
Lessons to be learned from this one: always be nice to the pigs. We’ve all seen Babe. We should know better by now.
