BORIS the pig, who was rescued earlier this year from Kingsmead School, Wiveliscombe, has inspired a national campaign to stop schools housing farmed animals and sending them to slaughter.

Vegan charity Viva! wants schools to focus on farming vegetables and so help to protect animals, children, and the planet.

Viva! was inspired to start a petition following the headlines about how Boris was lined up to be sent to an abattoir after living at Kingsmead School for a year.

Boris was adored by both the school’s pupils and the wider Wiveliscombe community and was saved after local resident and vegan activist Paul Youd rallied a group of animal lovers who raised £500 to rescue the pig.

Kingsmead agreed to Boris being housed with local couple Rhi and Matt Swain, and now the pig is due be taken to Yorkshire to live in Millington’s Magical Barn, a sanctuary which saves animals from abuse, neglect, and slaughter.

Rhi said: “We took Boris in and we immediately fell in love. He is basically a big puppy.

“He is so playful and intelligent. He knows his name, and as soon as we arrive home his ears prick up and he is there waiting for us.

“Our family are sad to see him leave, but we are happy knowing he is going to a sanctuary where he can thrive with other pigs.

“I am thrilled to see Viva! taking action to prevent pigs being farmed at schools.

“All animals deserve the right to enjoy life like Boris.”

However, Viva! founder and international director Juliet Gellatley said other animals farmed in schools would not have such a happy ending.

Ms Gellatley said: “A worrying number of schools are keeping farmed animals, including pigs, sheep, cows, and chickens under the guise of teaching children ‘where meat comes from’.

“While there may be health and mental wellbeing benefits to keeping animals in a school environment, and animals certainly provide companionship and purpose, fostering a relationship only to send the animal to slaughter is barbaric and the emotional impact on children can be devastating.

“This practice is also grossly misleading - 85 per cent of farmed animals in the UK are confined in factory farms.

“Teaching children ‘where meat comes from’ by having a few chickens or pigs at the school being treated well and living comfortably is in stark contrast to the harsh reality.

“Due to the suffering experienced by both the children and animals under the guise of education, Viva! is now calling for schools to stop housing animals.

“Instead, schools should focus on teaching children how to grow vegetables, pulses, fruit, and herbs, providing them with the skills they need to begin growing their own produce.”

Now, Viva! has launched a petition calling on Education Secretary Kit Malthouse to introduce a ban on schools housing farmed animals.