Looking for the perfect summer viewing filled with drama, intrigue, comedy, and joy? Look no further than UnchainedTV’’s newest venture—the world’s first-ever reality show starring a vivacious family of pigs, Pig Little Lies!
The stars of the show are Dante and Beatrice, two abandoned potbellied pigs who find themselves deemed for death at a high-kill shelter in Southern California. With seconds to spare, Simone Reyes, a renowned country singer with a passion for rescuing animals, finds them a home with wildlife rehabilitation expert Cindy Brady. Despite Cindy’s unfamiliarity with caring for pigs, she creates a comfortable space for their immediate care.
But there’s more! Little does the diligent rescue squad know that Beatrice is about to become a mama to 13 young ones, creating more chaos, and sending the team scrambling to ensure a safe, happy life for the entire family! Filled with suspense and no shortage of endearing quirks, Pig Little Lies is a breakthrough series that has viewers falling in love with pigs, appreciating their intelligence and desire to be with their families, and counters the misinformation that constantly jeopardizes their lives. The series hopes to educate viewers by exposing the business of selling baby pigs like mere objects, claiming them to be “miniature” or “teacup” pigs. This misleads the public who are duped by this scam and left overwhelmed caring for pigs who can grow to weigh over two hundred pounds! Unfortunately, most of these precious animals are then dumped in shelters where they await their impending doom. Not all are as lucky as Dante and Beatrice, or the social media-famous Esther the Wonder Pig—all of whom have fortunately been gifted with loving families and safe homes.
Jane Velez-Mitchell, Simone Reyes, and Cindy Brady (L to R)
Media maestro and founder of UnchainedTV, Jane Velez-Mitchell says, “This series will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about pigs. You will be mesmerized by Dante, Beatrice, and their adorable brood. This is a loving family that wants to stay together. They are so smart, sensitive, and gentle.”
We wanted to learn more about the vision of the series as an innovative form of animal advocacy. Jane graciously shared her admirable goals for this ingenious endeavor with VEGWORLD.
VW: How do you foresee Pig Little Lies as a form of activism for the animals?
JVM: Industries that exploit, torture, and kill animals by the billions use many crafty media techniques to encourage meat consumption, associating it with everything from respectability to family values. So, Pig Little Lies uses creative strategies to send viewers the opposite message. At UnchainedTV we have many serious documentaries that show the horrors of animal agriculture. But, first, we have to get viewers into the tent with something fun and lighthearted. Reality TV is an extraordinarily popular format that people enjoy watching. Pig Little Lies is a lighthearted reality series that contains a serious underlying message: each pig born into this world is a unique individual with a unique personality, needs, and wants. This series lets viewers come to that realization on their own. Pigs have been demonized in our society. The very word “pig” is often used as an insult. We can change that mentality by showing people WHO pigs are. When they start falling in love with Dante, Beatrice, and their brood, there’s a good chance they’ll have that shift in consciousness.
VW: Do you expect pushback from activists who may view this approach as “using” animals for entertainment? If so, how would you respond?
JVM: No, I don’t expect activists to make that claim. Everybody involved in this project is an animal rights activist and most are volunteering their time to make this happen. Dozens of people were involved in rescuing these pigs from the kill shelter where they were destined to die. Activists got Dante and Beatrice out of the shelter, provided transportation, built a barn for them, and donated money for hay, feed, veterinary care, and expensive equipment to protect pigs. It was a spectacular and sweaty team effort to save the lives of these pigs. Nothing is made up. It all happened and we showed the organic process. These pigs are happy, safe, secure, and surrounded by people who love, care for, and respect them. If only every pig in the world had this outcome!
VW: Can you speak to your experiences balancing the responsibility of sharing Animal Rights content with bringing in more viewers without compromising on the severity of the issue?
JVM: Our movement is growing exponentially, thanks to the courageous and relentless work of animal rights activists and organizations. Nevertheless, we have challenges–a major one being the impossibility of individually contacting 8 billion people across the globe! We must use mass media. We owe it to the animals to avail ourselves of every media platform there is. Streaming networks are arguably the hottest media platform right now and we’re capitalizing on that. UnchainedTV is global and people are watching from countries all over the world! If we only stream hard-core animal rights documentaries and lectures, the average viewer is likely to hit the exit button fast. After a long, hard day, people want to be entertained. There’s nothing inherently wrong or immoral about that. I have gone to many vegan and animal rights documentary screenings, speeches, lectures, and events where everyone in the room is already vegan. We must preach outside the choir. We have to get outside the vegan bubble and hit those 8 billion if we are to achieve the cultural shift to a plant-based society in time to avoid an environmental collapse. The clock is ticking.
Wait no further and download UnchainedTV on your favorite platform and catch the pig-powered saga of Dante, Beatrice, and the rambunctious little ones!
ABOUT UNCHAINED TV
UnchainedTV is a free streaming network, available from all app stores and on devices including Smart TVs, phones, tablets, and streaming devices like Amazon’s Fire Stick, AppleTV, and Roku. No subscription, no email, no password required. UnchainedTV is filled with hundreds of documentaries, cooking shows, travelogs, talk shows, and music videos. It is a portal to a healthier, more environmentally sustainable, and more compassionate lifestyle.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shriya is an Animal Rights activist, VEGWORLD writer, and Founder of Nourish by Shriya– her Vegan Hospitality Consulting Service that helps businesses attract the growing plant-based community. She is a mentor with Animal Activism Mentorship, enjoys volunteering at The Gentle Barn in Missouri, and currently lives in St. Louis with her pooch, Halley.
