Demonstrators Protest Walmart's Source of Pork as Animal Cruelty

Friday morning about 20 demonstrators silently lined the sidewalk in front of the Maplewood Commons Walmart to protest the retailer's source of pork.

A 10-foot tall inflatable pig, locked in a narrow crate, helped the demonstraters make their point.

"The hidden cost of Walmart's cheap pork is egregious animal cruelty," national campaign manager for Mercy For Animals, Phil Letten said.

He said pigs have been documented confined to metal crates so small the animals can't turn around.

"This blatant animal abuse at Walmart should not be tolerated," he said. "We're just calling on Walmart to follow the lead of Costco, Safeway and Kroger to phase out these cruel crates."