Jørgen Popp Petersen, the mayor of Tønder Municipality, is discontinuing his pig production after facing eight police reports for alleged violations of animal welfare laws. The Danish Veterinary and Food Administration (Fødevarestyrelsen) has conducted 14 inspections of his pig farm since 2019, resulting in multiple police reports, the agency’s most severe sanction.

Signe Hvidt-Nielsen, veterinary chief at the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, described the case as “unusual.”

Petersen’s farm houses over 600 sows and 3,500 piglets, and recordings reportedly show instances of severe neglect, including a pig with gangrene in both ears.

While Petersen claims to spend one to two hours in the pigsty each day and attributes responsibility to his operations manager, he acknowledges the unacceptability of the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration’s repeated interventions.

Due to the ongoing police investigation, the inspection reports are not currently accessible to the public. The South and Southern Jutland Police (Syd- og Sønderjyllands Politi) are handling the case.

The prosecution has not yet decided whether to press charges. According to the agency, police reports of pig producers have resulted in punishment in a little over half of cases in recent years. The courts will determine if any violations warrant a deprivation of the right to keep animals. The police reports date back to 2019, with the most recent occurring in 2024.