In a rare story of common-sense compassion and quick thinking, firefighters in Henrico County, Virginia sprang into action on July 14 to rescue over 1,800 piglets from the brutal summer heat after the transport truck carrying them broke down on Interstate 295.

The truck, en route to Iowa, suffered a mechanical failure that left the piglets stranded and rapidly overheating. That’s when the Henrico Fire Department stepped in, bringing in hoses not to fight flames—but to cool off pigs.

Yes, that’s right—our brave first responders took the time to douse the distressed piglets with water, potentially saving hundreds, if not thousands, from heatstroke and certain death. And for that, they received praise online… well, from most people.

A video of the rescue effort posted by Breaking911 went viral, showing a firefighter spraying the animals down as they squealed in relief. One social media user asked if the hose hurt the piglets. Others quickly responded with common sense: “Probably not as much as dying of heatstroke,” and “He’s actually saving their lives.”

Other users pointed out that pigs, unlike humans, don’t sweat, making it even more crucial to intervene in high-heat situations. One X user summed it up well: “Pigs can’t sweat—he probably just saved all of them.”

It was a moment of humanity—something we don’t see enough of these days.

And yet, leave it to the radical Left and the perpetually outraged animal rights mob to find a way to ruin even that.

The incident drew comparisons to a similar event in the U.K. in 2017, when firefighters saved a group of piglets from a barn fire. Later, as a thank-you, the farm owner sent them sausages made from those very same pigs. Cue the outrage.

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) threw a fit, whining that the pigs were “no better off” and lecturing the firefighters for daring to enjoy a traditional, legal, and delicious food product. As a final insult, they even sent them vegan sausages — as if anyone was asking.

Thankfully, the farmer who raised the pigs, Rachel Rivers, wasn’t about to take a lecture from people who value virtue-signaling over reality. She said plainly, “You do feel sad… but to bring them down for \[the firefighters] was a good way of saying ‘thank you.’”

Exactly. These pigs weren’t pets—they were livestock, humanely raised for the food supply. And the firefighters? They were simply enjoying the fruits of their bravery.

But in today’s upside-down culture, the woke mob sees heroism as problematic, meat as murder, and water hoses as weapons. If PETA had their way, those pigs would’ve overheated in the truck—and we’d all be forced to chew on tofu while pretending it’s bacon.

So here’s to the firefighters in Henrico County — real-life heroes who saved 1,800 animals in the blazing heat, without needing a standing ovation or a vegan lecture.

Keep your hose. Hold the tofu. We’ll take bacon and common sense, every time.